Apple Requires App Subscriptions To Display Full Amount Before Signup

There are countless apps that sell you an in-app subscription either to unlock premium content or features. Apple wants to ensure that users easily know how much they’re on the hook for if they decide to purchase a subscription. For this reason, the company has updated its developer guidelines for in-app subscriptions. It is now mandatory for apps to display the full subscription amount before signup.

The change to the developer guidelines means that the price of a monthly subscription has to be shown clearly within the app. The conversions into yearly savings or advertising copy of the same sort will need to be less prominent now compared to the actual amount that customers will be in each renewal cycle.

Apple’s new rules related to in-app subscribers are mentioned in the Human Interface Guidelines and App Store documentation. The examples shown above are in line with the company’s guidelines which state that “the amount that will be billed must be the most prominent pricing element in the layout.” You can thus expect a similar interface in apps selling you a subscription going forward.

This change extends to free trials as well. Developers will have to clearly mention the price that will be billed to subscribers once the free trial is up in addition to any renewal terms that might be applicable.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: Cellphones
Tags: iOS