Apple says the following in thier guidelines / rules:
11.14 “Apps can read or play approved content (specifically magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, video and cloud storage) that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the App, as long as there is no button or external link in the App to purchase the approved content. Apple will only receive a portion of revenues for content purchased inside the App”
As of today we are one of Sweden's bestselling apps using IAP. Since the new tax rules in EU we realy would like to skip both Apple and Google. We only offer our content thru our apps (100% app company).
Can you offer subscriptions outside an app if all you do is informing the userbase about cheaper subscriptions on a webbpage with a 10% disscount without having a link or button to it. Just plain text informing about it?
If you read the 11.14 rule it feels like this scenario would be allowed? But at the same time there is some kind of grey-area in this situation, how far can you go and what is allowed and what not? This is not a programming questions and I understand it. But I would appreciate the knowledge and experience people do have on this matter.
Reagards
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Here's a scenario that's not clear to me in terms of whether it's allowed by Apple (even though I've seen other apps that actually do this):
User purchases or subscribes to a web app.
User then downloads related iOS app (i.e., it has the same functions and shares the same data with the web app) and can access the iOS app only by entering their user ID and password from the web app (so essentially the iOS app is free to download but not free to use).
According to the Apple Developer FAQ page for in-app purchases:
"Apps that unlock or enable additional features or functionality with mechanisms other than the App Store will be rejected"
"Apps utilizing a system other than the In-App Purchase API (IAP) to purchase content, functionality, or services in an App will be rejected".
"Apps offering subscriptions must do so using IAP, Apple will share the same 70/30 revenue split with developers for these purchases, as set forth in the Program License Agreement"
"Apps can read or play approved content (specifically magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, video and cloud storage) that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the App, as long as there is no button or external link in the App to purchase the approved content. Apple will only receive a portion of revenues for content purchased inside the App"
Does the last point contradict the other three?
Does the scenario I've seen where an iOS app is activated using the user ID and password from the developer's web app fall under the first three points, or under the fourth point? Why?
I presume it's also possible that the apps I've seen are violations that fell below the Apple radar, because the FAQ page also states the following:
"In general, the more expensive your App, the more thoroughly we will review it."
I'm really having trouble untangling what's allowed and not allowed and appreciate help getting a more clear understanding of these important rules.
I'm speaking from experience here, I worked for two clients who each have an app available in iTunes, Google Play, and on the web. Both apps are monetized from subscriptions which can be purchased with in-app purchases from iTunes and Google Play and via credit card on the website.
Each app from their respective app store only offer the appropriate and allowed purchase method, e.g. the iOS apps only offer in-app purchases from iTunes, they never offered credit card purchases, nor do they link to directly to a webpage to pay by credit card.
Users are required to login and the subscription status (notably the expiry date), regardless of where they purchased from, is associated to their account in the database. This allows the users to access paid content from any device without having to subscribe again with a different payment provider. e.g. The user buys a subscription on Google Play and they can access the paid content in the Android and iOS app or on the web.
Both clients have server-side receipt validation in place which checks the status of the subscription on the expiration date.
Apple and Google seem to have no problem with this and there are many notable examples of apps doing exactly this; spotify and skype are a few that come to mind and they are big players. If your app is rejected for using this same practice then those apps are in violation too.
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I build a tool app on iOS platform. I want create three level for users. basic, pro and premium. each level provide different functions. So user need pay for pro and premium subscription plan. the difference between level is pro user can create more document than basic user.
The thing is I don't want use IAP, I don't want apple share the 30% revenue, so I created a website to let user pay the subscription through web.
I got the app approved 3 times before, without any rejection.
but recently, Apple review team reject my app with follow info
From Apple
11.13 - Apps that link to external mechanisms for purchases or subscriptions to be used in the App, such as a "buy" button that goes to a web site to purchase a digital book, will be rejected
11.13 Details
We noticed that your app provides access to external mechanisms for purchases or subscriptions to be used in the app, which does not comply with the App Store Review Guidelines.
I am very sure that I didn't have any button or link inside of app to navigate user to website for payment.
My app do grab the subscription level from website by API to restrict user function by level. I am not very sure if this is not allowed by apple.
I check apple review guideline again and find
11.14 Apps can read or play approved content (specifically magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, video and cloud storage) that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the App, as long as there is no button or external link in the App to purchase the approved content. Apple will only receive a portion of revenues for content purchased inside the App
Kindle and dropbox are following 11.14. they removed IAP from app and let user buy content from website. I can tell they are following 11.14. so apple approve that.
But 11.14 only works for magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, video and cloud storage. while I am not sure whether my app belongs one of them. But my app is very similar with Evernote. Evernote provide payment both on website and IAP.
So my question is If Evernote remove IAP from app and only let user buy from website. will apple reject that? If not, then my app should not be rejected.
Ultimately this is a question that you should be asking Apple. Different reviews catch different things. Although you may not have a button to send people to your website to pay for the subscription, it kind of sounds like the only purpose of the website is to buy a subscription for the app (if i'm wrong feel free to correct me). If thats the case i can completely understand the rejection. Apple wants purchases made for subscriptions for the app to be made in the app which means going through Apple and dealing with them taking %30. If you make a website with the sole purpose of bypassing Apples guidelines then they are going to notice eventually.
Also the difference between your app and Evernote from the sounds of it, is that Evernote has other platforms that the subscription relates too. The app just happens to be another place the user can benefit from the subscription.
At the end of the day i would mostly recommend that you think about the user experience first. I get not wanting to shave off %30, but you may end up gaining more subscriptions by having IAP in your app and giving away the %30 then by not having an in app subscription mechanism at all.
I am working to develop an iOS mobile app version of an online game that uses in-game coins to enhance game play. Ideally, I would like to sell these coins through both IAP and through the user's account on the web version of the game. I am having a difficult time parsing together whether or not this is allowed by Apple and am wondering if anyone has similar experience.
According to Apple's terms:
11.2: Apps utilizing a system other than the In App Purchase API (IAP) to purchase content,
functionality, or services in an app will be rejected
But also:
11.14 Apps can read or play approved content (specifically magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, and video) that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the app, as long as there is no button or external link in the app to purchase the approved content. Apple will not receive any portion of the revenues for approved content that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the app. [This last is from an earlier version of the rules, but it still seems to be the case -- I can purchase a subscription to Pandora on the web or through IAP, right?]
I know I can't put a link to the web version in the App, and I can't advertise within the app that they can purchase coins online, but is it possible to sync the two accounts across platforms? Will Apple allow this, or do we need to re-evaluate?
Thanks!
The current top-grossing game, Candy Crush Saga, appears to do this, so that seems to be a good precedent. It can be synced with the Facebook version of the game where items can also be purchased.
I am currently concepting an app which shall be setup for multiple mobile Systems, like iOS, Android, Windows.
The app shall distribute publications, for which a login is required. This login can only be purchased from the publishers website.
The idea is, to not having to create in-app setup for all OS systems, but only do this on the website of the publisher. I am aware, that apple does not allow for the app to point to that website though.
Is anyone aware, if Apple would allow for such a concept? I was considering to allow users to read a few publications without the need to login, to pacify apple ;)
"Apps can read or play approved content (specifically magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, video and cloud storage) that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the app, as long as there is no button or external link in the App to purchase the approved content."
Apps can read or play approved content
(magazines, newspapers, books, audio,
music, video) that is sold outside of
the app, for which Apple will not
receive any portion of the revenues,
provided that the same content is also
offered in the app using IAP at the
same price or less than it is offered
outside the app. This applies to both
purchased content and subscriptions.
Say you're a publisher, and you want to sell subscriptions to your content. Until a week or two ago, the only way to sell content to be displayed in an iOS app was to use in-app purchase, and Apple would take their usual 30% cut. This new rule says that you, the publisher, may now also sell subscriptions outside the app and still let your users use the content in the app, and Apple doesn't expect to get a cut of those subscription fees. So, for example, you can give all the subscribers to your print edition access to the electronic version of your content. Or you can sell subscriptions on your web site without paying Apple a share of the proceeds. However, you can't encourage your app users to avoid IAP by charging a higher price for IAP purchases than you do for outside purchases.