
10:16 AM PDT · August 18, 2025
Newsletter subscription level Substack will statesman taking advantage of an action connected nan U.S. App Store that allows users to make purchases extracurricular of Apple’s in-app purchasing system. This functionality is permitted by a change to nan App Store’s rules successful May, arsenic a consequence of Epic Games’ antitrust lawsuit against nan tech giant.
Since then, a number of apical apps person moved to connection in-app acquisition links that constituent to their ain websites, including Spotify, Patreon, and nan Amazon Kindle app, among others.
In Substack’s case, support for outer payments will use some nan company, which nary longer has to salary nan App Store a committee connected those web sales, and consumers, who will person entree to reduced pricing. Meanwhile, Substack creators will beryllium capable to connection their readers nan action of whether they want nan convenience of Apple’s in-app payments strategy (IAP) aliases nan web costs option, which is now accessible without having to time off nan app.

Substack explains it will automatically set its customers’ iOS app value higher to relationship for Apple’s fees, allowing creators to return location nan aforesaid magnitude of money arsenic a web subscription. However, Substack writers tin disable this characteristic if they choose. (Substack will proceed to return its ain 10% interest based connected nan web subscription price, arsenic before.)
The institution said it’s besides offering its writers migration devices to thief them move their subscribers disconnected Apple’s payments strategy and onto its web-based system.
Currently, much than 30,000 publications connected nan level person in-app purchases enabled; Substack says early tests of nan expanded group of costs options person driven a boost successful paid sign-ups. It did not, however, stock circumstantial numbers related to this.

The nationalist motorboat of nan outer payments action will only effect caller Substack subscriptions. Substack writers don’t person to return immoderate action unless they want to little nan prices for those utilizing Apple’s payments system.
Per Apple’s App Store rules, afloat opting retired of offering IAP is not allowed.
While nan changes effect nan Substack app successful nan U.S., nan institution says it’s still evaluating if it makes consciousness to move to nan much analyzable rules Apple offers successful nan EU and U.K. for developers who want to forgo IAP.
Sarah has worked arsenic a newsman for TechCrunch since August 2011. She joined nan institution aft having antecedently spent complete 3 years astatine ReadWriteWeb. Prior to her activity arsenic a reporter, Sarah worked successful I.T. crossed a number of industries, including banking, unit and software.
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