Substack Circumvents Apple’s App Store Fees for U.S. Subscriptions

Substack has begun leveraging a new Apple policy in the United States that permits apps to redirect users to external payment systems, a significant change resulting from the ongoing Epic Games legal dispute. This strategic move allows Substack creators to bypass Apple’s standard 30% in-app purchase commission, enabling them to offer more affordable web-based subscriptions to their iOS readers. For writers, this means an increase in their overall earnings and greater control over their pricing models. While Substack will continue to collect its 10% platform fee, this will now be applied to the lower base price of the web subscription, benefiting both creators and readers. This new functionality is currently limited to new subscriptions made through the app, giving creators a flexible way to manage their revenue streams and pricing without being solely dependent on Apple’s payment infrastructure. The initiative marks a notable shift toward a more open digital ecosystem, creating pricing flexibility and bolstering the direct-to-creator model that platforms like Substack champion.