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According to Meta’s latest announcement, businesses and influencers who use Facebook and Instagram and want to boost their posts must pay Apple’s 30% service charge. The 30% fee only applies to Facebook and Instagram iOS users. Meta says impacted users can use Instagram.com and Facebook.com on mobile and desktop to avoid paying the fee to Apple.
The change comes on the heels of an update to App Store Review Guidelines in 2022. Back then, Apple said any digital content purchase, including boosted posts, is entitled to use the in-app purchase. This means businesses and influencers aiming to promote their iOS posts should pay a fee to the iPhone maker.
Apple takes a 30% fee from boosted posts on Facebook and Instagram
Starting later this month, every advertiser on Facebook or Instagram iOS app will be billed by Apple after boosting its posts. Meta says it must comply with the App Store policy or remove boosted posts from Facebook and Instagram. Due to the fact that eliminating boosted posts hurts small businesses, Meta opts to comply with App Store changes but leaves the 30% fee to advertisers.
Applying a 30% service fee can drain advertiser’s pockets even more. But, Apple has also designed a new payment procedure for those who want to promote their posts. Advertisers are now required to add prepaid funds to their accounts. It means they should pay for boosted posts before publishing them and also pay Apple’s 30% fee.
Meanwhile, Meta puts another option in front of advertisers. If advertisers add prepaid funds from their payment settings using their desktop computers or mobile web browsers, they’re no longer required to pay the fee. They can “use these funds to boost content from any tool, including from the Instagram or Facebook iOS apps,” Meta added.
The EU is forcing Apple to loosen its App Store rules for developers, and the US might need to do such
Starting in March, Apple is obligated by the EU to allow app sideloading on iOS. The iPhone maker should also allow developers to distribute their apps via alternative stores. European app developers can evade paying a 30% fee to Apple by bypassing the company’s in-app payment system. Lawmakers in the US might also need to consider applying such rules to the giant tech firms in the country.