Apple's $100M Small developer assistance submissions close May 20

Apple has warned developers they have until May 20 to place an application to the Small Developer Assistance Fund, or else they could miss out on their share of a $100 million class-action settlement.

In August 2021, Apple agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by U.S. developers over App Store practices, with the settlement including the establishment of a $100 million Apple Small Developer Assistance Fund. Eight months later, and Apple has warned developers who may qualify that they need to submit their claim within weeks.

Developers have until May 20 to submit a request to an independent administrator to be part of the fund, an Apple developer notice reads.

The fund is open to all developers based in the United States who sold paid apps or in-app purchases, including subscriptions, through the App Store between June 4, 2015, and April 26, 2021. The developers also must have earned proceeds equal to or less than $1 million from the US storefront for each calendar year they had a developer account between 2015 and 2021.

According to the claims website, anyone accepted to be a "Settlement Class Member" who meet the criteria will earn a minimum cash payment ranging from $250 to $30,000.

Developers were first able to submit claims for their portion of the settlement from January 14, 2022, meaning they have a total of over four months to submit.

Along with the fund, the settlement included minor changes to the App Store policy, including modifications relating to customer and developer communication, new pricing tiers, and a promise by Apple to continue offering its 15% reduced App Store commission for at least three years.