App developers now have more freedom than ever when pricing their apps for consumers. But that also means you might see prices on some of your favorite apps change in the near future.

If you want to do business on the App Store, you have to follow Apple’s rules. And one of those rules is that developers can’t sell their apps for any price they want. Developers have to pick from a list of preset prices approved by Apple.

However, Apple has now expanded pricing options and changed the minimum and maximum prices developers can sell their apps for.

Developers Now Have More Options to Set Prices on Apps

Chart of new price points on the App Store
Image Credit: Apple

In a post on the Apple Newsroom, Apple announced that it has started offering developers 900 different price points to choose from on the App Store. For years, the minimum price for an app was 99 cents. However, developers now have the freedom to sell their apps for as low as 29 cents apiece.

Apple is also giving app developers more tools to deal with inflation and exchange rates. The App Store has 174 storefronts and accepts 44 different currencies. Developers can now lock in prices in one storefront and have prices in other currencies adjust accordingly.

How Will The New Price Points Affect You?

Companies can now sell their apps for lower prices, meaning some apps that previously cost 99 cents could get a price cut. That’s great news for consumers, especially if your country’s currency has a weak exchange rate against the US Dollar.

However, it could also mean that some free apps will become paid apps. Because developers can now sell their apps for less than a dollar, some might decide to start charging for apps that were previously free.

And because developers can now lock in prices in one storefront, if you’re in a country that uses a different currency, you could start seeing app prices often fluctuate—another reason why your App Store subscriptions could increase without warning.

Developers Can Now Charge Up to $10,000 Per App

Using an iPhone outside

Most of the best apps and games of 2022 are free, but there are some pretty expensive apps on the App Store. For example, CyberTuner, a tuning app for piano enthusiasts, costs about a grand. But Apple has now made it possible for developers to charge up to a whopping $10,000 per app. While it’s tough to imagine any app being worth that much money, there could be a market for it.

But even if you’re not planning on buying a $10,000 app, you should be aware that they exist. If a child or someone else gets ahold of your unlocked iPhone, it could be a very expensive mistake. So, remember to keep your Apple ID and password secure, and don’t let anyone use your phone unsupervised.

You Might See Prices Change on the App Store

Although Apple is making changes to pricing on the App Store, the majority of apps are completely free, and that’s probably not going to change any time soon.

However, you might start to see prices fluctuate more often on the App Store. And some apps that have been free for years might become paid.