Apple Announces App Store Mini Apps Partner Program

Thursday November 13, 2025 8:22 am PST by Hartley Charlton

Apple today announced the App Store Mini Apps Partner Program, allowing apps that host mini apps and mini games to support In-App Purchases.

iOS App Store General Feature JoeBlue
The program is designed for developers who host mini apps and games within a larger, native app.

Today, we're introducing the Mini Apps Partner Program, which expands on the App Store's ongoing support for apps that offer mini apps. Mini apps are self-contained experiences that are built using web technologies like HTML5 and JavaScript. This program is designed to help developers who host mini apps grow their business and further the availability of mini apps on the App Store — all while providing a great customer experience.

Participating developers may benefit from a reduced commission rate of 15% on the sales of qualifying In-App Purchases. To be eligible for this reduced commission rate, participating apps must support certain App Store technologies, including the Declared Age Range API and the Advanced Commerce API in order to help provide a safe and seamless experience for customers of all ages.

The mini apps must be not be controlled by the developer of the host app. Participating apps are also required to support certain ‌App Store‌ technologies, such as the Declared Age Range API and the Advanced Commerce API. To join the Mini Apps Partner Program, developers must submit a request form.

The program seemingly relates to Apple's deal with Tencent, allowing it to obtain commission on mini games and mini apps in China's WeChat.

Apple also updated its App Review Guidelines today, adding and clarifying a range of requirements, including the provision that "creator apps must provide a way for users to identify content that exceeds the app's age rating, use an age restriction mechanism based on verified or declared age to limit access by underage users."

Tag: App Store

Popular Stories

Apple Quietly Tweaked the iOS App Store App – Here's What's Changed

Friday April 17, 2026 2:32 am PDT by Tim Hardwick

No, you aren't going crazy – Apple has quietly made a backend change to the App Store app in iOS that switches the location of the Updates tab and renames it to make it more prominent. In the App Store app, you can see the change by tapping your profile picture in the top-right corner. The "Apps & Purchase History" tab used to be at the top the list, but it has switched places with...

• 48 comments

Apple Pulled Cal AI for Deceptive Billing Design, Not External Payments

Tuesday April 21, 2026 12:54 pm PDT by Juli Clover

Apple recently cracked down on Cal AI, an app owned by MyFitnessPal that tried to skirt Apple's in-app purchase rules. Apple told TechCrunch that it briefly pulled the calorie-counting app last week for violating purchasing guidelines and using a deceptive billing design. When the app was pulled last week, there was speculation that it was removed for implementing web-based payments,...

• 12 comments

Apple Introduces App Store Monthly Subscriptions With 12-Month Commitment

Monday April 27, 2026 12:52 pm PDT by Eric Slivka

Apple today announced the launch of a new subscription option for App Store developers: monthly subscriptions with a 12-month commitment. The new option allows developers to offer subscribers discounted pricing typically associated with an annual subscription but paid on a monthly basis to keep payments more affordable. This new payment option allows you to offer subscribers more affordable...

• 146 comments

Top Rated Comments

mihighil

26 weeks ago

I’ve read enough, iphone 18 mini confirmed.

Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)

dguisinger

26 weeks ago

I'm already annoyed when I download an app and it turns out to be a wrapper around a website

I don't know about you, but I've stopped downloading apps unless its from one of my banks or a restaurant for ordering. This is 100% a learned behavior due to all the free apps with ad bloat and charging for IAP just to perform the basic purpose of the app. So sure, Apple can keep going this route... but they have trained me not to spend a dime with their store or even look for anything in it.

Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

zahuh

26 weeks ago

We just want iOS like MacOS. Options to download DMGs from the dev website or from the Mac app store. That's it. Mac is very secure. Just like now, default, DMGs can't be installed unless the developer certificate is valid. Disgusting Apple is getting 15%-30% of every business. Apple's margins are 38-41%. Taking 30% from a business is killing it

Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

platinumaqua

26 weeks ago

Isn't that sort of like what Jobs originally envisioned for iOS apps, before the developers revolted?

I'm already annoyed when I download an app and it turns out to be a wrapper around a website

Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Donkey Man

26 weeks ago

Apple today announced ('https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=xcz1s7cz') the App Store Mini Apps Partner Program ('https://developer.apple.com/programs/mini-apps-partner/').

The program is designed for developers who host mini apps and games within a larger, native app.

The mini apps must be not be controlled by the developer of the host app. Participating apps are also required to support certain App Store technologies, such as the Declared Age Range API and the Advanced Commerce API. To join the Mini Apps Partner Program, developers must submit a request form.

Apple also updated its App Review Guidelines ('https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=ey6d8onl') today, adding and clarifying a range of requirements, including the provision that "creator apps must provide a way for users to identify content that exceeds the app's age rating, use an age restriction mechanism based on verified or declared age to limit access by underage users."

Article Link: Apple Announces App Store Mini Apps Partner Program ('https://www.macrumors.com/2025/11/13/apple-announces-mini-apps-partner-program/')

Oh great - now on top of the already disgusting IAPs in the main apps, we will have even more disgusting Apple-pushed IAPs in mini apps INSIDE those main apps.