Apple Approves Spotify Update With External Payment Links

Apple has officially approved Spotify’s latest iOS app update, which includes external payment links for users in the United States.



This makes Spotify the first app to take advantage of newly enforced App Store policy changes that allow developers to direct users to alternative payment options outside Apple’s ecosystem.



The update follows a federal injunction that Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers issued on April 30, which found Apple in “willful violation” of a 2021 court order. The ruling bars Apple from interfering with developers who want to include buttons, links, or messages that guide users to make purchases on external platforms.



Spotify wasted no time: the company submitted the update hours after the court ruling, and Apple approved it the next day.



Spotify Users Can Now Choose How to Pay



With this update, Spotify users in the U.S. can view subscription pricing directly within the app, click external links to upgrade from free to Premium plans, and choose between different Premium tiers like Student, Duo, or Family.



More importantly, users can now complete purchases through Spotify’s website instead of being restricted to Apple’s in-app payment system.



This change gives Spotify the freedom to offer lower prices and share promotions directly—without paying Apple a commission or being limited by Apple’s design rules. Spotify says this update is a step toward a more transparent and user-friendly experience, and it expects to introduce more purchase options, including audiobooks, through external links.



Apple’s Power Curbed, Developers Gain Ground



The court ruling goes further than allowing payment links. It stops Apple from charging fees on off-app purchases, blocking certain developers, or dictating the design and wording of links and buttons. It also forces Apple to let users leave an app through such links without interference.



In a statement, Spotify called the approval a “victory for consumers, artists, creators, and authors,” and described it as the “opening act of a new era.” The company said it plans to keep pushing for more reforms that create a level playing field for developers.



Other developers are expected to follow Spotify’s lead and submit similar updates in the days ahead.