Auto-renewable Subscriptions – App Store – Apple Developer
Overview
Auto-renewable subscriptions give users access to content, services, or premium features in your app on an ongoing basis. At the end of each subscription duration, the subscription automatically renews until a user chooses to cancel it. Users can subscribe on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS.
Great subscription apps justify the recurring payment by providing ongoing value to users and continually innovating the app experience. If you’re considering implementing the subscription model, plan to regularly update your app with feature enhancements or expanded content.
Many types of apps can take advantage of subscriptions, including apps that offer new game levels, episodic content, software as a service, or cloud support. Other appropriate subscriptions include apps that offer consistent, substantive updates, or access to libraries or collections of content. You can offer subscription in-app purchases alongside other in-app purchase types.
Getting Ready
To offer subscriptions (a type of in-app purchase) you’ll need to use StoreKit APIs in your app, configure your subscriptions in App Store Connect and assign them to a subscription group (a group of subscriptions with different access levels, prices, and durations that users can choose from). After creating your subscriptions, include details such as a name, pricing, and description. This information displays in the In-App Purchases section of your app’s product page. Ensure that the subscriptions are available across all device types that your app supports. Within your app, consider allowing a way for subscribers to see the status of their subscription, along with upgrade, crossgrade, and downgrade options, as well as easily manage or turn off their auto-renewable subscription. Make sure to follow our design and review guidelines. To get ready, do the following:
Watch the In-App Purchase and Subscriptions Videos.
Refer to the In-App Purchase StoreKit API documentation.
Learn how to configure your subscriptions in App Store Connect Help.
Use the App Store Server API and enable App Store Server Notifications to get real-time changes to the status of your subscriptions.
Understanding Guidelines for Subscriptions
Before creating your subscriptions, make sure you know about the requirements and best practices that will help you deliver a great user experience. The guidelines below provide details on what your subscriptions need to include and how they should be presented in your app, as well as information on making changes to existing subscriptions, offering free trials, and more.
App Store Review Guidelines
Human Interface Design Guidelines
85% Net Revenue After One Year
The net revenue structure for auto-renewable subscriptions differs from other business models on the App Store. During a subscriber’s first year of service, you receive 70% of the subscription price at each billing cycle, minus applicable taxes. After a subscriber accumulates one year of paid service, your net revenue increases to 85% of the subscription price, minus applicable taxes.
Here’s how it works:
Auto-renewable subscriptions on all Apple platforms are eligible.
Days of paid service include all subscription offer types (introductory, promotional, and offer codes) with paid pricing options (pay as you go, pay up front).
Free trials and renewal extensions are excluded from days of paid service.
Days of paid service are specific to each subscription group.
Upgrades, downgrades, or crossgrades between subscriptions in the same subscription group do not affect the one year of paid service.
If you’re currently enrolled in the App Store Small Business Program, you receive 85% of the subscription price at each billing cycle (minus applicable taxes), regardless of whether or not the subscription has accumulated one year of paid service.
If a subscription expires due to a cancellation or billing issue, the days of paid service stop accumulating. If the subscription is renewed within 60 days, the days of paid service resume from the recovery date.
Creating Subscriptions
To configure your auto-renewable subscriptions, you’ll use App Store Connect. Each subscription product will need to be created as part of a subscription group and assigned a level. How you set up your subscription group or groups will determine how customers can subscribe to your content or services, how they move between subscriptions, when they are billed, and your proceeds rate. Before creating subscriptions, ensure that you understand the right subscription setup for your business model.
Creating a Subscription Group
Each subscription you offer must be assigned to a subscription group. A subscription group is made up of subscriptions with different access levels, prices, and durations so users can select the option that best fits their needs. Since users can only buy one subscription within a group at a time, creating a single group is the best practice for most apps as it prevents users from accidentally purchasing multiple subscriptions.
If your app needs to offer users the ability to buy multiple subscriptions — for example, to subscribe to more than one channel in a streaming app — you can add these subscriptions to different groups. Users who buy subscriptions in multiple groups are billed separately for each subscription. Keep in mind that if a user cancels a subscription in one group and then purchases a new subscription in a different group, the renewal date will change and the days of paid service will reset. Multiple subscription groups are not recommended for apps in which users would expect to have a single active subscription.
Keep your offerings simple so users can easily understand their options. For each subscription, create a user-friendly, self-explanatory name that differentiates it from others in the group. Use distinct names for the app, the subscription group, and each subscription to avoid confusion.
App name
Subscription Group Display Name
Subscription Display Name
Price/Duration
Ranking Subscriptions Within the Group
If you offer multiple subscriptions with different prices tiers, you can assign each to a level in App Store Connect. Ranking your subscriptions determines the upgrade, downgrade, and crossgrade path available to users. Arrange your subscriptions in descending numerical order, so that those in level 1 offer the most content, features, or services. For subscriptions with lower service or content offerings, you might assign level 2 or 3, depending on your intended subscription experience. You can add more than one subscription to each level if the offerings are equal. For details, see Overview of an Auto-renewable Subscription Group Setup.
Users can manage their subscriptions in their account settings on the App Store, where they see all renewal options and subscription groups, and can choose to upgrade, crossgrade, or downgrade between subscriptions as often as they like. You can also use the showManageSubscriptions(in:) method to allow them to do this within your app. When a user makes a change in their subscription level, the timing of the change varies depending on what has happened:
Upgrade. A user purchases a subscription that offers a higher level of service than their current subscription. They are immediately upgraded and receive a refund of the prorated amount of their original subscription. If you’d like users to immediately access more content or features, rank the subscription higher to make it an upgrade.
Downgrade. A user selects a subscription that offers a lower level of service than their current subscription. The subscription continues until the next renewal date, then is renewed at the lower level and price.
Crossgrade. A user switches to a new subscription of the equivalent level. If the subscriptions are the same duration, the new subscription begins immediately. If the durations are different, the new subscription goes into effect at the next renewal date.
Pricing Subscriptions for Each Territory
Apps with auto-renewable subscriptions can choose from 200 price points across all available currencies and price tiers. You can set the prices you think are appropriate for subscribers in different locations, and you have the flexibility to price your subscriptions at parity if they’re available elsewhere.
Pricing Tool. The App Store Connect pricing tool can help you manage pricing based on current exchange rates. If there is a tax change or currency adjustment in a particular region, the price of subscriptions will generally not be affected unless you decide to pass the change on to your users. If you want to change the price of a subscription in a specific market, it’s important to understand which markets are tax inclusive before you take action. For example, if you decide to lower the subscription price for users in Germany, the revenue you’ll receive will be the purchase price minus the European Union’s value added tax (VAT) and minus Apple’s commission. The default pricing in the App Store Connect pricing tool is inclusive of applicable taxes that Apple collects and remits. For more information, review Schedule 2 of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement, which describes territories that have different tax treatments.
App Store Connect also provides the ability to assign tax categories to your apps and in-app purchases. These categories are based on your app’s content (for example, videos, books, or news publications) and determine which tax regulations apply in each territory, allowing Apple to administer tax for you at specific rates.
Family Sharing Now available
Family Sharing allows a subscriber to share access to an auto-renewable subscription with up to five family members across their Apple devices. With a streamlined, convenient user experience, Family Sharing can help you attract subscribers, encourage paid subscriptions, increase user engagement, and improve retention. You can enable Family Sharing for your subscription in App Store Connect.
Whether a subscription is shared with a subscriber’s family by default depends on their subscription sharing settings and if the purchase was made before or after you enabled Family Sharing in App Store Connect. Subscribers who do not have the subscription shared by default are informed by Apple via push notification that the subscription can be shared with their family.
To help customers make a selection that best fits their needs, your subscription’s display name and sign-up screen should indicate that Family Sharing is included. You might also use in-app messaging to notify eligible subscribers that their subscription can be shared with family and explain how they can turn on sharing. Use receipt purchase validation to verify and provide the proper access to subscribers and their family. Please note that once you enable Family Sharing for a subscription in App Store Connect, it cannot be disabled.
Turn on Family Sharing for in-app purchases
Offering Subscriptions to Multiple Apps
You can offer auto-renewable subscriptions to access multiple apps. Each app must be approved to use auto-renewable in-app purchases and published under the same developer account.
Use App Store Connect to set up separate and equivalent auto-renewable subscriptions for each app included in the multi-app subscription so that users can subscribe from any app. To avoid users paying multiple times for the same offering, make sure to verify that they are active subscribers before showing any subscription options. For details on how to determine whether a subscription is currently active, see Keeping Subscribers.
You can also create an app bundle to group multiple subscription apps into a single download at a reduced price. App bundles can include up to 10 of your iOS apps or up to 10 of your macOS apps.
For implementation details, see Offering a Subscription Across Multiple Apps.
To learn more about app bundles on the App Store, see Offering App Bundles.
Attracting Subscribers
By allowing users to try your subscription at the moment they’re most interested in its value, you increase the likelihood that they will subscribe. There are several ways you can provide a preview of the subscription experience.
Present subscription benefits during onboarding. By highlighting the value of your subscription when users first launch your app, you can educate them on how the app works and help them understand what they will gain from subscribing. Keep onboarding brief, engaging, and focused on the features your audience cares about, such as the ability to access the subscription across multiple device types. Include a succinct call to action and clear subscription terms.
To find out what you’ll need to include, see Clearly Describing Subscriptions.
Offer a freemium app experience. A freemium app allows customers to use the app at no cost, with the option to subscribe if they want to enhance their experience or engage more deeply. A free experience lowers the barrier to try an app, and users may be more inclined to invest in paid features after having had time to enjoy the app.
Offer a metered paywall. A metered paywall allows users to access a finite amount of content for a specified duration before needing to make a purchase — for example, viewing 10 full articles per month for free in a news app. This gives users the opportunity to immediately start sampling your subscription experience, while encouraging engaged users to subscribe.
For freemium and paywall experiences, include contextually relevant prompts to encourage users to subscribe — for example, when they near their monthly limit of free articles or videos. Additionally, consider making it easy for users to subscribe at any time by including a prompt throughout the app interface. Test and measure the impact of these prompts, and consider trying different versions of your call-to-action messaging to understand what resonates most with your audience.
Clearly Describing Subscriptions
An effective subscription purchase flow makes it simple for users to get the product or service they’re interested in. Use consistent messaging and include clear terms so users can easily recognize the value of the offer. A lengthy sign-up process will lower your subscription conversion rate, so keep the purchase flow simple and only ask for necessary information. In addition, the following details must be included in your subscription’s sign-up screen:
Subscription name and duration, and the content or services provided during the subscription period
Full renewal price, shown clearly and prominently, and localized in available currencies
A way for current subscribers to sign in or restore purchases
Please note that your app and App Store metadata must include links to your Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Billing Amount In the purchase flow, the amount that will be billed must be the most prominent pricing element in the layout. For example, an annual subscription should clearly display the total amount that will be billed upon purchase. While you may also present a breakdown price that the annual amount is equivalent to or a savings when compared to weekly or monthly subscriptions, these additional elements should be displayed in a subordinate position and size to the annual price. This ensures that users are not misled.
Free Trials In the purchase flow for a free trial, clearly indicate how long the free trial lasts and the price billed once the free trial is over.
Promoting Subscriptions on the App Store
You can promote in-app purchases directly on the App Store, so users can find your subscription or introductory offer and initiate a purchase even before downloading your app. Promoted in-app purchases appear on your product page, can display in search results, and may be featured on the Today, Games, or Apps tabs. Choose to promote up to 20 in-app purchases at a time to help you effectively increase discoverability for content within your app. This can be particularly effective for letting new customers know about introductory offers.
Learn about promoting your in-app purchases
Promoted in-app purchases have unique metadata to communicate their value.
Providing Subscription Offers
You can create subscription offers to grow and retain your customer base by giving them a free or discounted price for a specific duration for an auto-renewable subscription. At the end of the offer period, the subscription auto-renews at the standard price unless a subscriber cancels it or turns off auto-renewal. You can provide the following pricing options for subscription offers:
Free. A subscriber can access your subscription for free for a specific duration — for example, a one-month free offer for a subscription with a standard renewal price of $4. 99 per month. Their subscription begins immediately, but they won’t be billed until the offer duration ends. This offer may be useful if you want to let users experience your subscription at no immediate cost to them.
Pay as you go. A subscriber pays a discounted price each billing period for a specific duration — for example, $1. 99 per month for three months for a subscription with a standard renewal price of $9. Once the duration is over, they’ll be billed at the standard renewal price. This option may be useful if you want to attract price-sensitive users with a recurring discount without having to offer that discount for the lifetime of the subscription.
Pay up front. A subscriber pays a one-time price for a specific duration — for example, $9. 99 up front for the first six months of a subscription with a standard renewal price of $39. 99 per year. This offer may be useful if you want to offer an extended experience that gives users time to enjoy the subscription before the next renewal.
Offer Types
There are three types of subscription offers you can give to customers: introductory, promotional, and offer codes. You can provide all three offer types at once, depending on your business goals. To determine which type might be best for a particular use case, consider each offer’s intended use, customer eligibility, redemption limits, and other criteria. All offers are set up in App Store Connect, where you’ll choose the offer type, duration, pricing, and more. For details about offer types and available durations, see Pricing and Availability.
Comparing Subscription Offers
Introductory Offers
Promotional Offers
Offer Codes
Primary Use
Acquiring new subscribers
Retaining and winning back subscribers
Acquiring, retaining, and winning back subscribers
Customer Eligibility
New subscribers within the app
Existing or previous subscribers within the app. Customers who have not subscribed within the app cannot complete this type of offer.
New, existing, or previous subscribers
Distribution and Redemption
Distributed and redeemed within the app or on the App Store via promoted in-app purchase
Distributed and redeemed within the app
Distributed through any digital or offline methods. Redeemed in the App Store or within the app.
Redemption Limits
A customer can redeem one introductory offer per subscription group
You determine how many offers a customer can redeem
A customer can redeem one code per active offer
Offer Limits
One offer per subscription, per territory
10 active offers per subscription
10 active offers per subscription. You can create a maximum of 150, 000 codes per app per quarter.
Offer Configuration
You select timing, territories, pricing and duration in App Store Connect
You decide business logic, select price and duration in App Store Connect, and use StoreKit APIs to present offers to eligible users
You select customer eligibility rules, timing, territories, pricing, duration and number of codes in App Store Connect
Compatibility
iOS 10, iPadOS 10, macOS 10. 12. 6, tvOS 10 and later
iOS 12. 2, iPadOS 12. 2, macOS 10. 14. 4, tvOS 12. 2 and later
iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 and later
Allow new subscribers to experience the value of your subscription before paying full price. You can display these offers within your app’s subscription sign-up screen using StoreKit APIs. Users are eligible for one introductory price within a subscription group, which you configure in App Store Connect.
Offer Codes Now Available
Offer codes can help you acquire, retain, and win back subscribers by providing a subscription at a discount or for free for a limited time. You can distribute these unique, one-time codes however you choose using online and offline channels. Offer codes can be used in a variety of ways — for example, you can:
Send an email sharing the latest features, recently added content, and an offer code to current or lapsed subscribers so they can experience your service for a limited time.
Distribute flyers that include unique offer codes to promote your service to event attendees.
Partner with another company on a marketing initiative or campaign to help promote your app.
Provide an offer code to a subscriber with a customer service issue to compensate for the issue and encourage retention.
Distribute offer codes within an app that you are sunsetting as a way to transition subscribers to your new app and promote your service.
Configuration
When configuring offer codes in App Store Connect, you’ll determine customer eligibility. If new subscribers are eligible, you’ll also decide whether or not they can redeem an offer code in addition to an introductory offer. Offer codes expire after a maximum of six months from the date they are created, so be mindful of how many you generate at a given time. Customers can redeem only one code per offer, but may be eligible to redeem multiple offers for a single subscription, depending on your configuration choices. Be sure to consider the implications of creating multiple offers for a single subscription.
Distribution
You can download codes and their associated URLs in batches and distribute them however you choose. Consider which channels might be most effective at reaching your intended customers and note eligibility or availability limits in your communications. When providing offer codes to existing customers, make sure the offer is for a subscription within the same subscription group as their existing subscription.
Redemption
Customers on iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 and later can redeem offer codes on the App Store, through a one-time code redemption URL, or within your app if your app supports the presentCodeRedemptionSheet method.
Apple handles the redemption experience, which includes an offer details screen with the app icon, subscription display name, duration, and pricing, all of which you’ll add in App Store Connect. If you’ve previously added a promotional image for the subscription, this is shown instead of your app icon. To help customers make an informed decision, make sure that these details clearly describe the subscription experience. In order for customers to redeem an offer code, your app must be live on the App Store. If a customer does not have your app, they’ll be able to download it during the redemption experience.
Once a user redeems an offer, provide a relevant experience based on their subscription state. For example, for a first-time subscriber, you might highlight the benefits of your subscription and provide onboarding. If your app includes account creation or requires agreement to additional terms, make this process as smooth as possible for customers who redeemed a code and are new to your app.
To get started:
Set up your server to validate receipts and receive App Store server notifications.
If you’d like to allow for code redemption within your app, use the presentCodeRedemptionSheet method.
For more information, see:
Set up offer codes
Implementing offer codes in your app
Market your subscriptions with offer codes
Subscription Offer Codes video
Give existing or previous subscribers a free or discounted subscription for a specific duration. These offers provide the flexibility to create unique promotions to grow and retain your customer base. They can also help win back customers who canceled their subscriptions or promote an upgrade to another subscription at a special price.
You decide the business logic for each offer and choose when to display the offer in your app using StoreKit APIs. You can have up to 10 active offers for each subscription, so you can determine which offers are most compelling and useful to customers. Make sure to consider the implications of having multiple offers in effect.
Using StoreKit or App Store server APIs, you’ll be able to identify the auto-renewal status of your subscribers and understand which offers might be most effective. If a subscriber has turned off auto-renewal, you might display a promotional offer for one month free in order to win them back before the end of their current subscription period. If you’ve noticed a monthly subscriber has renewed multiple times, you might provide an offer to upgrade to an annual subscription at a discounted price. You can also think about other winback or upgrade opportunities based on various user journeys. For example, consider an offer that would be most valuable for users who cancel during a free trial versus users who cancel after spending time on a paid subscription.
Generate access keys in the Users and Access section of App Store Connect.
Create a promotional offer on your app’s in-app purchase page for each product in App Store Connect.
Determine your business logic and use StoreKit APIs.
Enable App Store server notifications.
Set Up Promotional Offers for Auto-renewable Subscriptions
Implementing Promotional Offers in Your App
Architecting for Subscriptions
Keeping Subscribers
For users to stay subscribed to your app, they need to continue getting value out of the subscription. Update your app regularly with new content and feature enhancements to help encourage subscribers to maintain their subscriptions.
Sending Notifications
When written thoughtfully, notifications can help users stay engaged with your service and keep their subscriptions active. To ensure a positive user experience, make sure your notifications are timely, serve a clear purpose, and deliver meaningful information. You can also use push notifications to market your content — for example, promoting a subscription offer to users who have not yet subscribed. However, users must first explicitly opt in to receiving marketing push notifications via a method within your app that includes consent language and a clear way of opting out. Carefully consider the frequency, timing, and content of your notifications to ensure they always provide value to subscribers. Push notifications must not include sensitive personal or confidential information.
For design guidance, read the Human Interface Guidelines.
For details on implementing notifications, see UserNotificationsUI.
Providing Subscriber Support
Thoughtful customer support helps you manage relationships with your subscribers and can lead to improved engagement, higher retention, and better ratings and reviews. Use StoreKit and App Store server APIs to provide more seamless subscriber support, and to resolve issues in a more timely and efficient manner.
Letting users manage their subscription
A subscriber’s preferences may change during a subscription period. You can use the showManageSubscriptions(in:) method to let them manage their subscription within your app. By providing a dedicated place in your app to manage subscriptions, you can also display other options to complement the system-provided management UI. For example, you might show a promotional offer that provides a higher service level for a discounted price. If they cancel, you might provide an offer to help win them back and encourage them to resubscribe. Or you might present a survey where they can share feedback about their subscription experience and reasons for cancelling, which can inform your marketing strategy. To ensure a positive user experience, always make it easy for subscribers to access the system-provided management UI where they can cancel if they wish.
Extending a subscription’s renewal date
In cases of service or content delivery issues — such as a server outage or technical glitch — you can extend the renewal date of a subscription using the Renewal Extension endpoint (available later this year). For example, if a sports match is canceled or there’s an interruption to a live-streamed event, you might extend free service for a specified time in order to make up for the issue. You can move the renewal date for a customer’s subscription twice per calendar year, each up to 90 days in the future. Any days included in an extension won’t count toward the one year of paid service needed to receive an 85% proceeds rate.
Alternatively, you can use offer codes to compensate dissatisfied subscribers with a free or discounted subscription for a specific period of time. These codes can be redeemed on the App Store or within your app.
Determining subscriber status
The Get All Subscription Statuses endpoint lets you determine in one simple check whether a subscription is active, expired, in billing retry, or in grace period. Use this information to inform your retention strategy and provide subscribers with relevant information within your app, such as their upcoming renewal date.
Support Customers and Manage Refunds
Helping People Manage their Subscriptions
Retaining Subscribers
Use the Get All Subscription Statuses endpoint and Get Transaction History endpoint to determine the status of your users’ subscriptions and view transaction history, so you can identify and act on:
Voluntary churn. Determine if a subscriber has turned off auto-renew for a particular subscription using the Get All Subscription Statuses endpoint. You can also use App Store server notifications to get real-time updates about changes in a user’s status and key events related to their in-app purchases, such as a refund notification. Use this information to take action in response — for example, you might present a promotional offer to encourage them to stay subscribed, suggest an alternate tier that better fits their needs, or lock access to subscription content after their subscription expires. Be sure to inform the user of any changes and let them know if there’s anything they need to do in response, as well as how they can resubscribe.
Involuntary churn. Involuntary churn occurs when a subscriber experiences a billing issue, such as an expired credit card. Choose to receive server notifications to learn when a subscription renewal fails due to a billing issue or use the Get All Subscription Statuses endpoint to determine if a subscription is in billing retry due to a billing issue. Use this information to act accordingly — for example, you might display a message within your app or send an email asking the subscriber to update their payment method on file with a link to the Payment Information area in their App Store account. Once resolved, you can reinstate service. Apple will attempt to collect payment for 60 days. If the subscription is renewed within 60 days, the days of paid service will resume from the renewal date.
To prevent service interruption due to billing issues, enable Billing Grace Period in App Store Connect. Apple will attempt to address the billing issue and recover the subscription while the subscriber retains subscription access. If the subscription is recovered within this period, there won’t be any interruption to the days of paid service or to your revenue. If a user resubscribes after 60 days, the days of paid service will reset and you will receive the standard one year subscription rate until the next year of paid service passes.
Price increase consent. When you increase the price of a subscription and Apple asks affected subscribers to agree to the new price, you can keep track of their consent status before the change takes effect. Before displaying the price increase sheet to affected users, you might show an in-app message that explains the benefits of the subscription and how the price increase improves the service. If a user doesn’t respond to the increase, their subscription expires at the end of their current billing cycle.
For implementation details, visit:
App Store Server API documentation
App Store Server Notifications documentation
Reducing Involuntary Subscriber Churn
Enable Billing Grace Period for Auto-renewable Subscriptions
Managing Prices
You can keep an unlimited number of active subscribers at their existing price while increasing the price for new users. If you choose not to p
Auto-renewable Subscriptions – App Store – Apple Developer
Overview
Auto-renewable subscriptions give users access to content, services, or premium features in your app on an ongoing basis. At the end of each subscription duration, the subscription automatically renews until a user chooses to cancel it. Users can subscribe on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS.
Great subscription apps justify the recurring payment by providing ongoing value to users and continually innovating the app experience. If you’re considering implementing the subscription model, plan to regularly update your app with feature enhancements or expanded content.
Many types of apps can take advantage of subscriptions, including apps that offer new game levels, episodic content, software as a service, or cloud support. Other appropriate subscriptions include apps that offer consistent, substantive updates, or access to libraries or collections of content. You can offer subscription in-app purchases alongside other in-app purchase types.
Getting Ready
To offer subscriptions (a type of in-app purchase) you’ll need to use StoreKit APIs in your app, configure your subscriptions in App Store Connect and assign them to a subscription group (a group of subscriptions with different access levels, prices, and durations that users can choose from). After creating your subscriptions, include details such as a name, pricing, and description. This information displays in the In-App Purchases section of your app’s product page. Ensure that the subscriptions are available across all device types that your app supports. Within your app, consider allowing a way for subscribers to see the status of their subscription, along with upgrade, crossgrade, and downgrade options, as well as easily manage or turn off their auto-renewable subscription. Make sure to follow our design and review guidelines. To get ready, do the following:
Watch the In-App Purchase and Subscriptions Videos.
Refer to the In-App Purchase StoreKit API documentation.
Learn how to configure your subscriptions in App Store Connect Help.
Use the App Store Server API and enable App Store Server Notifications to get real-time changes to the status of your subscriptions.
Understanding Guidelines for Subscriptions
Before creating your subscriptions, make sure you know about the requirements and best practices that will help you deliver a great user experience. The guidelines below provide details on what your subscriptions need to include and how they should be presented in your app, as well as information on making changes to existing subscriptions, offering free trials, and more.
App Store Review Guidelines
Human Interface Design Guidelines
85% Net Revenue After One Year
The net revenue structure for auto-renewable subscriptions differs from other business models on the App Store. During a subscriber’s first year of service, you receive 70% of the subscription price at each billing cycle, minus applicable taxes. After a subscriber accumulates one year of paid service, your net revenue increases to 85% of the subscription price, minus applicable taxes.
Here’s how it works:
Auto-renewable subscriptions on all Apple platforms are eligible.
Days of paid service include all subscription offer types (introductory, promotional, and offer codes) with paid pricing options (pay as you go, pay up front).
Free trials and renewal extensions are excluded from days of paid service.
Days of paid service are specific to each subscription group.
Upgrades, downgrades, or crossgrades between subscriptions in the same subscription group do not affect the one year of paid service.
If you’re currently enrolled in the App Store Small Business Program, you receive 85% of the subscription price at each billing cycle (minus applicable taxes), regardless of whether or not the subscription has accumulated one year of paid service.
If a subscription expires due to a cancellation or billing issue, the days of paid service stop accumulating. If the subscription is renewed within 60 days, the days of paid service resume from the recovery date.
Creating Subscriptions
To configure your auto-renewable subscriptions, you’ll use App Store Connect. Each subscription product will need to be created as part of a subscription group and assigned a level. How you set up your subscription group or groups will determine how customers can subscribe to your content or services, how they move between subscriptions, when they are billed, and your proceeds rate. Before creating subscriptions, ensure that you understand the right subscription setup for your business model.
Creating a Subscription Group
Each subscription you offer must be assigned to a subscription group. A subscription group is made up of subscriptions with different access levels, prices, and durations so users can select the option that best fits their needs. Since users can only buy one subscription within a group at a time, creating a single group is the best practice for most apps as it prevents users from accidentally purchasing multiple subscriptions.
If your app needs to offer users the ability to buy multiple subscriptions — for example, to subscribe to more than one channel in a streaming app — you can add these subscriptions to different groups. Users who buy subscriptions in multiple groups are billed separately for each subscription. Keep in mind that if a user cancels a subscription in one group and then purchases a new subscription in a different group, the renewal date will change and the days of paid service will reset. Multiple subscription groups are not recommended for apps in which users would expect to have a single active subscription.
Keep your offerings simple so users can easily understand their options. For each subscription, create a user-friendly, self-explanatory name that differentiates it from others in the group. Use distinct names for the app, the subscription group, and each subscription to avoid confusion.
App name
Subscription Group Display Name
Subscription Display Name
Price/Duration
Ranking Subscriptions Within the Group
If you offer multiple subscriptions with different prices tiers, you can assign each to a level in App Store Connect. Ranking your subscriptions determines the upgrade, downgrade, and crossgrade path available to users. Arrange your subscriptions in descending numerical order, so that those in level 1 offer the most content, features, or services. For subscriptions with lower service or content offerings, you might assign level 2 or 3, depending on your intended subscription experience. You can add more than one subscription to each level if the offerings are equal. For details, see Overview of an Auto-renewable Subscription Group Setup.
Users can manage their subscriptions in their account settings on the App Store, where they see all renewal options and subscription groups, and can choose to upgrade, crossgrade, or downgrade between subscriptions as often as they like. You can also use the showManageSubscriptions(in:) method to allow them to do this within your app. When a user makes a change in their subscription level, the timing of the change varies depending on what has happened:
Upgrade. A user purchases a subscription that offers a higher level of service than their current subscription. They are immediately upgraded and receive a refund of the prorated amount of their original subscription. If you’d like users to immediately access more content or features, rank the subscription higher to make it an upgrade.
Downgrade. A user selects a subscription that offers a lower level of service than their current subscription. The subscription continues until the next renewal date, then is renewed at the lower level and price.
Crossgrade. A user switches to a new subscription of the equivalent level. If the subscriptions are the same duration, the new subscription begins immediately. If the durations are different, the new subscription goes into effect at the next renewal date.
Pricing Subscriptions for Each Territory
Apps with auto-renewable subscriptions can choose from 200 price points across all available currencies and price tiers. You can set the prices you think are appropriate for subscribers in different locations, and you have the flexibility to price your subscriptions at parity if they’re available elsewhere.
Pricing Tool. The App Store Connect pricing tool can help you manage pricing based on current exchange rates. If there is a tax change or currency adjustment in a particular region, the price of subscriptions will generally not be affected unless you decide to pass the change on to your users. If you want to change the price of a subscription in a specific market, it’s important to understand which markets are tax inclusive before you take action. For example, if you decide to lower the subscription price for users in Germany, the revenue you’ll receive will be the purchase price minus the European Union’s value added tax (VAT) and minus Apple’s commission. The default pricing in the App Store Connect pricing tool is inclusive of applicable taxes that Apple collects and remits. For more information, review Schedule 2 of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement, which describes territories that have different tax treatments.
App Store Connect also provides the ability to assign tax categories to your apps and in-app purchases. These categories are based on your app’s content (for example, videos, books, or news publications) and determine which tax regulations apply in each territory, allowing Apple to administer tax for you at specific rates.
Family Sharing Now available
Family Sharing allows a subscriber to share access to an auto-renewable subscription with up to five family members across their Apple devices. With a streamlined, convenient user experience, Family Sharing can help you attract subscribers, encourage paid subscriptions, increase user engagement, and improve retention. You can enable Family Sharing for your subscription in App Store Connect.
Whether a subscription is shared with a subscriber’s family by default depends on their subscription sharing settings and if the purchase was made before or after you enabled Family Sharing in App Store Connect. Subscribers who do not have the subscription shared by default are informed by Apple via push notification that the subscription can be shared with their family.
To help customers make a selection that best fits their needs, your subscription’s display name and sign-up screen should indicate that Family Sharing is included. You might also use in-app messaging to notify eligible subscribers that their subscription can be shared with family and explain how they can turn on sharing. Use receipt purchase validation to verify and provide the proper access to subscribers and their family. Please note that once you enable Family Sharing for a subscription in App Store Connect, it cannot be disabled.
Turn on Family Sharing for in-app purchases
Offering Subscriptions to Multiple Apps
You can offer auto-renewable subscriptions to access multiple apps. Each app must be approved to use auto-renewable in-app purchases and published under the same developer account.
Use App Store Connect to set up separate and equivalent auto-renewable subscriptions for each app included in the multi-app subscription so that users can subscribe from any app. To avoid users paying multiple times for the same offering, make sure to verify that they are active subscribers before showing any subscription options. For details on how to determine whether a subscription is currently active, see Keeping Subscribers.
You can also create an app bundle to group multiple subscription apps into a single download at a reduced price. App bundles can include up to 10 of your iOS apps or up to 10 of your macOS apps.
For implementation details, see Offering a Subscription Across Multiple Apps.
To learn more about app bundles on the App Store, see Offering App Bundles.
Attracting Subscribers
By allowing users to try your subscription at the moment they’re most interested in its value, you increase the likelihood that they will subscribe. There are several ways you can provide a preview of the subscription experience.
Present subscription benefits during onboarding. By highlighting the value of your subscription when users first launch your app, you can educate them on how the app works and help them understand what they will gain from subscribing. Keep onboarding brief, engaging, and focused on the features your audience cares about, such as the ability to access the subscription across multiple device types. Include a succinct call to action and clear subscription terms.
To find out what you’ll need to include, see Clearly Describing Subscriptions.
Offer a freemium app experience. A freemium app allows customers to use the app at no cost, with the option to subscribe if they want to enhance their experience or engage more deeply. A free experience lowers the barrier to try an app, and users may be more inclined to invest in paid features after having had time to enjoy the app.
Offer a metered paywall. A metered paywall allows users to access a finite amount of content for a specified duration before needing to make a purchase — for example, viewing 10 full articles per month for free in a news app. This gives users the opportunity to immediately start sampling your subscription experience, while encouraging engaged users to subscribe.
For freemium and paywall experiences, include contextually relevant prompts to encourage users to subscribe — for example, when they near their monthly limit of free articles or videos. Additionally, consider making it easy for users to subscribe at any time by including a prompt throughout the app interface. Test and measure the impact of these prompts, and consider trying different versions of your call-to-action messaging to understand what resonates most with your audience.
Clearly Describing Subscriptions
An effective subscription purchase flow makes it simple for users to get the product or service they’re interested in. Use consistent messaging and include clear terms so users can easily recognize the value of the offer. A lengthy sign-up process will lower your subscription conversion rate, so keep the purchase flow simple and only ask for necessary information. In addition, the following details must be included in your subscription’s sign-up screen:
Subscription name and duration, and the content or services provided during the subscription period
Full renewal price, shown clearly and prominently, and localized in available currencies
A way for current subscribers to sign in or restore purchases
Please note that your app and App Store metadata must include links to your Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Billing Amount In the purchase flow, the amount that will be billed must be the most prominent pricing element in the layout. For example, an annual subscription should clearly display the total amount that will be billed upon purchase. While you may also present a breakdown price that the annual amount is equivalent to or a savings when compared to weekly or monthly subscriptions, these additional elements should be displayed in a subordinate position and size to the annual price. This ensures that users are not misled.
Free Trials In the purchase flow for a free trial, clearly indicate how long the free trial lasts and the price billed once the free trial is over.
Promoting Subscriptions on the App Store
You can promote in-app purchases directly on the App Store, so users can find your subscription or introductory offer and initiate a purchase even before downloading your app. Promoted in-app purchases appear on your product page, can display in search results, and may be featured on the Today, Games, or Apps tabs. Choose to promote up to 20 in-app purchases at a time to help you effectively increase discoverability for content within your app. This can be particularly effective for letting new customers know about introductory offers.
Learn about promoting your in-app purchases
Promoted in-app purchases have unique metadata to communicate their value.
Providing Subscription Offers
You can create subscription offers to grow and retain your customer base by giving them a free or discounted price for a specific duration for an auto-renewable subscription. At the end of the offer period, the subscription auto-renews at the standard price unless a subscriber cancels it or turns off auto-renewal. You can provide the following pricing options for subscription offers:
Free. A subscriber can access your subscription for free for a specific duration — for example, a one-month free offer for a subscription with a standard renewal price of $4. 99 per month. Their subscription begins immediately, but they won’t be billed until the offer duration ends. This offer may be useful if you want to let users experience your subscription at no immediate cost to them.
Pay as you go. A subscriber pays a discounted price each billing period for a specific duration — for example, $1. 99 per month for three months for a subscription with a standard renewal price of $9. Once the duration is over, they’ll be billed at the standard renewal price. This option may be useful if you want to attract price-sensitive users with a recurring discount without having to offer that discount for the lifetime of the subscription.
Pay up front. A subscriber pays a one-time price for a specific duration — for example, $9. 99 up front for the first six months of a subscription with a standard renewal price of $39. 99 per year. This offer may be useful if you want to offer an extended experience that gives users time to enjoy the subscription before the next renewal.
Offer Types
There are three types of subscription offers you can give to customers: introductory, promotional, and offer codes. You can provide all three offer types at once, depending on your business goals. To determine which type might be best for a particular use case, consider each offer’s intended use, customer eligibility, redemption limits, and other criteria. All offers are set up in App Store Connect, where you’ll choose the offer type, duration, pricing, and more. For details about offer types and available durations, see Pricing and Availability.
Comparing Subscription Offers
Introductory Offers
Promotional Offers
Offer Codes
Primary Use
Acquiring new subscribers
Retaining and winning back subscribers
Acquiring, retaining, and winning back subscribers
Customer Eligibility
New subscribers within the app
Existing or previous subscribers within the app. Customers who have not subscribed within the app cannot complete this type of offer.
New, existing, or previous subscribers
Distribution and Redemption
Distributed and redeemed within the app or on the App Store via promoted in-app purchase
Distributed and redeemed within the app
Distributed through any digital or offline methods. Redeemed in the App Store or within the app.
Redemption Limits
A customer can redeem one introductory offer per subscription group
You determine how many offers a customer can redeem
A customer can redeem one code per active offer
Offer Limits
One offer per subscription, per territory
10 active offers per subscription
10 active offers per subscription. You can create a maximum of 150, 000 codes per app per quarter.
Offer Configuration
You select timing, territories, pricing and duration in App Store Connect
You decide business logic, select price and duration in App Store Connect, and use StoreKit APIs to present offers to eligible users
You select customer eligibility rules, timing, territories, pricing, duration and number of codes in App Store Connect
Compatibility
iOS 10, iPadOS 10, macOS 10. 12. 6, tvOS 10 and later
iOS 12. 2, iPadOS 12. 2, macOS 10. 14. 4, tvOS 12. 2 and later
iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 and later
Allow new subscribers to experience the value of your subscription before paying full price. You can display these offers within your app’s subscription sign-up screen using StoreKit APIs. Users are eligible for one introductory price within a subscription group, which you configure in App Store Connect.
Offer Codes Now Available
Offer codes can help you acquire, retain, and win back subscribers by providing a subscription at a discount or for free for a limited time. You can distribute these unique, one-time codes however you choose using online and offline channels. Offer codes can be used in a variety of ways — for example, you can:
Send an email sharing the latest features, recently added content, and an offer code to current or lapsed subscribers so they can experience your service for a limited time.
Distribute flyers that include unique offer codes to promote your service to event attendees.
Partner with another company on a marketing initiative or campaign to help promote your app.
Provide an offer code to a subscriber with a customer service issue to compensate for the issue and encourage retention.
Distribute offer codes within an app that you are sunsetting as a way to transition subscribers to your new app and promote your service.
Configuration
When configuring offer codes in App Store Connect, you’ll determine customer eligibility. If new subscribers are eligible, you’ll also decide whether or not they can redeem an offer code in addition to an introductory offer. Offer codes expire after a maximum of six months from the date they are created, so be mindful of how many you generate at a given time. Customers can redeem only one code per offer, but may be eligible to redeem multiple offers for a single subscription, depending on your configuration choices. Be sure to consider the implications of creating multiple offers for a single subscription.
Distribution
You can download codes and their associated URLs in batches and distribute them however you choose. Consider which channels might be most effective at reaching your intended customers and note eligibility or availability limits in your communications. When providing offer codes to existing customers, make sure the offer is for a subscription within the same subscription group as their existing subscription.
Redemption
Customers on iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 and later can redeem offer codes on the App Store, through a one-time code redemption URL, or within your app if your app supports the presentCodeRedemptionSheet method.
Apple handles the redemption experience, which includes an offer details screen with the app icon, subscription display name, duration, and pricing, all of which you’ll add in App Store Connect. If you’ve previously added a promotional image for the subscription, this is shown instead of your app icon. To help customers make an informed decision, make sure that these details clearly describe the subscription experience. In order for customers to redeem an offer code, your app must be live on the App Store. If a customer does not have your app, they’ll be able to download it during the redemption experience.
Once a user redeems an offer, provide a relevant experience based on their subscription state. For example, for a first-time subscriber, you might highlight the benefits of your subscription and provide onboarding. If your app includes account creation or requires agreement to additional terms, make this process as smooth as possible for customers who redeemed a code and are new to your app.
To get started:
Set up your server to validate receipts and receive App Store server notifications.
If you’d like to allow for code redemption within your app, use the presentCodeRedemptionSheet method.
For more information, see:
Set up offer codes
Implementing offer codes in your app
Market your subscriptions with offer codes
Subscription Offer Codes video
Give existing or previous subscribers a free or discounted subscription for a specific duration. These offers provide the flexibility to create unique promotions to grow and retain your customer base. They can also help win back customers who canceled their subscriptions or promote an upgrade to another subscription at a special price.
You decide the business logic for each offer and choose when to display the offer in your app using StoreKit APIs. You can have up to 10 active offers for each subscription, so you can determine which offers are most compelling and useful to customers. Make sure to consider the implications of having multiple offers in effect.
Using StoreKit or App Store server APIs, you’ll be able to identify the auto-renewal status of your subscribers and understand which offers might be most effective. If a subscriber has turned off auto-renewal, you might display a promotional offer for one month free in order to win them back before the end of their current subscription period. If you’ve noticed a monthly subscriber has renewed multiple times, you might provide an offer to upgrade to an annual subscription at a discounted price. You can also think about other winback or upgrade opportunities based on various user journeys. For example, consider an offer that would be most valuable for users who cancel during a free trial versus users who cancel after spending time on a paid subscription.
Generate access keys in the Users and Access section of App Store Connect.
Create a promotional offer on your app’s in-app purchase page for each product in App Store Connect.
Determine your business logic and use StoreKit APIs.
Enable App Store server notifications.
Set Up Promotional Offers for Auto-renewable Subscriptions
Implementing Promotional Offers in Your App
Architecting for Subscriptions
Keeping Subscribers
For users to stay subscribed to your app, they need to continue getting value out of the subscription. Update your app regularly with new content and feature enhancements to help encourage subscribers to maintain their subscriptions.
Sending Notifications
When written thoughtfully, notifications can help users stay engaged with your service and keep their subscriptions active. To ensure a positive user experience, make sure your notifications are timely, serve a clear purpose, and deliver meaningful information. You can also use push notifications to market your content — for example, promoting a subscription offer to users who have not yet subscribed. However, users must first explicitly opt in to receiving marketing push notifications via a method within your app that includes consent language and a clear way of opting out. Carefully consider the frequency, timing, and content of your notifications to ensure they always provide value to subscribers. Push notifications must not include sensitive personal or confidential information.
For design guidance, read the Human Interface Guidelines.
For details on implementing notifications, see UserNotificationsUI.
Providing Subscriber Support
Thoughtful customer support helps you manage relationships with your subscribers and can lead to improved engagement, higher retention, and better ratings and reviews. Use StoreKit and App Store server APIs to provide more seamless subscriber support, and to resolve issues in a more timely and efficient manner.
Letting users manage their subscription
A subscriber’s preferences may change during a subscription period. You can use the showManageSubscriptions(in:) method to let them manage their subscription within your app. By providing a dedicated place in your app to manage subscriptions, you can also display other options to complement the system-provided management UI. For example, you might show a promotional offer that provides a higher service level for a discounted price. If they cancel, you might provide an offer to help win them back and encourage them to resubscribe. Or you might present a survey where they can share feedback about their subscription experience and reasons for cancelling, which can inform your marketing strategy. To ensure a positive user experience, always make it easy for subscribers to access the system-provided management UI where they can cancel if they wish.
Extending a subscription’s renewal date
In cases of service or content delivery issues — such as a server outage or technical glitch — you can extend the renewal date of a subscription using the Renewal Extension endpoint (available later this year). For example, if a sports match is canceled or there’s an interruption to a live-streamed event, you might extend free service for a specified time in order to make up for the issue. You can move the renewal date for a customer’s subscription twice per calendar year, each up to 90 days in the future. Any days included in an extension won’t count toward the one year of paid service needed to receive an 85% proceeds rate.
Alternatively, you can use offer codes to compensate dissatisfied subscribers with a free or discounted subscription for a specific period of time. These codes can be redeemed on the App Store or within your app.
Determining subscriber status
The Get All Subscription Statuses endpoint lets you determine in one simple check whether a subscription is active, expired, in billing retry, or in grace period. Use this information to inform your retention strategy and provide subscribers with relevant information within your app, such as their upcoming renewal date.
Support Customers and Manage Refunds
Helping People Manage their Subscriptions
Retaining Subscribers
Use the Get All Subscription Statuses endpoint and Get Transaction History endpoint to determine the status of your users’ subscriptions and view transaction history, so you can identify and act on:
Voluntary churn. Determine if a subscriber has turned off auto-renew for a particular subscription using the Get All Subscription Statuses endpoint. You can also use App Store server notifications to get real-time updates about changes in a user’s status and key events related to their in-app purchases, such as a refund notification. Use this information to take action in response — for example, you might present a promotional offer to encourage them to stay subscribed, suggest an alternate tier that better fits their needs, or lock access to subscription content after their subscription expires. Be sure to inform the user of any changes and let them know if there’s anything they need to do in response, as well as how they can resubscribe.
Involuntary churn. Involuntary churn occurs when a subscriber experiences a billing issue, such as an expired credit card. Choose to receive server notifications to learn when a subscription renewal fails due to a billing issue or use the Get All Subscription Statuses endpoint to determine if a subscription is in billing retry due to a billing issue. Use this information to act accordingly — for example, you might display a message within your app or send an email asking the subscriber to update their payment method on file with a link to the Payment Information area in their App Store account. Once resolved, you can reinstate service. Apple will attempt to collect payment for 60 days. If the subscription is renewed within 60 days, the days of paid service will resume from the renewal date.
To prevent service interruption due to billing issues, enable Billing Grace Period in App Store Connect. Apple will attempt to address the billing issue and recover the subscription while the subscriber retains subscription access. If the subscription is recovered within this period, there won’t be any interruption to the days of paid service or to your revenue. If a user resubscribes after 60 days, the days of paid service will reset and you will receive the standard one year subscription rate until the next year of paid service passes.
Price increase consent. When you increase the price of a subscription and Apple asks affected subscribers to agree to the new price, you can keep track of their consent status before the change takes effect. Before displaying the price increase sheet to affected users, you might show an in-app message that explains the benefits of the subscription and how the price increase improves the service. If a user doesn’t respond to the increase, their subscription expires at the end of their current billing cycle.
For implementation details, visit:
App Store Server API documentation
App Store Server Notifications documentation
Reducing Involuntary Subscriber Churn
Enable Billing Grace Period for Auto-renewable Subscriptions
Managing Prices
You can keep an unlimited number of active subscribers at their existing price while increasing the price for new users. If you choose not to p
How to cancel Auto Renew for In-App purchases | Trend Micro Help Center
Know how to cancel or unsubscribe Auto Renew subscription for Trend Micro Security apps purchased In-App.
For Android users
On your device, open Google Play Store.
Make sure you are signed in to the Google account used in purchasing the app.
Tap the Menu icon, then tap Subscriptions.
Select the subscription that you want to cancel.
Tap Cancel subscription.
Follow the remaining instructions.
For iOS users
On your device, go to Settings > (your name) > iTunes & App Store.
Tap your Apple ID located at the top of the screen, then tap View Apple ID. You might need to sign in with your Apple ID.
Scroll down, then tap Subscriptions.
Select the subscription that you want to manage.
From the Manage subscription section, tap Cancel Subscription.
Tap Confirm.
You can also change your Apple payment method.
Related Info
Turn OFF Auto Renew
Cancel online or retail purchases
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Keywords: purchase, purchase apple apps, in-app, auto renewal, auto-renewal, auto-renew, auto renew, autorenew
Frequently Asked Questions about auto renewable subscription
What is auto renewable subscription?
Auto-renewable subscriptions give users access to content, services, or premium features in your app on an ongoing basis. At the end of each subscription duration, the subscription automatically renews until a user chooses to cancel it. … You can offer subscription in-app purchases alongside other in-app purchase types.
How do I cancel my auto renewable subscription?
How to cancel Auto Renew for In-App purchasesOn your device, open Google Play Store.Make sure you are signed in to the Google account used in purchasing the app.Tap the Menu icon, then tap Subscriptions.Select the subscription that you want to cancel.Tap Cancel subscription.Follow the remaining instructions.May 17, 2021
What is premium automatic renewal Apple?
The subscription will be auto-renewed 24 hours prior to it running out and you can manage it from User Settings in iTunes after purchasing it, and you’ll also be able to cancel the auto-renewing subscription from there. Subscriptions are handled by Apple.Sep 21, 2021