Apple has started contacting eligible developers to inform them that they have been accepted into the Small Business Program, which allows developers to benefit from significantly reduced App Store fees.
In November, Apple announced the Small Business Program, which sees App Store fees slashed to just 15 percent for developers earning under one million dollars per calendar year. Developers have been able to sign up to the Small Business Program since Thursday, December 3, and according to emails shared with MacRumors, Apple has now begun notifying developers if they have been accepted.
All developers who earned under one million dollars in 2020 are able to qualify for the program and the reduced 15 percent commission rate, and new developers who join in 2021 will also qualify. Going forward, developers who earn up to one million dollars in the prior calendar year will be able to participate. The App Store commission remains at 30 percent for developers making over one million dollars per year.
The program has since received praise from many developers, but some larger developers such as Spotify and Epic Games have criticized the move, saying it undermines the App Store's rules.
Apple says that the program will be available to the vast majority of developers, with those developers all receiving the same access to Apple's developer tools and programs. Apple expects the App Store Small Business Program to generate more digital commerce, support new jobs, and provide more funds for small businesses to invest back into their apps as they work to create innovative software for Apple users.
