AltStore PAL, a third-party iOS app store available in the EU, is eliminating its €1.50 annual subscription fee after receiving a “MegaGrant” from Fortnite developer Epic Games. The subscription was initially introduced to cover Apple’s Core Technology Fee (CTF), a fee required for each annual app installation through third-party marketplaces like AltStore.
Epic Games uses MegaGrants to support innovative projects that might struggle with funding, often focusing on smaller teams utilizing Epic’s technologies.
However, in this case, the grant was awarded to AltStore for its “innovation in app distribution.” The exact amount of the grant has not been disclosed, and AltStore’s Shane Gill declined to comment on further details.
AltStore announced that current subscribers would no longer be charged upon their renewal dates. Additionally, the team hinted at future rewards for existing subscribers but did not provide specific details on what form this appreciation would take.
In related news, Epic Games is developing a version of the Epic Games Store for iOS. Earlier this week, Epic confirmed that Fortnite, Rocket League Sideswipe, and the store itself have been submitted to Apple for final notarization, suggesting that Epic’s ecosystem on iOS is expanding.
