Swiss privacy company Proton announced on June 30, 2025 that it has joined a U.S. class-action lawsuit accusing Apple of maintaining anti-competitive App Store policies.
Proton, the maker of ProtonVPN, Proton Mail, an encrypted calendar and password manager, says Apple’s rules undermine privacy-first businesses and weaken users’ control over their devices.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, asks the court to force structural changes to the App Store and to award monetary damages.
Proton added it will channel any damages through the Proton Foundation to support organizations that defend democracy and human rights.
The move follows a ruling on April 30, 2025, by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who found Apple in breach of a federal injunction tied to the 2021 Epic Games case and said Apple’s in-app payment rules were unlawful.
That injunction was intended to give developers more freedom to steer users to alternative payment options outside Apple’s system.
Proton highlights two core complaints: Apple’s mandatory developer fees and the roughly 30% cut it takes from subscription transactions routed through iOS apps.
According to Proton, those costs and restrictions encourage a “surveillance-capitalism” model that disadvantages privacy-oriented competitors.
Proton’s CEO has said the company could pass savings to customers of up to about 30% if Apple were barred from collecting its App Store tax.
Beyond fees, Proton argues Apple’s exclusive control over app distribution creates censorship and single-point-of-failure risks for free expression.
As evidence, Proton points to 2024 removals in Russia—at least 60 VPN apps taken down at authorities’ requests and nearly 100 apps unavailable in that market overall.
Researchers at AppleCensorship also identified more than 11,000 apps unavailable in China’s App Store, affecting VPNs, privacy tools (including Proton’s apps), news outlets, social platforms, and dating apps.
Proton further accuses Apple of deliberately hamstringing third-party competitors, citing limitations that prevent Proton Calendar from being set as a default while allowing deeper integration for Apple’s own services.
The lawsuit Proton joined was originally filed on May 23 by a coalition of Korean app developers; Proton says it signed on to ensure any settlement produces enforceable, meaningful reform rather than superficial changes.
Proton framed its participation as part of a broader effort to protect the future of the open internet and hold dominant platforms accountable for practices that harm consumers and competition.
The company said it sought comment from Apple; no response had been received by the time of Proton’s announcement.
The legal battle comes amid other tensions involving Proton — including its public objections to proposed Swiss surveillance legislation — and recent regulatory actions against Apple in Europe, including a large fine in France related to consent practices around app tracking.
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