Apple removed Freedom from iPhones in August for using a V.P.N., without much explanation, Mr. Stutzman said. The move cost his business more than $1 million, he said.

Apple’s move followed an April report by The New York Times that it had purged some apps. On Monday, The Times and other publications reported that House lawmakers said they would step up their antitrust scrutiny of big tech companies and that the Justice Department would consider antitrust complaints against Apple.

Apple’s tight control over its App Store is likely to be central to any antitrust investigation of the company. Spotify and two parental-control apps recently complained to European regulators that Apple was abusing its dominance of the digital marketplace, which has become one of the world’s largest centers of commerce. Dutch regulators are also investigating the issue.

And the Supreme Court recently allowed an antitrust class action to move forward, ruling that consumers can try to prove that Apple used the App Store to raise apps’ prices.

In response, Apple published a new webpage aimed at explaining its App Store policies and defending its practices. Apple said it tried to make the App Store a safe place for consumers and a good business opportunity for developers. It said it welcomed competition.

Apple’s reversal on Monday concluded a yearlong struggle for some app developers. At its annual developers conference in San Jose on June 4 last year, Apple unveiled a feature to help people limit the time that they and their children spend on the iPhone. Around that time, Apple quietly began removing or restricting apps in its App Store that offered similar services.

In April, The Times reported on Apple’s app removals. The makers of several banned apps told The Times that Apple was acting unfairly and had severely damaged their businesses. Apple responded to the article by saying it had removed the apps because they “put users’ privacy and security at risk.” The company added: “Contrary to what The New York Times reported over the weekend, this isn’t a matter of competition. It’s a matter of security.”