In App Purchase for Fitness app

With a web interface and mobile app, a user who buys a subscription through Stripe is automatically created an account that allows them to log in to both the web interface and mobile app.

When going through the review, we received a rejection from Apple review team with the requirement to implement in app purchase.

I have an already published app with the same functionality where the review team did not require IAP implementation.

  1. Does the web interface have to contain 100% of the same features as the mobile app in order for the mobile app to be recognized as a "Read" version and no IAP integration is required?

  2. When asked if Stripe can remain available for purchase through the web interface in conjunction with IAP in the mobile app, I received the response

"In regards to using Stripe alongside in-app purchases, please note that providing access to mechanisms other than in-app purchases for purchases or subscriptions to be used in the app does not comply with the App Store Review Guidelines."

On what basis the subscription purchase in the web interface does not take place, if there are no requirements for mandatory installation of the mobile application and the user can use the web version without installing the mobile application.

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I am not part of the App Review team, but I can try to provide some guidance based on my interpretation of the rules. Apple's guidance for reader apps is here:

3.1.3 Other Purchase Methods: The following apps may use purchase methods other than in-app purchase. Apps in this section cannot, within the app, encourage users to use a purchasing method other than in-app purchase, except as set forth in 3.1.3(a). Developers can send communications outside of the app to their user base about purchasing methods other than in-app purchase.

3.1.3(a) “Reader” Apps: Apps may allow a user to access previously purchased content or content subscriptions (specifically: magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, and video). Reader apps may offer account creation for free tiers, and account management functionality for existing customers.

The stipulation is that it must be "previously purchased" content or content subscriptions. In other words, you cannot allow users to sign up or subscribe to your service through the app. If the user can sign up or subscribe through the app, then you must use In-app Purchase to process that transaction within the app. If you wish to bill the user through Stripe or some other payment method, then your app must qualify as a reader app (as detailed above), the user must have signed up outside of the app (such as from their web browser), and you must not allow the user to sign up or subscribe to your service from within the app.

Of course, you can support both In-app Purchase and 3rd party payment methods. The rule is that if the user pays through the app, or if the content is consumed solely within the app, then the transaction must go through In-app Purchase. Otherwise, you can use 3rd party payment methods (such as those on your website.)

I hope this helps.

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Developer Tools Engineer
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