Mark Zuckerberg unveils plan to bypass Apple's 30% fees

Mark Zuckerberg says Meta, which owns Facebook, is creating a new link that will let creators keep more money from their subscriptions without paying fees to Apple.

In a post today Zuckerberg stated:

As we build for the metaverse, we're focused on unlocking opportunities for creators to make money from their work. The 30% fees that Apple takes on transactions make it harder to do that, so we're updating our Subscriptions product so now creators can earn more. More details in the comments below

We're launching a promotional link for creators for their Subscriptions offering. When people subscribe using this link, creators will keep all the money they earn (minus taxes).

Zuckerberg went on to say that "Creators will have more ownership of their audience" including the ability to download the email addresses of all their new subscribers.

Meta is also launching a new bonus program that will pay creators for each new subscriber they get as part of its $1 billion creator investment program.

Facebook, now Meta, has clashed with Apple over its App Store fees, which take 15 or 30% commission from App Store transactions done through in-app purchases. The companies have also squared off over changes to tracking users that have dented Facebook's advertising business.

Zuckerberg didn't go into details about the technical implementation of the new feature, which could be presented as part of Facebook's app or used on devices like iPhone, however, he clearly presented it as a way to avoid Apple's 30%/15% fees.