App Store / Revenue Question

Question

Created Jul ’22

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Hello --

We have a website that is monetized by ads or a premium membership to turn off the ads. Money is collected from the website itself. The premium membership is an annual membership.

We have developed an App that we would like the users that paid the premium membership access to the app. However, Apple is telling us "no" and that the premium memberships must be paid through the App Store.

We have thought about going with a subscription based model in the app store, however, the app is built so that you can download it for fee, but as soon as you open it, it will ask you to subscribe. Not a good user experience.

How do we launch an app for our users that already have paid for our services? We are just wanting to expand on our services by providing an app, but don't want non-paying people having access to the app.

I am sure we are not the only ones to encounter this, so if you have any suggestions, please advise.

Thanks!

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Answer 1

App Review OP

Apple

Jul ’22

Thanks for your message. If your app includes or accesses paid digital content, services or functionality, in this case, access to the premium membership to remove ads, this must be available for purchase in your app using in-app purchase as described in App Store Review Guideline 3.1.3(b) Multiplatform Services. Users who have paid for your premium service outside the app can login and authenticate to access the services they have purchased, but new users must be able to purchase access within the app using in-app purchase. You may consider to allow new users who discover your app on the App Store to view content with ads without a subscription and then offer the option to purchase ad-free access from within the app at an appropriate time.

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