Hi everyone,
I am looking for guidance regarding a rejection under Guideline 3.1.1 – Payments / In-App Purchase.
Our app is a **B2B SaaS platform for professional fitness coaches.
Coaches subscribe through our website to access coaching management tools (client tracking, training programs, nutrition planning, messaging, etc.).
The iOS app is only a companion app that lets existing coach accounts log in and access services they already purchased on the web.
Important facts about our implementation:
- No subscriptions can be purchased in the app
- No pricing, plans, or commercial upsell screens in the app
- No sign-up in the app
- No external links to a website checkout or pricing
- The app is not usable at all without an existing paid account
- The content is professional B2B data, not consumer digital media
Despite this, App Review keeps rejecting us for:
“Your app accesses digital content purchased outside the app, and that content is not available through in-app purchase.”
We tried referencing **3.1.3(b) Multiplatform Services, because our service is used on the web and mobile, and we only allow access with an existing account.
We also provided examples of other coaching platforms in the App Store that appear to work the same way (Trainerize, Everfit for Coaches, Hubfit, etc.).
But App Review still says the same thing, without pointing to a specific screen or UI element.
I want to make sure we comply. To clarify:
-
Do we need to completely block access to all content until login, even if the app already does this?
-
Is it enough to display a disclaimer such as:
“This app is for existing coach accounts only. No purchases, subscriptions, or account creation are available in the app.”
-
For a B2B tool, does Apple still require In-App Purchase, even if users cannot sign up or buy anything inside the app?
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Is this considered a Reader-style app under Apple’s rules?
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Has anyone successfully passed review with a SaaS “login-only” model for professional software?
We don’t want to violate any rule, we just need clear guidance on what is required to get approval.
Any help or experience from other developers or Apple team members would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Robin