The EU external link entitlement is Apple's mechanism, introduced under the Digital Markets Act, that lets apps distributed in the European Union include links to external purchase options outside Apple's in-app purchase. To use it, you adopt the External Purchase Link entitlement, accept Apple's alternative business terms for the EU, and implement the StoreKit External Purchase Link API to register your external links and show the required disclosures to users. Under the alternative terms, Apple charges a Core Technology Fee, though these EU business terms have changed over time, so confirm the current fee structure. This applies only to EU storefronts and to developers who opt into the terms.
Short answer
The entitlement lets EU apps link out to external purchases under the DMA, and it comes with StoreKit requirements and fees you should verify. Per Apple's DMA guidance for apps in the EU, you accept the alternative EU business terms, request the External Purchase Link entitlement, and implement the External Purchase Link API in StoreKit to register links and present required disclosures. Under the alternative terms, Apple charges a Core Technology Fee, but Apple has revised its EU fee model over time, so confirm the current terms rather than assuming a fixed figure. This applies only to EU storefronts, and adopting it is a business decision, so weigh the fees against the benefit before opting in.
What the EU external link entitlement is
The EU external link entitlement is Apple's way of complying with the Digital Markets Act by allowing developers to steer users to purchase options outside the App Store's in-app purchase, within the European Union. Where the standard App Store rules restrict linking to external purchases, this entitlement, under Apple's alternative EU terms, permits it for apps on EU storefronts. It exists specifically because of the DMA's requirements around anti-steering.
It is important to see it as an opt-in under a specific set of terms, not a general change to how the App Store works. Adopting the entitlement means accepting Apple's alternative business terms for the EU, which come with their own conditions and fees. So the entitlement is not just a technical capability; it is part of a business arrangement you choose, applicable to the EU only, and evaluated against what it costs versus what it gains you.
StoreKit requirements
Using the external link entitlement is not just a matter of adding a URL; it requires implementing the StoreKit External Purchase Link API. You declare your external purchase link information, use the API to present the link, and show the disclosure Apple requires to inform users that they are leaving the app to make a purchase not handled by Apple. Simply hardcoding a link without the API and the required disclosures is not compliant.
The disclosure flow is a specific part of the requirement. Before sending a user to an external purchase, your app must present the system-provided or required notice, so the user understands the transaction is with the developer, not Apple. So the StoreKit requirements combine three things: the entitlement, the External Purchase Link API to register and present the links, and the mandated user disclosure, all of which must be in place for the feature to work and pass review.
The Core Technology Fee and evolving EU terms
Under Apple's alternative EU business terms, developers who opt in have historically been subject to a Core Technology Fee, a per-install charge that applies above a threshold of annual installs. It is part of the trade-off of the alternative terms: you gain capabilities like external links, and you take on a different fee structure than the standard App Store commission model.
The important caveat is that Apple has revised its EU fee model more than once as the DMA situation has developed, including changes to how the Core Technology Fee and commissions work. Because of that, you should not rely on a single fixed figure from an older source; confirm the current fee structure directly from Apple's EU terms before deciding. The practical point stands regardless of the exact numbers: adopting the external link entitlement carries fees, and you weigh those against the benefit for your business.
Who this applies to
This applies only to apps on EU storefronts and only to developers who choose the alternative EU business terms. It does not change anything for apps outside the EU, and it is not automatic; you opt into the terms and request the entitlement deliberately. So a developer with no EU presence, or one who prefers the standard App Store terms, is not affected by it.
For EU-focused apps that want to direct users to external purchases, it is the sanctioned path, but it is a choice with conditions. Because it ties into business terms and fees rather than being a simple feature flag, the decision is as much commercial and legal as technical. Given that, and that the terms have evolved, evaluating it with current information, and where warranted qualified advice, is sensible before adopting it.
Steps to adopt the entitlement
Adopting the entitlement follows a clear sequence. First, accept Apple's alternative business terms for the EU in your account, since the entitlement is only available under those terms. Then request the External Purchase Link entitlement for your app. With the entitlement granted, implement the StoreKit External Purchase Link API in your app, register your external link information, and add the required user disclosure.
Finally, confirm the fee implications and test the flow. Verify the current fee terms so you know what adopting this will cost, and make sure the external link and disclosure behave correctly and meet the requirements before submitting. Because each step depends on the previous one, from accepting the terms to implementing the API to handling fees, doing them in order avoids submitting an app that has the link but not the entitlement or the disclosure.
Requirements at a glance
The pieces required to use the entitlement fit together. The table below summarizes them.
| Requirement | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Alternative EU terms | Accepting Apple's alternative business terms for the EU |
| External Purchase Link entitlement | Requesting the entitlement for your app |
| StoreKit External Purchase Link API | Registering and presenting the external links in code |
| User disclosure | Showing the required notice before an external purchase |
| Fees | The Core Technology Fee or current EU fee model |
Read the table as the full set you need, not a menu. The entitlement, the API, and the disclosure are all required together, the alternative terms are the prerequisite, and the fees are the cost that comes with the arrangement.
Checklist
A short sequence covers adopting the entitlement correctly. The checklist below covers it.
| Check | Action | Done? |
|---|---|---|
| Confirm EU scope | Note it applies only to EU storefronts under the DMA | [ ] |
| Accept the terms | Adopt Apple's alternative EU business terms | [ ] |
| Request the entitlement | Get the External Purchase Link entitlement | [ ] |
| Implement StoreKit | Use the External Purchase Link API and disclosure | [ ] |
| Verify current fees | Confirm the present Core Technology Fee or fee model | [ ] |
The step people underestimate is verifying the current fees, since Apple's EU terms have changed and the cost is central to whether adopting the entitlement makes sense. Accept the terms, request the entitlement, implement the API and disclosure, and confirm what it will cost.
What to take away
- The EU external link entitlement lets apps on EU storefronts link to external purchases under the DMA, via Apple's alternative business terms.
- It requires accepting the alternative EU terms, requesting the entitlement, and implementing the StoreKit External Purchase Link API with the required disclosure.
- Adopting it carries fees, historically the Core Technology Fee, but Apple has revised its EU fee model, so confirm the current terms.
- It applies only to the EU and is a business decision, so weigh the fees against the benefit and consider qualified advice.
- Entitlements and fees are business compliance, not app security; scan your build with PTKD.com for the security matters they do not touch.
