What Apple requires on the paywall
Apple’s subscription guidance and Human Interface Guidelines list what the sign-up screen must include. Apple treats all of them as required:
- The subscription’s name and duration, and what people get in each period.
- The full renewal price, shown clearly and prominently, and localised for each currency.
- A way for existing subscribers to sign in or restore purchases.
- Links to your Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, in the app and in your App Store metadata.
- For a free trial: how long it lasts and what is charged when it ends.
What not to do
- Do not trick people into subscribing. Guideline 3.1.2 says apps that use false pretences, bait-and-switch or scam practices to sell subscriptions are removed, and so may their developers be.
- Do not modify or imitate the system purchase sheet. Apple’s confirmation sheet prevents accidental purchases and should be left alone.
- Do not ask existing subscribers to subscribe again. They may think their subscription has lapsed.
- Do not make cancelling hard. Apple’s design guidance is to always make it easy to cancel.
- Do not take away what people already paid for when you move an app to subscriptions (guideline 3.1.2(a)).
When to show it
- After people have seen the value. Apple recommends letting people experience the app before asking them to buy.
- During onboarding, briefly. Apple suggests presenting subscription benefits in onboarding, with a clear call to action and clear terms. See onboarding best practices.
- At the natural moment: when someone reaches a limit, tries a Pro feature or runs out of credits.
- Always reachable. A way to subscribe in Settings or the account screen, where people look for it.
Choosing the model
| Model | How it works | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | The app is free; Pro adds more | Apps people can enjoy before paying |
| Metered | A limited amount free per period | Content and usage-based apps |
| Free trial | Full access for a set time, then billed | Apps whose value shows quickly |
| Credits | Consumable in-app purchases, spent per use | AI and other costly-per-use features |
Our own apps use two of these: Sola sells a Pro subscription, and our AI photo apps sell credits spent per generation. For AI apps, see what an AI app costs to run.
Offers Apple gives you
- Introductory offers: one per subscription group per customer, as a free trial, pay as you go or pay up front.
- Promotional offers: for existing or former subscribers, up to 10 per subscription.
- Offer codes: one-time codes or custom codes such as SPRINGPROMO, for email, events and partners.
- Win-back offers: shown by Apple to eligible former subscribers.
- Monthly with a 12-month commitment: a lower monthly price in exchange for a year’s commitment, available outside the United States.
- Retention Messaging: a message, and even an offer, shown when someone chooses to cancel. Apple lists it as coming in autumn 2026 (details).
Let StoreKit draw it
Since iOS 17, StoreKit includes SubscriptionStoreView, a SwiftUI paywall that shows your subscription options with the prices, durations and terms Apple expects, and that you can style and fill with your own marketing content. It is often the fastest way to a compliant paywall, and a solid baseline to test a custom design against. The code is in our StoreKit 2 guide.
Paywall checklist
- Name, duration and what is included in each period
- The billed amount as the largest price, localised
- Trial length and the price after it
- Restore purchases and sign in
- Terms of Use and Privacy Policy linked
- A clear way out that does not hide behind a timer
- Shown after value, and reachable from Settings
- Tested in Xcode, in the sandbox and in TestFlight
Related: StoreKit 2 subscriptions · Onboarding best practices · Subscription app development