Apple has introduced a new subscription model for App Store developers that allows users to pay monthly while locked into a 12-month commitment, a structure the company says will provide more affordable access to apps while giving developers more predictable revenue.
The feature, announced on Monday, April 28, lets developers create auto-renewing subscriptions billed monthly at discounted rates compared to standard month-to-month plans, in exchange for a full-year commitment from the subscriber. Apple described the move as a formalisation of pricing practices many developers already use, where annual subscription rates are marketed as lower monthly equivalents to encourage sign-ups.
From the user’s side, the company says the arrangement will be presented transparently, with subscribers shown the full payment structure and cancellation terms before signing up. Users may cancel at any time, but monthly charges will continue until the 12-month commitment period has been fulfilled. Apple will show subscribers how many payments they have completed and how many remain, and will send reminder emails and optional push notifications ahead of renewal dates.
The new subscription type is available immediately for developers to configure in App Store Connect and to test via Xcode. It will become available to customers globally when Apple releases iOS 26.5 and related software updates next month, covering iOS, iPadOS, macOS Tahoe, tvOS, and visionOS.
There is one significant carve-out: the feature will not launch in the United States or Singapore. Apple offered no official explanation, but the US exclusion is widely understood to reflect the company’s ongoing legal proceedings around App Store payment structures, including a long-running dispute with Epic Games that remains before the courts. Introducing a new commitment-based payment model while that litigation remains active would risk further complicating the legal picture.
Consumer advocates have noted that while the monthly billing structure may seem more flexible, users who forget to cancel before the renewal date could automatically commit to another 12-month cycle, since the subscriptions are set to auto-renew.
