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We have a iOS B2B app which we need to distribute to our customer.

They are a member of the VPP program but they don't want to use MDM to distribute the app as a lot of the users are using their personal devices and don't want MDM software on them.

I understand that it is possible to get a spreadsheet of redemption codes and also redemption URLs can be provided.

As this app will be free, will this effectively just be one redemption code? Or one per device?

I'm trying to figure out the logistics of getting the app installed on 3,000 devices.

Anyone been through this before and can offer advice?

Steve Chadbourne
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1 Answers1

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I've been doing a lot of research on exactly this distribution method: Custom B2B + VPP with redemption codes.

Birds-eye view: Your customer signes up for a VPP program and you submit the app to them via Custom B2B (included in iTunes Connect). They purchase a number of licenses of this app (can be free) and download them as a spreadsheet in order to distribute to their employees. Each employee can get the app through the regular App Store by using the redemption code/link. The app will be associated with the Apple ID of that user, therefore showing up on other devices and allowing automatic updates.

More details: I've asked a couple of detail questions (especially caveats) and got a response from a member of the Apple Developer Relations Team. You can find them over in the Apple Developer Forum.

Patrick Rudolph
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  • Thanks Patrick. There is not a lot of information around the mechanics of this available. I have had several calls with Apple and got nowhere. I even tried setting up my own VPP but got caught out by Apple who told me I couldn't be both the developer and the customer! We have just published to a customer VPP and can now see the spreadsheet of codes and links that are produced. – Steve Chadbourne Nov 20 '17 at 23:29
  • Sounds like a painful but ultimately a successful path. Glad you made it work! – Patrick Rudolph Nov 20 '17 at 23:32
  • @PatrickRudolph, Hi, If there is a new update available for the app, should I send new codes to all my users to update the app? – Sagar Nov 22 '17 at 05:51
  • When distributing via redemption codes, users will receive updates through the store just like with a public app. No new code required. See this question for more detail: https://stackoverflow.com/q/27548101/1024108 – Patrick Rudolph Nov 22 '17 at 06:03
  • @PatrickRudolph, Hi, How can I download the spreadsheet? Do I need to have registered a device? Do you know I can get a url to share? – Christian Fox Dec 01 '18 at 07:27
  • @KristianFox The owner of the VPP (the party that "purchases" the app x times) can download a list of redemption codes after getting all the licenses. This can be done through the VPP site or the new Apple Business Manager tool. – Patrick Rudolph Dec 03 '18 at 03:50
  • Is it possible to limit the number of licenses a customer can download if the app is free? – ndreisg Feb 28 '19 at 13:03
  • @ndreisg Not as far as I’m aware. – Patrick Rudolph Feb 28 '19 at 18:53