Since iOS 17.4, the EU's Digital Markets Act has let developers distribute iOS apps in the European Union through alternative app marketplaces and, for eligible developers, directly from their websites. These apps still need Apple's notarization. Developers can also use alternative payment options under Apple's EU business terms, which carry their own fees. For most apps, the App Store and Google Play remain the main discovery channels, so the DMA adds options rather than replacing ASO.
What changed for iOS in the EU
Before 2024, the App Store was the only way to distribute consumer iOS apps. Under the Digital Markets Act, Apple now allows alternative app marketplaces on iPhone and iPad for users in the EU, and web distribution for developers who meet eligibility criteria. Users can install marketplace apps after approving the marketplace in Settings.
Apps distributed outside the App Store still go through notarization, a baseline review focused on security, privacy, and functionality rather than the full App Review Guidelines. Marketplace operators need Apple's authorization and handle their own content moderation, payments, and support. Apple publishes the current requirements on its developer site, and they have changed several times, so check them before planning.
Payments and fees under the EU terms
Developers in the EU can use alternative payment service providers in the App Store or link users to purchase on the web, under Apple's EU business terms. Those terms carry their own fee structure, which Apple revised in 2025, and developers choose between options with different fees and benefits. The alternative paths are not fee-free.
Before switching, model the total cost: store fees under the new terms, payment processing, fraud, tax handling, refunds, customer support, and the conversion you might lose by leaving the native purchase sheet. Our guide to App Store and Google Play fees explains the standard commissions to compare against.
Android in the EU
Android has long allowed alternative app stores and direct installation, so the DMA's effect there is more about choice screens, billing, and interoperability. Google Play offers alternative billing options for users in the European Economic Area, with a reduced service fee when developers use their own billing. Device makers' stores, such as Samsung Galaxy Store and Huawei AppGallery, continue alongside Play.
Google has also announced developer verification requirements for apps installed on certified Android devices outside Google Play, rolling out by region from 2026. If you distribute APKs directly or through smaller stores, follow these requirements closely. Our guides to Samsung Galaxy Store ASO and Huawei AppGallery ASO cover two of the larger alternatives.
Should you list in an alternative marketplace?
For most consumer apps, the App Store still delivers the vast majority of EU iOS installs, because it is preinstalled, trusted, and integrated with search, editorial, and ads. Alternative marketplaces make sense when your app cannot exist on the App Store, when a marketplace offers a meaningful audience in your niche, such as games or emulators, or when the economics clearly favor it.
Treat a marketplace as another storefront with its own audience. Test it with modest effort, measure installs and retention by source, and keep your App Store listing as the primary asset. Attribution matters: Apple's AdAttributionKit supports measurement across marketplaces, so set it up before spending on promotion.
ASO when there is more than one store
Each marketplace has its own search, ranking signals, and page layout, but the fundamentals transfer: a clear name and subtitle, honest screenshots, strong ratings, and localized copy. Reuse your master creative and keyword research, then adapt to each store's fields and audience. Our app store localization strategy applies equally to marketplace listings in the EU's many languages.
Keep messaging consistent across stores so users who see your app in several places recognize it. Different prices or features by store can create confusion and support issues. For a multi-country approach, see our guide to an EU multi-country rollout.
Common mistakes when reacting to the DMA
The most common mistake is treating the DMA as a reason to abandon the App Store in Europe. Teams announce web-only purchasing, then discover that conversion drops, refunds and chargebacks rise, and support volume climbs. Others assume the rules are the same in every EU country or will never change, when Apple's terms and the European Commission's decisions have shifted more than once.
Another mistake is neglecting measurement. Without source-level attribution, a team cannot tell whether a marketplace brings new users or simply moves existing ones, and it ends up debating anecdotes. Decide in advance what result would justify expansion, then run the pilot long enough to see retention and revenue, not just first-week installs.
A worked example: a game evaluates EU distribution
A mid-size game studio wonders whether to publish in an alternative iOS marketplace in the EU. It models costs under Apple's EU terms, compares them with standard App Store terms, and estimates audience size from the marketplace's published figures and its own community surveys.
The studio decides to keep the App Store as its main channel and run a limited pilot in one marketplace with an exclusive cosmetic bundle. It sets up AdAttributionKit, tracks installs and spend per user by source, and reviews the pilot after three months. Because the pilot is small and measured, the decision rests on data rather than headlines.
How to do it, step by step
- Confirm eligibility and current rulesRead Apple's current EU distribution documentation and Google's EEA billing and verification requirements before planning.
- Model the economicsCompare standard App Store terms with the EU alternative terms, including processing, fraud, support, and conversion effects.
- Pick at most one pilot marketplaceChoose a marketplace with a clear audience fit for your app rather than listing everywhere at once.
- Instrument attributionImplement AdAttributionKit on iOS and source tracking on Android so installs and revenue are attributed by store.
- Review after a fixed periodCompare installs, retention, and net revenue per user by store after three months and decide whether to expand.
Before and after examples
Illustrative examples written for a generic app in this category, not client results. Swap in your own product, audience, and data.
Move all EU iOS users to the web to avoid fees.
Keep the App Store primary and pilot web purchases for returning subscribers.
Why it works: Moving everyone risks conversion loss and support costs that can exceed fee savings.
Copy the App Store listing unchanged.
Reuse creative and research, but adapt text to the marketplace's fields and audience.
Why it works: Each store has its own layout and expectations.
Count installs by store from download totals.
Use AdAttributionKit and source parameters to measure installs, retention, and revenue by marketplace.
Why it works: Totals hide whether a channel brings valuable users.
Action plan
- Read current Apple and Google EU requirements
- Model full costs, not just fees
- Keep the App Store as the primary EU iOS channel
- Pilot one marketplace with clear audience fit
- Measure by source with AdAttributionKit
- Keep messaging consistent across stores
Metrics to monitor
- Installs by store and country
- Retention and revenue per user by store
- Effective fee rate by distribution path
- Support tickets per thousand users by store
Record the baseline, release date, audience, markets, and external changes before interpreting movement. Rankings and conversion are useful signals, but a decision is stronger when activation, retention, and business value confirm that the page attracted the right users.
Frequently asked questions
Can I distribute iOS apps outside the App Store in the EU?
Yes. Under the Digital Markets Act, iOS apps can be distributed to EU users through authorized alternative marketplaces and, for eligible developers, web distribution. Apps still need Apple's notarization.
Are alternative distribution options fee-free?
No. Apple's EU business terms carry their own fees, and you take on payment processing, fraud, and support costs.
Do alternative marketplaces affect App Store ASO?
Not directly. The App Store's search and ranking are separate, and it remains the largest iOS channel in the EU for most apps.
Do these rules apply outside the EU?
The DMA applies in the European Union. Other countries have introduced their own rules on payments and app distribution, so check each market.
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Primary sources
Platform capabilities and limits can change. Verify current requirements in these official resources:
