However, nothing speaks louder than money. At Build 2018, Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore will be revealing a payment model to ensure developers get a bigger slice of the pie. Starting later this year, 95% of the revenue from consumer applications sold in the store will go to developers. That’s a good offer, but naturally there are caveats. The percentage only applies when a customer uses a link from the developer purchase the app or products within it. If Microsoft forwards them through any other method, such as in-store collections, developers will get 85%.
Games Not Included
It’s also worth noting that this doesn’t apply to games, or app purchases on Xbox. The revenue share applies to Windows 10, Windows Mixed Reality, Surface Hub, and, strangely, Windows Phone. It’s not entirely clear why games are excluded, but it’s likely Microsoft will clarify as more information becomes available. Whatever the case, it’s a huge step up from Google and Apple, who take around 30% on their app stores. “These changes to our current Microsoft Store fee represent a new way for you to monetize on the Windows platform. With the new fee structure, Microsoft is only accessing an additional fee when we contribute to you acquiring a new user,” said the Microsoft store team in a blog post. “These changes enable us to create a world where developers are rewarded for connecting customers with experiences they love in a secure, reliable way.”
