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Apple’s App Store rules determine which apps you can find, how they are checked, how purchases work, and who must help when something goes wrong. The standard App Store route uses Apple’s full review process. In Brazil, Japan and the European Union, eligible users may also have access to alternative marketplaces or, in the EU, apps distributed directly from authorized developer websites.
The practical trade-off is straightforward: alternative distribution can widen access and payment choice, but it uses a different safety check, shifts support and refund duties away from Apple, and can create update, family-control and repurchase risks.
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The short answer: what changes for you
Most iPhone and iPad owners continue to get apps through the App Store. Apple reviews those apps against its App Review Guidelines, including privacy, security, safety, quality, content and commerce requirements. That review is more comprehensive than the baseline notarization Apple applies to apps distributed through an alternative channel.
Alternative distribution is not universally available. Apple’s current support guidance, published June 22, 2026, lists Brazil, Japan and the European Union, with different device rules in each location. Your Apple Account country or region and your physical location must both qualify. EU users can use alternative marketplaces and authorized developer websites on iPhone and iPad; Brazil and Japan currently have marketplace distribution for iPhone.
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Before installing outside the App Store, check who reviews the app, who handles refunds and subscriptions, whether your family controls will work, and what happens if the marketplace closes. Those responsibilities may belong to the marketplace operator or developer rather than Apple.
App Store review and notarization are different checks
Apple uses two distinct safeguards, and treating them as interchangeable can lead to a false sense of security.
What the App Store review does
An app submitted to the App Store goes through Apple’s standard App Review process. Apple’s EU developer explanation describes App Store apps as meeting higher standards for safety, security and privacy. The standard process includes notarization and enforcement of Apple’s content and commerce policies, in addition to the broader review of how the app works and what it offers.
Approval does not mean Apple guarantees that an app is suitable for every person or that every transaction will be trouble-free. It means the app has passed Apple’s published requirements at the time of review and remains subject to enforcement.
What alternative-distribution notarization does
For an app distributed through an alternative marketplace or an authorized developer website, Apple performs baseline notarization. Apple describes that check as focusing on app accuracy, functionality, safety, security, privacy and device integrity, including screening for known malware and other serious threats.
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Notarization is not a statement that the app satisfies every App Store policy. The marketplace or developer can apply additional rules, but those rules are theirs, not Apple’s. Apple also notes that some content allowed through alternative distribution may not be permitted in the App Store.
| Question | App Store | Alternative distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Apple’s check | Standard App Review, including notarization and enforcement of content and commerce policies | Baseline notarization focused on accuracy, functionality, safety, security, privacy and device integrity |
| Who sets additional review rules? | Apple’s App Review system | The marketplace operator or developer may set separate policies |
| What information appears before installation? | App Store listing information | An installation sheet can show the developer, description, screenshots and age rating |
| Apple’s support role | Apple handles App Store account and purchase support within its normal scope | Apple’s support is limited; the marketplace or developer normally handles app and transaction issues |
Where alternative app distribution is available
Eligibility depends on three things: the Apple Account region, your physical location and the device you are using. Apple says eligibility is determined with on-device processing; only an eligibility indicator is sent to Apple.
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|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | Alternative marketplaces and apps distributed through them | iPhone | Apple Account region set to Brazil and user physically in Brazil |
| Japan | Alternative marketplaces and apps distributed through them | iPhone | Apple Account region set to Japan and user physically in Japan |
| European Union | Alternative marketplaces and direct web distribution from authorized developer websites | iPhone and iPad | Apple Account region set to an EU country or region and user physically in the EU |
Having an Apple Account registered in an eligible region is not enough by itself. Apple also checks whether you are physically there. Conversely, being temporarily in an eligible country does not satisfy the account-region requirement if your account is registered elsewhere.
How installation works outside the App Store
The exact screens can change as Apple updates iOS and iPadOS, but the permission model is clear: your device does not install an alternative marketplace or an outside app without your explicit approval. Apple’s support wording is, “Your iPhone or iPad won’t install alternative app marketplaces or apps from outside the App Store without your permission.”
- Confirm eligibility. Make sure both your Apple Account region and physical location meet Apple’s current requirements for your device.
- Choose the distribution source. In Brazil and Japan, that means an eligible alternative marketplace. In the EU, it can also mean an authorized developer website.
- Review the installation sheet. Check the developer name, description, screenshots and age rating before approving the install.
- Approve the request. iOS or iPadOS asks for permission before installing the marketplace or app. If parental controls block installations, an adult with the necessary permission must change the setting.
- Read the source’s policies. Find its review standards, privacy terms, payment processor, refund process, subscription-cancellation instructions and update policy.
Apple says parental controls can restrict installation of alternative marketplaces and outside apps. A family should decide whether those controls are acceptable before relying on an outside distribution route.
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What happens if you leave an eligible region
Apple’s current guidance distinguishes between using apps you already installed and obtaining new ones. After you leave an eligible location, previously installed alternative-distribution apps can still be opened. Updates through alternative distribution remain available for up to 90 days, according to Apple. New marketplace or web-distributed apps require you to return to an eligible region.
The 90-day period is an upper limit in Apple’s guidance, not a promise that every marketplace will continue serving updates for that entire time. Travel plans, a permanent move or a change in account region should therefore be considered before moving an important app outside the App Store.
Purchases, refunds and family features
Purchases made through an alternative marketplace or outside the App Store do not automatically receive the same Apple purchase features. Apple specifically says the following App Store functions are not supported for alternative-distribution purchases:
- Screen Time restrictions for in-app purchases
- Purchase sharing through Family Sharing
- Ask to Buy
The payment route determines who handles the transaction. Apple says it cannot provide its normal support for marketplace operation, app quality or safety, privacy and security issues, payment disputes, subscription cancellation or refunds for purchases made outside the App Store. The marketplace operator or developer should publish the relevant process and be your first contact.
Before paying, identify the merchant shown at checkout, save the subscription terms and find the cancellation and refund instructions. An alternative payment option is not evidence that the price is lower or that Apple’s refund rules apply.
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Continuity risks when a marketplace changes or closes
Distribution is part of an app’s life cycle. Apple warns that an app obtained through an alternative marketplace may stop working if that marketplace closes or is deleted. If the developer offers the same app through another channel, moving it may require buying the app again. In-app purchases may also need to be repurchased.
This risk is separate from ordinary app deletion. A marketplace can disappear even when the developer remains active, and a developer can change distribution partners. For essential apps, keep a record of the developer, purchase receipts, subscription status and the account used with the original marketplace.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.EU payment choices effective October 1, 2026
Apple’s updated EU business terms were announced August 18, 2026 and took effect October 1, 2026. Developers serving EU storefronts can offer Apple’s In-App Purchase alongside an alternative in-app payment processor or an offer that leads to another destination. A developer selects one or more payment options and must maintain that configuration for 12 months.
For users, this means the same app may present different checkout choices. The payment provider, customer-support contact, subscription-cancellation method and refund process can differ by route. The developer must explain those differences, but Apple does not guarantee that an alternative route has equivalent consumer support.
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| EU transaction type | Rate Apple lists | Reduced rate listed for qualifying participants and eligible subscriptions after year one |
|---|---|---|
| App Store sale processed with Apple In-App Purchase | 26% | 15% |
| App Store sale processed through an alternative in-app payment processor | 20% | 10% |
| Qualifying linked-out offer | 15% | 10% |
| Specified digital transactions involving apps distributed through alternative marketplaces or web distribution | 5% Core Technology Commission | Apple lists this as a separate commission for specified transactions |
The reduced rates apply only to the groups and transactions Apple specifies. They should not be interpreted as a guaranteed discount for users or as proof that a developer will lower its price.
Extra protections for children in EU storefronts
Apple’s current EU developer guidance adds rules for Kids-category apps and age-based payment flows.
- Kids-category apps cannot provide a web purchase offer.
- For users under 13, out-of-app offers are not permitted, and alternative in-app purchases require a parental gate.
- For users aged 13 through 17, both alternative in-app payments and out-of-app offers require a parental gate.
- If a local EU storefront sets a higher age for parental consent, these protections apply through that higher age.
These safeguards concern alternative payment and linked-out offers; they do not make every outside distribution channel equivalent to the App Store’s Family Sharing, Screen Time or Ask to Buy features.
Why these rules exist and when they changed
The changes are connected to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. Apple’s legal-information page records the European Commission’s designation of Apple as a gatekeeper for iOS, the App Store and Safari on September 5, 2023, followed by a gatekeeper designation for iPadOS on April 29, 2024.
The key dates for users are:
- September 5, 2023: Apple was designated a gatekeeper for iOS, the App Store and Safari.
- April 29, 2024: iPadOS was added to the gatekeeper designation.
- June 22, 2026: Apple published the current user guide describing alternative app distribution.
- August 18, 2026: Apple announced updated EU business terms.
- October 1, 2026: Those updated EU terms became effective.
A practical checklist before choosing an outside route
- Eligibility: Are your Apple Account region, physical location and device all covered?
- Review: What does the marketplace or developer actually inspect beyond Apple’s baseline notarization?
- Identity: Do the developer name, age rating and description on the installation sheet match the source you intended to use?
- Payments: Who is the merchant, and where are cancellation and refund requests submitted?
- Family controls: Will Screen Time purchase restrictions, Family Sharing and Ask to Buy be unavailable?
- Updates: How will updates arrive if you travel outside the eligible region, and for how long?
- Continuity: What happens if the marketplace closes, the app is removed or you need to reinstall it?
- Records: Can you retrieve receipts and account details without Apple’s purchase history?
For a routine app, the App Store remains the simpler path because Apple’s review, purchase records and support processes are integrated. Alternative distribution is most useful when a specific app or payment option is available only through another route and you accept the additional responsibilities.
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