After years of keeping subscription pricing out of its iPhone app to avoid Apple’s steep in-app purchase commission, Spotify has finally updated its U.S. app to include out-of-app payment information.
Thanks to a recent court ruling, U.S. users can now view Spotify’s Premium plan prices; Individual, Duo, Family, and Student, right inside the app and tap buttons that direct them to Spotify’s website for payment.
This long-awaited change is the result of a federal judge’s enforcement of an earlier injunction from the Epic vs. Apple case. The ruling prohibits Apple from blocking developers from linking out to external payment options and, importantly, stops Apple from collecting its usual 27–30% commission on those payments.
A New Era of App Freedom?
Spotify wasted no time rolling out the update after Apple greenlit it, calling it a “victory for consumers, artists, creators, and authors.” The company’s official statement struck a triumphant tone, saying the update ushers in “a more level playing field” for developers and gives users “lower prices, more control, and easier access” to its services.
For nearly a decade, Spotify and Apple have been locked in a public battle over App Store rules, with Spotify refusing to use Apple’s in-app payment system. Until now, that meant users couldn’t even see how much a Premium plan cost, let alone sign up through the app. That’s all changing, at least in the U.S.
This update is one of the first real-world outcomes of the Epic v. Apple case, and it’s likely only the beginning. More popular apps are expected to follow suit and start showing prices and external links in the coming days.
Apple, for its part, says it’s complying with the order but plans to appeal. So, while the legal drama isn’t over, the app experience is already changing, for the better.
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