Apple has set a new deadline of November 1, 2026 for all Patreon creators to switch from Patreon's legacy billing system to the App Store's in-app purchase system in the Patreon app on the iPhone and iPad, as reported by TechCrunch. Note: This image has been edited to include a pile of cash. Patreon is a platform where creators such as YouTubers can receive payments from fans, which can be a valuable revenue stream alongside ads and sponsorships.
  • Blackmist@feddit.ukEnglish
    38·
    21 hours ago

    Just crank all iOS user payments up by 30%, explain why, and let nature sort itself out.

    • Tilgare@lemmy.worldEnglish
      27·
      18 hours ago

      Apple doesn’t allow this - they expect your price to be the same everywhere or they’ll remove the app from their store or decline version updates. There have historically been a few high profile exceptions privately negotiated, and I think they were forced to relax this in the last year or two, but here they are again trying to claw away money they did literally nothing to earn.

      • Scrollone@feddit.itEnglish
        1·
        9 hours ago

        You’re not correct on the “same price” thing. Yes, Apple declined version updates, but it’s because they don’t want apps to tell the user to go to the website, they don’t care about a price match.

        • Tilgare@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          1 hour ago

          You’re definitely right about them prohibiting devs from pointing to a web browser to subscribe. They can’t link, can’t even use language that explains WHY you can’t subscribe in the app (if the dev decides to forego using Apples payment system entirely). I think that THIS was what Apple recently was forced by a judge to relax, after the Apple v Epic case.

          I must have been conflating the policy that they ABSOLUTELY did have (but only til 2011) and the outside links issue. Hughes Hubbard

          Under the February rules, if developers wanted to use content purchased outside of the app, they also had to offer the content for in-app purchase and it had to be offered at the same price or less than it was offered elsewhere, despite the fact that Apple takes a 30% cut.

          Macrumors

          Apple has quietly changed its guidelines on the pricing of In-App Subscriptions on the App Store. There are no longer any requirements that a subscription be the “same price or less than it is offered outside the app”.

          • Scrollone@feddit.itEnglish
            1·
            8 minutes ago

            That’s interesting, TIL that they used to be even worse than they are today. Thanks!

      • Spezi@feddit.orgEnglish
        7·
        17 hours ago

        Instagram puts way more than 30% on their ads when purchasing through iOS

        If you buy 100€ of ad budget, they want you to pay an additional 42.5% apple service fee and additional taxes here in Germany.

        If I do it through their ad center suddenly the taxes are already included in the budget so if I pay 100€ I get 100€. So in the end, Meta charges iOS users an additional 70% vs what they usually charge.

      • Pyr@lemmy.caEnglish
        3·
        17 hours ago

        I have an app which reduces the quality of the app for apple users to force them to subscribe more than Android users.

        The price is the same, but on android there’s no limit to the number of saves you can keep whereas Apple has a limit of 5 and you need to Subscribe at $30/year to unlock more saves.

    • boonhet@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      181·
      21 hours ago

      Patreon gives creators the option to either increase their prices in the iOS app only, or absorb the fee themselves, keeping prices the same across platforms.

      It’s already an option and if you read the article, only 4% are still on the legacy billing system (no Apple tax at all)

      iOS users using a browser don’t pay the Apple Tax. And the only reason to pay through the app is if you specifically want to use Apple Pay (e.g to pay with your phone bill instead of your credit card).

      At this point it’s a “stupid tax” more than anything.

      • mholiv@lemmy.worldEnglish
        12·
        21 hours ago

        Small clarification. Apple Pay is not really paying with your phone bill. I think you can but most users just have their credit card or debit card linked.

        • boonhet@sopuli.xyzEnglish
          1·
          21 hours ago

          That’s why I used e.g instead of i.e :) That’s one use case for Apple Pay that you can’t get from the website. Another would be that you don’t share your card details with whoever Patreon’s payment processor is - which might make sense if you trust Apple more than some particular processor