Apple’s App Store now applies 20% VAT in Morocco

Apple App Store Morocco is now applying the country’s 20% VAT, a change that may affect digital habits for users in and connected to Morocco.

Apple App Store Morocco integrates 20% VAT

The US tech giant Apple has started integrating Morocco’s 20% VAT into how it calculates revenues generated through its App Store. The change covers eligible apps and in‑app purchases made via the Moroccan storefront.

Since 27 August, the amounts paid out to developers have been adjusted to reflect this tax. Apple says the move is part of its usual process for adapting prices and developer revenues to tax changes and exchange‑rate fluctuations.

The App Store now spans 175 national or regional storefronts and supports 43 currencies. For currency‑related adjustments, Apple relies on public data, including figures from the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg.

What will change for app prices in Morocco?

The integration of VAT does not only affect developer revenue. From 14 September, Apple will also update some prices displayed on the Moroccan App Store.

Price changes will apply to apps and in‑app purchases where developers have not set custom prices. In those cases, Apple will automatically use a revised price grid that factors in local VAT.

The situation is different when Morocco is chosen as the “reference storefront” for an app. In that case, prices for the Moroccan market will remain unchanged. However, prices in other App Store countries or regions may be recalculated based on the reference price in Morocco.

• Automatic price adjustments from 14 September for some paid content
• 20% VAT now included in developer payouts
• Impact depends on whether Morocco is the reference storefront

What this means for Moroccans living abroad

For Moroccans living abroad, the effect will mainly depend on which App Store account they use. Users whose Apple account remains linked to Morocco may notice price changes, particularly for paid apps, local subscriptions or in‑app purchases tied to services in Morocco.

This can slightly shift the digital budget of families who remotely manage educational, religious, news or entertainment subscriptions for relatives in the country. It also matters for those planning to move back or spend longer periods in Morocco, where digital services are increasingly central to schooling, paperwork and leisure.

For Moroccan developers, as well as MRE developers targeting the local market from abroad, the new 20% VAT in the Apple App Store Morocco reshapes revenue structures. Apple is updating the schedule B of its paid apps agreement to clarify that it collects and remits the relevant taxes in Morocco.

A rapidly evolving landscape for digital taxation

Apple is making parallel tax adjustments in other African markets, including the Republic of the Congo and Tanzania. It is applying an 18% VAT in the Republic of the Congo and raising the tax on digital sales in Tanzania from 2% to 3%, following the same approach.

For Moroccans abroad investing in digital projects oriented toward Morocco, these moves highlight a broader trend: taxation is catching up with online services. Before launching a paid app or subscription‑based service targeting Moroccan users, it is increasingly important to factor in these tax rules when building business models.

The updated version of Apple’s developer agreement is expected to be published in translation on the Apple Developer website within about a month. In the meantime, both users and app creators should keep a close eye on conditions and prices on the Moroccan App Store.

For more context, readers can follow Canal212 news for Moroccans abroad.

For official updates, readers can check the relevant official source.