Anti-steering

Also called anti-steering rules, steering ban

App store rules that stop an app from telling players about other ways to pay outside the store, or from linking to them.

Outside a few markets, Apple and Google still ban steering by default. Apple’s guideline 3.1.1(a) says apps “may not include buttons, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms other than in-app purchase”, with the US storefront exempt (Apple). Google’s payments policy says apps “may not lead users to a payment method other than Google Play’s billing system” unless a program applies (Google).

Courts and regulators are taking these rules apart market by market. A US court held Apple in contempt in April 2025 over its steering rules, and US iOS apps can now link to web checkout with no Apple commission until a fee is approved. The European Commission fined Apple €500m in April 2025 (European Commission), which Apple has appealed, and Google €430m in July 2026 under the Digital Markets Act (the Play part of an €890m decision that also covered Search). Japan, Brazil and South Korea have their own rules.

Anti-steering decides where you can advertise your web shop inside the game. Where it applies, you reach players by email, social channels and other platforms; Apple’s guideline 3.1.3 allows communication outside the app. See Apple’s US rules and the rest of world.