UK CMA consults on ‘steering’ rules: letting developers link to off-platform payments (and what ‘fair fees’ could mean)

Original announcement (source): GOV.UK / Competition and Markets Authority, “CMA consults on new requirements for Apple and Google’s mobile platforms” (June 30, 2026)

• https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-consults-on-new-requirements-for-apple-and-googles-mobile-platforms

What the CMA is proposing (in plain English)

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is consulting on draft conduct requirements that would remove (or materially loosen) the current platform rules that:

• ban or restrict “steering”, meaning apps telling users about ways to pay outside the App Store / Play Store

If this lands, it is a meaningful distribution shift for UK app businesses, because it turns “payments choice” into a product + UX + compliance problem, not just a platform policy footnote.

The part that will matter in practice: the fee model

The CMA is explicit that Apple and Google can be compensated for services they provide, but that any fee charged for steering should be:

• fair and reasonable
• justified via an evidence-led framework (cost and value)
• and, crucially, lower than current app store charges

The CMA also frames the goal as ensuring savings are passed to customers or reinvested into developer innovation.

Why growth teams should care (not just legal)

If steering becomes viable in the UK, it changes:

• your price architecture (regional price parity, bundles, annual vs monthly, promo levers)
• your paywall UX (the “why should I trust this link-out?” moment)
• your measurement stack (attribution, refund flows, chargebacks, subscription status sync)
• support load (billing confusion is a top ticket driver, even when everything is working)

Also in scope: NFC access (payments, wallets, and more)

The CMA also references concerns that Apple’s terms and fees block access to NFC functionality, and says it is seeking views on:

• the technical method for providing NFC access
• the pricing model for that access

Even if you are not a fintech, this matters because NFC access is increasingly tied to broader “device capability access” questions (digital ID, car keys, etc.).

Deadlines (worth noting)

Per the CMA notes:

• Steering consultation responses are due 5pm, 28 July 2026
• NFC views are due 5pm, 21 July 2026

Practical takeaway

If you operate in the UK, treat this as a scenario planning prompt.

Tiny win: write down one “steering-ready” path you could support in 90 days (pricing, link-out copy, post-purchase restore, support macros, and measurement). If you cannot describe it end-to-end, you are not actually steering-ready.

Read the original: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-consults-on-new-requirements-for-apple-and-googles-mobile-platforms