Core Technology Fee overview

The CTF is based on the number of first annual installs for an app in a 12-month period.

• First annual install. This is the first time an app is installed by an account in the EU in a 12-month period. After each first annual install, the app may be installed any number of times by the same account for the next 12 months with no additional charge. A first annual install may result from an app’s first-time install, a reinstall, or an update from any iOS and/or iPadOS app distributed through the App Store, an alternative app marketplace, your website, TestFlight, an App Clip, volume purchases via Apple Business Manager and Apple School Manager, and/or as a custom app.

• One million free first annual installs. Membership in the Apple Developer Program includes one million first annual installs per year for free for apps distributed from the App Store, Web Distribution, and/or alternative marketplaces.

• Fee for each first annual install over one million. Developers pay a CTF of €0.50 for each first annual install over one million in the past 12 months.

Apple provides many conditions where developers do not pay the CTF:

• Developers whose apps do not surpass one million first annual installs per year.

• Nonprofit organizations, accredited educational institutions, or government entities with an Apple Developer Program fee waiver.

• Developers that earn no revenue whatsoever. This includes offering a free app without monetization of any kind (physical, digital, advertising, or otherwise). This is intended to give students, hobbyists, and other non-commercial developers an opportunity to create a popular app without paying the CTF.

To support small developers, we provide a 3-year on-ramp to the CTF to help them create innovative apps and rapidly grow their business:

• Small developers (earning less than €10 million in global business revenue) who haven’t previously exceeded one million first annual installs are provided with a 3-year free on-ramp to the CTF. During this period that starts once a developer signs the Alternative Terms Addendum for Apps in the EU, they won't pay the CTF for first annual installs that exceed the threshold so long as they continue to earn less than €10 million in global business revenue within the 3 years.

• If a small developer grows to earn between €10 million and €50 million global annual business revenue within this 3-year on-ramp period, they’ll start to pay the CTF after one million first annual installs up to a cap of €1 million per year. After 3 years, they will pay for each first annual install after the initial one million first annual installs per year.

• To qualify for these terms for up to 3 continuous years, developers must declare their global business revenue is in an eligible tier annually. After 3 years, they will pay for each first annual install after the initial one million first annual installs per year.

Note: You must declare your revenue before your first app surpasses one million first annual installs in order to receive these on-ramp benefits. If any of your apps exceed one million first annual installs before you declare your revenue, you will not be eligible.

The continuous 3-year period applies once per developer account. If your account’s 3-year free on-ramp to the CTF has expired, then the CTF will apply to each app in your account that exceeds one million first annual installs from that point forward.

The free on-ramp for 3 continuous years begins once you sign the Alternative Terms Addendum for Apps in the EU, and expires 3 years later, regardless of your apps’ activity thereafter.

Developers of alternative app marketplaces pay the Core Technology Fee for every first annual install of their app marketplace, including installs that occur before one million.

To help understand if fees apply to your apps, download your historical app install reports and use our fee calculator.

The first annual install of an app takes place the first time it’s installed on iOS and/or iPadOS by an Apple account in the EU in a 12-month period. Each first annual install initiates a 12-month period of unlimited installs for that app by the same account at no additional charge. Once the period ends, the next install counts as a first annual install and starts a new 12-month period of unlimited installs for that app by the same account. Each first annual install is attributed to a particular month, regardless of the day it occurs. For example, since first annual installs occurring on May 1 and May 15 both take place in May, their 12-month period ends on April 30 of the following year.

Apple only counts first annual installs of an app that occur after the developer adopts the Alternative Terms Addendum for Apps in the EU. Under these terms, developers can continue to deliver app updates as needed throughout the year and users can continue to receive essential updates, as well as new features and improvements that provide the best experience.

Only certain kinds of installs can be considered a first annual install, such as the first time an iOS and/or iPadOS app is ever installed, redownloads of an app that was previously installed, and app updates, as long as they start a new 12-month period. Users who install the same app on both iOS and iPadOS within a 12-month period will only generate one first annual install for that app. Other installs, such as reinstalls of offloaded apps, iCloud transfers, and auto-downloads onto additional devices by the same Apple Account in the EU are not considered first annual installs. Learn about what can be considered a first annual install.

For example, let’s say that in April 2024, an Apple account in the EU installs Forest Explorer for the very first time on iOS. This is considered a first annual install and it starts a 12-month period when the developer can deliver an unlimited number of installs of that app to that account without generating an additional first annual install. Once the 12-month period ends, the next install counts as a first annual install and starts another 12-month period of unlimited installs for that app and account.

Apple has designed app installation capabilities for developers that align with our strong stance on privacy, ensuring that individual user data is protected and that app installation data is not shared with developers in a way that can identify individual users. Information about an app’s first annual installs is also not shared with other developers.

As is standard for business transactions, the Core Technology Fee does not include taxes. You may see any applicable taxes, as required by tax law, added as new lines on your invoice. Taxes may apply in certain countries and/or regions, including but not limited to, value-added tax (VAT), sales and use tax, goods and services tax (GST), and consumption tax. For details, view the Alternative Terms Addendum for Apps in the EU.

Generally, the applicability of tax depends on a combination of factors:

• Your business location (your legal entity address provided when enrolling in the Apple Developer Program).

• Tax information that you provide to Apple (such as valid tax ID, exemption status, etc.).

• The billing Apple legal entity. For details, view

If you have questions, consult your tax adviser.

Developers who owe a Core Technology Fee in a given month will receive an invoice by the 15th day of the following month and will need to provide payment within 30 days of receiving the invoice. You can pay directly from your bank using a unique, virtual routing number for your developer account that’s provided on the invoice. Please note that late payments accrue interest and nonpayment may result in the offset of App Store In-App Purchase proceeds owed to you, removal of the app from the App Store, or removal from the Apple Developer Program.

We strongly recommend that small developers declare their revenue, even if none of their apps are above one million first annual installs, so that they can receive the appropriate benefits if any of their apps later exceed that threshold. If any of your apps exceed one million first annual installs before you declare your revenue, then you will not be eligible for the on-ramp benefits.

To declare your revenue, the Account Holder of your Apple Developer Program membership can select their global annual revenue category when agreeing to the Alternative Terms Addendum for Apps in the EU.

When declaring your global annual revenue category, you must take into account:

• Revenue from business activity globally inside or outside of your app (physical, digital, advertising, or otherwise).

• Revenue from associated corporate entities. An associated corporate entity is any other entity that controls, is controlled by, or is under the control of your company.

• Please convert any global business revenue in other currencies using the spot rate at the end of the period.

• The global business revenue must be from the most recent 12-month financial statement on the companyʼs record. If this is not available, you may declare your global business revenue from the last 12 months.

Small developers need to declare they are within a global annual revenue each year to maintain their eligibility for the 3-year on-ramp to the CTF.

Developers who declare revenue less than €10 million may remain in the free on-ramp or the €1 million cap tier for a total of 3 years as they grow their business. During this period of 3 continuous years, developers may move between tiers as their business changes. After 3 years, they will be charged for each first annual install after the initial one million first annual installs per year.

The CTF is a separate fee for each first annual install over one million for apps distributed in the EU via the App Store, Web Distribution, and/or alternative app marketplaces. Eligibility for the free on-ramp and/or cap for the CTF is based on your global business revenue and whether your apps have ever exceeded one million first annual installs.

What if someone downloads my app on multiple devices within a 12-month period?

We only count one first annual install per app per Apple account in the EU in any 12-month period. For example, if someone has two iPhones and installs your app on both phones, within a 12-month period using the same account, Apple only counts one first annual install.

Will I be charged if someone upgrades their iPhone and transferstransfers my app to their new device?

No. iCloud transfers are never considered a first annual install, even if more than 12 months have passed since that account installed your app. Learn about what can be considered a first annual install.

How is my fee impacted if someone installs an app from the App Store, then installs it again later from an alternative app marketplace or a developer’s website?

As long as the app is installed by the same Apple account in the EU within 12 months of the first annual install, subsequent installs are free, even if the app is installed from a different source. For example, if someone installs your app for the first time from the App Store, deletes it, then reinstalls it from an alternative app marketplace within 12 months of their first annual install, you won’t be charged again for the subsequent install.

What happens if I have fewer than one million first annual installs in the past 12 months?

If you have fewer than one million first annual installs in the past 12 months, you won’t pay a Core Technology Fee that month.

What kind of apps are counted?

Only installs on iOS and/or iPadOS by Apple accounts in the EU may be counted as first annual installs. However, users who install the same app on both iOS and iPadOS within a 12-month period will only generate one first annual install for that app. Automatic installs of universal purchase apps onto platforms such as macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS are not counted as first annual installs. And if someone installs an iPadOS app onto a compatible device, such as an Apple Vision Pro, that install also won’t count as a first annual install.

How does Apple count first annual installs for volume purchases from Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager?

Apps purchased using Apple Business Manager or Apple School Manager may only be counted as first annual installs once the app is installed. For example, if someone purchases 100 copies of your app through Apple Business Manager and only installs 20 of those copies onto their corporate devices, only those 20 installs may be counted as potential first annual installs.