App store payment rules in Japan, Korea, Brazil and other markets

Most of the world still runs on Apple’s and Google’s default rules: in-app purchases go through the store, and the game may not point players anywhere else. A handful of countries have changed that by law, by settlement or by court order. This page covers each one as of 8 October 2026. The US and the EU have their own pages: Apple US, Apple EU and Google Play.

Where a game can take payments outside the store, country by country

Rates in brackets are Apple’s reduced rate for the Small Business Program (up to $1M in prior-year proceeds), the Mini Apps and Video Partner programs, and subscriptions after year one. Google’s bracketed rate applies to your first $1M of annual earnings and to subscriptions.

Japan: the smartphone act opened three payment routes on iOS

Japan’s Mobile Software Competition Act took full effect in December 2025. The Japan Fair Trade Commission designated Apple, iTunes K.K. and Google in March 2025. Apple’s terms arrived with iOS 26.2.

On the Japanese App Store a game can sell through in-app purchase, through its own payment processor inside the app, or through a link to its web shop. Apple splits its in-app charge in two: a 21% commission (10% on the reduced rate) that applies to every in-app sale, plus a 5% payment processing fee only when Apple processes the payment. Web sales pay a store services commission, and only if they happen within 7 days of the link tap.

If you add your own processor in the app, Apple requires you to show in-app purchase as an option at the same time. The child safety rules match the EU’s: Kids category apps cannot link to web offers, players under 13 cannot be shown them, and players aged 13 to 17 see alternative payments and web offers only behind a parental gate.

On Android, Google widened User Choice Billing in December 2025, which had covered only non-game apps in Japan since 2022, to all apps including games. It also launched an external payments program for web links, with fees of 20% on purchases within 24 hours of the link (10% on subscriptions and your first $1M).

On 30 September 2026 Japan moved to Google’s new fee model, and the billing choice program opened there. A game in that program offers players a choice between Play Billing and either its own billing in the app or a web link. Web purchases within 24 hours of the link pay 20% for new installs, 15% in the Games Level Up program and 10% on subscriptions and your first $1M. Alternative billing pays 20% on new installs and 25% on existing ones. Play Billing carries a 5% billing fee on top in Japan, as in the US, UK and EEA. The external payments program stopped taking new enrollments on the same day and closes after 31 March 2027, so games already in it must move to billing choice by then to keep their links.

Brazil: Japan’s terms, through a competition settlement

Brazil’s competition regulator, CADE, reached an agreement with Apple, and Apple announced the changes on 18 June 2026. They apply from iOS 26.5, and developers had to accept the updated license agreement by 6 July 2026. The fees match Japan: 21% (10% reduced) on every in-app sale, plus 5% if Apple processes the payment, 15% (10%) on web sales within 7 days of a link tap, and 5% on apps distributed outside the App Store. Apple says alternative options “will always be presented alongside Apple In-App Purchase.” The per-$100 figures in the Japan table apply unchanged.

On Android, we found no Brazil-specific billing or link program. Google’s billing choice program lists Australia, Japan, the UK and the EEA, with separate programs in the US, so Brazil stays on the legacy 15% and 30% fees until the new model reaches the rest of the world on 30 September 2027.

South Korea: your own payments in the app, no links, and a violation finding

South Korea amended its Telecommunications Business Act to stop app stores forcing their own billing. Apple’s answer is the StoreKit External Purchase Entitlement (KR). It lets a game use a third-party payment provider inside the app, in a separate build distributed only on the Korean App Store. It does not allow links to a web shop.

Google charges the Play Billing service fee minus 4 points on alternative billing in South Korea. We found no Korean link-out program. Korea moves to Google’s new fee model on 31 December 2026.

United Kingdom: a steering rule proposed, not imposed

The Competition and Markets Authority designated Apple and Google with strategic market status on 22 October 2025 under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. Apple’s commitments, accepted on 1 April 2026, cover app review, ranking, data and interoperability. They do not cover steering.

On 30 June 2026 the CMA opened consultations on steering conduct requirements for Apple and for Google. The Apple proposal would let developers steer players out of the app “on fair and reasonable terms.” The Apple consultation closed on 28 July 2026, and the CMA published responses to both on 14 August 2026. It has not imposed either requirement.

China mainland: lower in-app purchase rates, no steering

Apple cut its commission on the China mainland storefront from 15 March 2026, after discussions with the Chinese regulator. The standard rate on in-app purchase and paid apps fell from 30% to 25%. The Small Business Program, Mini Apps Partner Program and subscriptions after their first year fell from 15% to 12%. Games still must use in-app purchase and may not link out, so $100 of player spend leaves you $75, or $88 on the reduced rate.

Australia and India: open cases

What you can do in every market

Two things are allowed everywhere, whatever the local law. The first is guideline 3.1.3(b):

So a player in Australia or the UK can buy currency on your web shop and spend it in the iOS game, as long as the same items are on sale through in-app purchase. The second is guideline 3.1.3, which lets you tell players about web offers outside the app, by email, on social channels or on your community pages. What you cannot do outside the countries above is point to the web shop from inside the app. The driving traffic playbook covers how studios bring players to the web shop without an in-app link.

Timeline

Checklist by market

1. Japan and Brazil: decide whether to add a web link, your own processor or both. Model 26% (in-app purchase), 21% (your processor) and 15% (link) against your payment costs, and remember that link fees cover only sales within 7 days of the tap.
2. Japan on Android: new web links go through the billing choice program. If a game already uses the external payments program, plan its move to billing choice before 31 March 2027.
3. South Korea: a Korea-only iOS build at 26% saves 4 points against Apple’s 30% standard rate, before your payment costs. Apple’s Korean page lists no lower rate for small developers, so a Small Business Program studio paying 15% on in-app purchase would pay more. Check whether the saving covers a second binary.
4. UK and Australia: keep in-app links off your iOS builds for now, and keep your web shop ready for a ruling in either country. On Android in both countries, billing choice already allows a web link at 20%.
5. Everywhere: sell the same currency packs through in-app purchase that you sell on the web, so web-bought currency stays spendable in the iOS game.