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Windows Store Hail Mary: Microsoft will give app devs 95 percent of revenue

To attract more developers to Windows, Microsoft is changing up its fee structure, but not for games.

Headshot of Joshua Goldman
Headshot of Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman Managing Editor / Advice
Managing Editor Josh Goldman is a laptop expert and has been writing about and reviewing them since built-in Wi-Fi was an optional feature. He also covers almost anything connected to a PC, including keyboards, mice, USB-C docks and PC gaming accessories. In addition, he writes about cameras, including action cams and drones. And while he doesn't consider himself a gamer, he spends entirely too much time playing them.
Expertise Laptops, desktops and computer and PC gaming accessories including keyboards, mice and controllers, cameras, action cameras and drones Credentials
  • More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.
Joshua Goldman
2 min read
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More money for nongame developers. 

 Screenshot by Josh Goldman/CNET

Nothing like throwing money at the problem. 

At Microsoft's Build 2018 developers conference, the company announced that later this year it will start to give developers 95 percent of the revenue earned on the Microsoft Store from app purchases or any in-app products. 

The app purchase needs to be made from a deep link like one on the developer's website. If Microsoft plays a role in the sale, though, such as through any Microsoft properties or via a Store app collection, the developer's share will be 85 percent of the earned revenue. 

The new fee structure applies to only consumer nongaming apps published to the Microsoft Store and purchased on Windows 10 PCs, Windows Mixed Reality, Windows Phone or Surface Hub. Purchases made through Xbox consoles even for nongaming apps will fall under the current fee structure. 

Both Google and Apple offer developers just 70 percent of the revenue from their app stores. This move by Microsoft could have a significant impact on app availability, which has long been an issue for its store. App availability will be more important, too, as Microsoft works to integrate iOS and Android devices into your workflow on Windows PCs. 

More details on the revenue sharing program and to sign up to be notified when the fee structure goes live can be found in the Windows Dev Center.

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