What are Subscription In-App Purchases?
Subscription based In-App Purchases are described as: “A product that allows users to purchase dynamic content for a set period. This type of subscription renews automatically unless cancelled by the user.” This means that there is a recurring charge that will allow the user to access that specific in-app section, though only while they continue to pay to keep their subscription active.
Note: This article is for apps that are already live in the Apple app store. If you’re submitting your app for the first time, and you want to include subscriptions in your app, you’ll need to submit the app without subscriptions first, then once it’s been approved, follow the steps below and we will resubmit the app for you once you have done so. This helps avoid a potential rejection by Apple.
How do I create Subscription In-App Purchases for my iOS app?
Important Note: Before you can create your app’s In-App Purchases, you are required by Apple to fill out their Paid Applications contract. If you still need to fill out the Paid Applications contract, view our help article here for the required steps.
Step 1: Go to the My Apps section of your App Store Connect account.
Step 2: Click on your app to step into its listing.
Step 3: Select Features from the menu towards the top.
Note: Make sure after clicking the Features tab you are in the In-App Purchases section from them left-side menu.
Step 4: Add an In-App Purchase product by selecting the (+) button.
Step 5: Select the Auto-Renewable Subscription type and click Create.
Step 6: Enter a Reference Name and Product ID.
Note: It’s a good idea to enter a Reference Name that clearly tells you what in-app section this specific purchase will unlock. Also, make note of the Product ID you enter since you will need to enter the Product ID on your app’s control panel as well.
Step 7: Enter a Subscription Group Reference Name.
Note: As with the Reference Name you added in Step 6, it’s also a good idea to enter a Subscription Group Reference Name that clearly tells you what in-app section this specific purchase will unlock. Users can only subscribe to one subscription within a group at a time, but can change subscriptions within the group as often as they like. Users will see all the renewal options that the group offers in their account settings on the App Store. If you want to give users the ability to buy multiple subscriptions that are billed separately, you can put them in different groups.
Step 8: Set the Subscription Duration.
Note: Auto-renewable subscriptions allow the user to purchase updating and dynamic content for a set duration of time. Subscriptions renew automatically unless the user opts out.
Step 9: Set your Subscription Price(s).
Note: Set up a starting subscription price. Once your subscription price is created, you can set up an introductory price (pay as you go, pay up front, free trial).
Step 10: Click the + icon to enter in the subscription’s App Store Information.
Note: The display name and description for your in-app purchase will be shown on the App Store.
Step 11: Enter in the subscription’s Review Information.
Note: The screenshot (requires at least 640 x 920 pixels) and the information you provide will not be shown on the App Store. The screenshot and information is only for Apple’s review purposes.
Step 12: Once you are satisfied with your Subscription’s information, click Save in the top-right corner.
Now that you have your In-App Purchase created, you need to add the Product ID to your app’s control panel. Here’s how:
Step 1: In your app’s control panel, step into the Commerce section from the menu on the left.
Step 2: Copy and paste the Product ID from your App Store Connect account (created in Step 6) into the iOS Product ID field.
IMPORTANT: If you already have the Product ID for the Android In-App Purchase, make sure to add them at the same time. If you still need to create this for your Android app, view our help article here.
Step 3: Once you have entered your Product IDs, click the Add button to save.
IMPORTANT: Now that you have an In-App Purchase added to your app's control panel, you’ll need to assign it to a feature. To find out how this is done, check out our article here.
Related Articles
In addition to this article, we recommend checking out the following related articles so that you have a better insight into how to use the system to its fullest advantage:
How to Set Up Your Account For In-App Purchases in App Store Connect for iOS
How to Set Up Your Account For In-App Purchases in your Google Developer Account for Android
Still have questions? No problem! Reach out to us and we’d be happy to help :)