In-App Purchase for iOS Business App

Question

Created Jul ’16

Replies 5

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Hi, I'm working on an iOS application that supports specific functions of business sales teams. We would like to charge a monthly fee to customers to use our app.

The app doesn't provide access to third party or newly added content from us...like a magazine app. Our subscription would be to simply use the apps functionality, like the way that some software as a service models work...you subscribe, pay a monthly fee and can use the app.

I've gone through Apple's documents on this and it looks like we qualify as a business app for VPP delivery with as a subscription provider, but I'm not sure about having a monthly auto-renewal and how we'd initially trigger the subscription once the user downloads a copy. I would like to trigger it as a part of an 'enrollment or onboarding' process when they first start the app.

Also, if a company or VPP customer purchases 10 copies of our app, I assume that each activation of the 10 would result in a seperate monthly subscription. Thus, 10 apps downloaded and used = 10 x $$/month and NOT 1 x $$/month for a bulk download of 10 copies. Is this a correct assumption?

If you have expreince here or can point me towards some relevant documentation, I'd really appreciate it. 🙂

Thanks much!

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Answer 1

PBK OP

Jul ’16

Two comments -

First, everything you want to do can be done quite simply with non-renewing subscriptions incuding bulk purchase and redistribution. You have greater control over how the subscription rights get distributed. But the user needs to make a renewed purchase each subscription period.

Second - starting soon Apple will be expanding autorenewables so, if you are not now allowed to use it, you may soon be.

I am unfamiliar with autorenewables in VPP.

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Answer 2

KMT OP

Jul ’16

VPP/bulk purchases are still store purchases, and the effect is the same for all users, regardless. There is no discounted 'bulk' IAP purchase scheme in that regard.

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Answer 3

mike_uk OP

Oct ’16

Hi Mike

I just asked a similar question before finding your well-explained question. Did you find a solution that worked for you, or have you found an update since July?

If PBK is reading this thread, I would like to know whether his suggestion for non-renewing subscriptions including bulk purchase can be done via the private B2B path without displaying the app on the larger retail App Store?

Thanks

Mike

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Answer 4

PBK OP

Oct ’16

I believe b2b apps can use IAPs. If so they can have non-renewing subscriptions. And it is up to the developer to provide a 'multi user' IAP that is a non-renewing subscription IAP and includes the ability to enable multiple users. For example, there could be a 5-user and a 50-user IAP. Each comes with the ability to add 5 or 50 users to a separate user website or each comes with 5 or 50 tokens that can be emailed or mcsession-transferred to other devices.

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Answer 5

KMT OP

Oct ’16

Apple used to say that in-app purchases or subscriptions were not recommended for custom B2B apps.

I think the issue is the different scenarios behind redeeming a code to get just the app vs. MDM managed, and how the user's apple ID/credit card will be billed for the IAP/sub vs. trying to bill the user's employer/company, etc.

You may need to call Apple Dev Support to find out what the current recommendation is.

Ken

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