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I have a question regarding in-app payments for iPhone apps. I thought the only difference between auto-renewing subscriptions and non-renewing subscriptions was obviously the self-renewing thing. But as I read through the documentation it seems that there are other important differences. This is how I understood it:

Auto-renewing:

  • user can disable auto-renewing (so it might behave like a non-renewing subscription)
  • is restored after a device reset
  • is automatically transfered between different devices on the same iTunes account
  • can only be bought once (as long as the subscription is still valid)

Non-renewing:

  • the developer must handle license restoring after device resets
  • user can buy the subscription more than once at a time

Is this correct?

I seems like auto-renewing subscriptions are way better for my app, even though I don't need the subscription to necessarily renew automatically.

But, as an additional question, when I added a new product in iTunes Connect, I had only the choice between "Consumable", "Non-consumable" and "non-renewing subscription" - but no auto-renewing subscription?!

Best regards

florian h
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    WARNING: Be wary of `Auto-Renewing Subscriptions`. Apple is not very flexible on what type of app is allowed to use this. I developed using that type, only to have my app rejected and they said I had to use a `Non-Renewing Subscription`. If you're not running a magazine, newspaper or other periodical, consider a different product type, or look into it further before committing. See Marco Arment's blog post on The limited world of auto-renewable subscriptions: http://www.marco.org/2012/01/06/autorenewable-subscription-restrictions and this SO Post: http://stackoverflow.com/a/8007227/241138 . – Andrew Jan 16 '12 at 21:15
  • Thanks for your comment... sadly it came too late as Apple rejected the app (which is equivalent to a yearly book) last week for exactly those reasons and forced me to use non-renewing subscription instead. – florian h Jan 17 '12 at 09:21
  • update: 2018. Apple is now very flexible on what kind of apps can offer auto-renewing subscriptions. – Confused Vorlon Aug 13 '18 at 14:04
  • Vorlon, can you mention a reference? In 2020 Apple rejects my app because of „not appropriate use of the service“, but introducing auto-renewing subscriptions in 2019 was not rejected. So the way I see it, in 2019 they were flexible, in 2020 they are not. – bio Mar 26 '20 at 21:29

2 Answers2

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I think you get the differences globally.

Some corrections however:

  • is restored after a device reset
  • is automatically transfered between different devices on the same iTunes account

Not really, it's up to you, in your application, (usually in the dedicated "store" part of your application) to propose a restore subscription so that the user will be able to get back his subscription on this iOS device (this may be needed if he resets the device as you said, but also if he deletes the application and reinstall it). The restore action (triggered in your code via StoreKit) will automatically prompt the user for his iTunes password, so this cannot be done automatically without user acknowledge.

  • user can disable auto-renewing (so it might behave like a non-renewing subscription)

yes this can be achieved from the settings in the iPhone, in the "store" part, and then display for apple ID properties: the user will get a view with all his on going subscription + a switch to disable the auto renewing.

  • when I added a new product in iTunes Connect, I had only the choice between "Consumable", "Non-consumable" and "non-renewing subscription" - but no auto-renewing subscription?!

I also had this at the beginning, the reason for that is that you didn't acknowledge a part of the contract (Amendments) that is specifically related to autorenewable subscription. As far as I can remember, go to the Contracts, Tax, Banking part of itunesConnect and you should have something to agree on, then you'll be able to create auto-renewable in app purchase.

Mustafa
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yonel
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a subscription is not synced with iTunes instead it is saved on a apple server somewhere. It is stored in your account (indeed thats not correct, it can be synced but I mean it's not only stored on the device). "Consumable" are such things like ammo in a shooter game. You can buy them more than one time and but this would mean that "Non-consumable" and "non-renewing subscription" are nearly the same.

Did you read the customer help also additionally to the developer documentation? http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4009