In late 2022, the first payments from the Small Developer Assistance Fund were distributed, with each eligible US developer receiving at least $1,000—up to four times the expected minimum payout. The second round of payments commenced toward the end of 2023, and now the third and final round of payouts began this week.
Past payouts
Apple established the Small Developer Assistance Fund in 2021 as part of a settlement agreement. It provided payouts ranging from $250 to $30,000 to any developer who had paid commissions to Apple between June 4, 2015, and April 26, 2021. The total settlement surpassed $100 million, benefiting over 99% of US app developers.
The payment tiers were as follows:
- Annual App Store proceeds below $100: minimum payout of $250
- Annual App Store proceeds between $100 and $1,000: minimum payout of $500
- Annual App Store proceeds between $1,000 and $5,000: minimum payout of $1,000
- Annual App Store proceeds between $5,000 and $10,000: minimum payout of $1,500
- Annual App Store proceeds between $10,000 and $50,000: minimum payout of $2,000
- Annual App Store proceeds between $50,000 and $100,000: minimum payout of $3,500
- Annual App Store proceeds between $100,000 and $250,000: minimum payout of $5,000
- Annual App Store proceeds between $250,000 and $500,000: minimum payout of $10,000
- Annual App Store proceeds between $500,000 and $1,000,000: minimum payout of $20,000
- Annual App Store proceeds exceeding $1,000,000: minimum payout of $30,000
During the initial round of payouts in October 2022, fewer claims were filed than anticipated, resulting in payouts being approximately four times the minimum amount. This means that some developers received payments greater than their actual earnings. For instance, developers in the $100-$1,000 annual income tier received checks that exceeded $2,000.
In late 2023, the second round of payouts was distributed, which included unclaimed funds from developers who failed to provide a valid tax identification number. The payment was $17 for those earning under $100 and $34 for those earning under $1,000. You can calculate the payout for each tier, with a maximum payout of around $2,040.
Final payout
This week, developers began receiving checks, E-MasterCards, and PayPal payments for the third and final payout from the Small Developer Assistance Fund. The amounts included $20.19 for those earning under $100 and $40.39 for those earning under $1,000. Thus, payouts could be as high as around $2,422 for developers with annual earnings exceeding $1,000,000.
If you’re an independent app developer who took part in this class action settlement, keep an eye on your mailbox! These checks will expire on April 21st, 2025.
My favorite iPhone accessories available on Amazon:
Follow Michael: X/Twitter, Bluesky, Instagram
