Link-out

Also called external purchase link, external content link, steering link

A button or link inside a mobile game that sends the player to the studio's web shop to buy, where platform rules allow it.

A link-out moves the purchase from the app store’s checkout to yours. The store may still take a commission on it, and the rate depends on the store and the country. As of 8 October 2026:

Store and region	Fee on linked web purchases
Apple, US	0% until a court approves a fee; Apple has proposed 15% (Ninth Circuit)
Apple, EU, since 1 October 2026	15%, or 10% reduced (Apple)
Apple, Japan and Brazil	15%, or 10% reduced (Apple)
Google Play, US	20%, 10% on the first $1M; due since 1 October 2026, contested (Google)
Google Play, EEA	20%, 10% on the first $1M; the European Commission found the fees non-compliant in July 2026 (Google)
Google Play, UK, Australia and Japan	20%, 10% on the first $1M, through the billing choice program; Australia and Japan joined on 30 September 2026 (Google)

Attribution windows differ. Apple counts sales within 7 days of the link tap in the EU and Japan; Google counts 24 hours. Most other storefronts still ban link-outs.

Expect some drop-off. In one controlled test at a subscription app, not a game, RevenueCat measured 27.0% conversion in-app against 18.1% through the web link (RevenueCat). Appcharge, a web shop vendor, reports that 97% of web shop revenue in its data comes from repeat buyers. See the mobile web shop guide.