Neo Radar #13: Apple vs. Epic - Web Payments are (finally) Unlocked
Web links. No Apple fee. It’s finally happening. But is skipping IAP the right move for your app?
In this 📡 Neo Radar edition:
💥 Radar of the Week: Apple vs. Epic – Unlocking Web Payments
🔍 Quick Breakdown: Spotify got the green light - who’s next?
🧪 Takeaway: Freedom comes with friction
💥 Radar of the Week: Apple vs. Epic – Unlocking Web Payments
Last week, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled in favor of Epic Games. So it’s official now, Apple must (& has) fully open the door to external payments. Not just allow links, but also end its:
Tax on Web Purchases
UI restrictions (e.g. “no buttons” rule)
Scary pop-ups warning users they’re leaving the app
This marks a real shift: developers can now promote cheaper pricing, use clean UI, and fully bypass Apple’s in-app payment system without being penalized for it.
Looks like a major shift in App Store world, right?
Let’s zoom in.
🔍 Quick Breakdown: Spotify got the green light - who’s next?
Spotify became the first major app to roll out a US update with external payments (v9.0.40). It now:
Shows subscription pricing inside the app
Links directly to its own site for checkout
Skips Apple’s 30% cut entirely
Epic is also preparing its own payments SDK, meaning that they’re bringing Fortnite back to the US store.
But remember: Spotify has been fighting this for a decade.
Patreon, the creator platform, also followed with their latest iOS update that allows users to subscribe via web. The new payment option supports Apple Pay, credit cards, Venmo, and PayPal.
Amazon also jumped in with the Kindle iOS app, including a “Get Book” button that opens a mobile web browser to complete purchases. This marks the first time in years users can buy Kindle books directly from the app, or even see their prices.
More platforms are moving fast to reclaim their margins and control their user journey.
Apple’s grip is loosening. The company filed an appeal this week and continues to challenge the court’s decision.
But here we’re talking about BIG players. They own their funnel.
Discovery and trust? Not a problem.
For most devs, though, this change is more complex than it seems.
🧪 Takeaway: Freedom comes with friction
Yes, you can now link out, use your own pricing, technically keep more margin.
But you’ll also be responsible for:
⚙️ Complex tax compliance (state-by-state in the US)
💳 Handling fraud, chargebacks, payment retries
🧠 Building user trust in your checkout experience
🕵️♀️ Risking less visibility in App Store rankings
This is a clear win for Spotify, Epic, and other devs with a solid growth engine and brand trust.
But for most indie apps, productivity tools, or mobile-first games?
That 15–30% fee might still be worth it, because replicating everything Apple bundles is expensive, messy, and high-risk.
Bottom line: Web payments are unlocked. But unless you’re ready to run a full payment stack, tread carefully. Don’t ditch IAP without a plan. There are great tools out there, like RevenueCat for subscription infra or FunnelFox for linking external flow, that can help you get started without building everything from scratch.
But before making big moves, map out your funnel, your risks, and your costs.
🎯 In case your missed it:
My last deep dive covers Runna’s acquisition by Strava + and the UA & Growth strategy that likely made it happen.
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