That didn’t take long. Hours after a California-based District Court ruled that Apple must open external payments in apps in the U.S., and Apple changed its policies, the first such app has received approval. With the latest app update, Spotify has become the first app to allow external payment options directly from its iOS and iPadOS apps.
The move is being celebrated by the world’s top music streaming service. In a statement to 9to5Mac, Spotify spokesperson Jeanne Mora said:
“In a victory for consumers, artists, creators, and authors, Apple has approved Spotify’s U.S. app update. After nearly a decade, this will finally allow us to freely show clear pricing information and links to purchase, fostering transparency and choice for U.S. consumers. We can now give consumers lower prices, more control, and easier access to the Spotify experience. There is more work to do, but today represents a significant milestone for developers and entrepreneurs everywhere who want to build and compete on a more level playing field. It’s the opening act of a new era, and we could not be more ready for the show.”
On Wednesday, a District Court said Apple failed to comply with the 2021 judgment in the landmark Apple vs. Epic Games antitrust case. As a result, the company adjusted its app review guidelines so apps listed on the iOS and macOS App Stores will no longer be “prohibited from including buttons, external links, or other calls to action” for payments outside the app. While these changes were already implemented in 2024, Apple had required developers to apply for a special “entitlement” for them to allow payments through external sources.
Before these changes, Apple collected 27% of any external payment made by an app developer, assuming the payment was initiated from the app itself. It will now collect nothing.
As 9to5Mac explained, the following changes are being made to the Spotify app in the U.S.:
- Can finally see how much something costs in our app, including pricing details on subscriptions and information about promotions that will save money;
- Can click a link to purchase the subscription of choice, upgrading from a Free account to one of our Premium plans;
- Can seamlessly click the link and easily change Premium subscriptions from Individual to a Student, Duo, or Family plan;
- Can use other payment options beyond just Apple’s payment system—we provide a wider range of options on our website; and
- Going forward, this opens the door to other seamless buying opportunities that will directly benefit creators (think easy-to-purchase audiobooks)
No doubt, Spotify won’t be the first app to go the external payment route. Keep in mind, these changes only affect apps being sold in the U.S.
At the time of this writing, the pricing changes in the Spotify app are just rolling out, so they might not have shown up on your iPhone or iPad, but they will soon.
