It's official! Apple will charge a 15% commission on mini-games

On November 13, foreign media reported a major development: Apple has reached an agreement with Tencent to take full responsibility for all payment processing within WeChat Mini Games and Mini Programs, and will receive a 15% commission on these transactions. The news immediately sparked widespread attention within the industry.

Early on the morning of November 14, Apple officially announced the launch of the “Mini Apps Partner Program,” confirming the aforementioned rumors through the implementation of this policy. Under the program, developers participating in the initiative will pay a 15% commission on in-app purchase revenue—a rate that represents a 50% reduction from Apple’s standard 30% “Apple tax” and aligns with the rates of special programs designed for small and medium-sized developers.

WeChat also issued an announcement this morning, stating that it will make these services available to developers as soon as possible and continue to work toward delivering a better experience for developers and users of Mini Programs and Mini Games on the iOS platform.

According to Apple, the new program is primarily aimed at developers of native apps that host mini-programs or mini-games on platforms such as WeChat, Alipay, and TikTok. To qualify for the 15% preferential rate, developers must meet several technical and compliance requirements: the main app must be listed on the App Store for iOS and iPadOS; it must support the age declaration API and the Advanced Commercial API; payments must be processed through Apple’s In-App Purchase system; and transaction data must be returned via the relevant APIs during the refund process.Apple stated that these requirements are designed to safeguard user experience and transaction security, while also alleviating regulatory pressure on developers regarding content moderation and payment risks.

After more than a year of negotiations, Apple and Tencent have finally reached an agreement. Since the launch of WeChat Mini Games, payment functionality has never been enabled on iOS; the platform has only supported advertising-based monetization models. Some developers have circumvented the App Store’s payment system by redirecting users to third-party payment channels to complete top-ups. As the mini-games market continues to expand—with transaction volumes now reaching the tens of billions—this agreement will allow Apple to successfully tap into this growing market.