Create iOS Auto-Renewable Subscription

Auto-renewable subscriptions provide recurring access to content, services, or premium features in your iOS app. This guide walks you through creating subscriptions in App Store Connect.

Overview

Auto-renewable subscriptions automatically renew at the end of each billing period until users cancel. They’re perfect for:

• Premium content and features
• Ad-free experiences
• Cloud storage and sync
• Streaming services
• Professional tools and utilities

Prerequisites

Before creating subscriptions, you must:

1. Create a subscription group to organize your subscriptions
2. Have an active Apple Developer Program membership
3. Complete banking and tax information in App Store Connect

Creating a Subscription

1. Navigate to Subscriptions

   In App Store Connect, select your app and go to Monetize > Subscriptions.

   Select your subscription group or create a new one if needed.

   

2. Create New Subscription

   Click the + icon next to your subscription group to add a new subscription.

3. Enter Basic Information

   Reference Name: Descriptive name for your internal use (not shown to customers)

   • Examples: “Premium Monthly”, “Ultimate Annual”, “Basic Plan”

   Product ID: Unique identifier for this subscription (cannot be changed later)

   • Format: com.yourcompany.yourapp.premium_monthly
   • Use descriptive, lowercase names with underscores
   • Required for configuring the native-purchases plugin

   

4. Configure Duration

   Select the subscription duration from available options:

   • 1 week
   • 1 month
   • 2 months
   • 3 months
   • 6 months
   • 1 year

   The duration determines how often users are billed.

5. Set Up Pricing

   Click Add Subscription Price to configure pricing:

   Base Territory: Select your primary market (usually your country)

   Price: Set the subscription price

   • Apple automatically converts to other currencies
   • Choose from Apple’s price tiers
   • Consider perceived value and market rates

   

6. Family Sharing (Optional)

   Decide whether to enable Family Sharing, which allows up to 6 family members to access the subscription.

   Caution

   Once Family Sharing is enabled, it cannot be turned off for this product.

   Enable if:

   • Content is appropriate for family use
   • You want to increase value proposition
   • Your business model supports it

   Don’t enable if:

   • Subscription is for individual use only
   • Content is personalized to the user
   • You want to maximize revenue per user

7. Add Localizations

   Add subscription display information in all languages your app supports:

   Subscription Display Name: Customer-facing name (e.g., “Premium Monthly”)

   Description: Brief description of what the subscription includes

   • Keep it concise and benefit-focused
   • Mention key features
   • Highlight value proposition

   

8. App Store Promotional Image (Optional)

   Upload a promotional image for this subscription (312x390 pixels):

   • Shows in the App Store subscription page
   • Should match your app’s design
   • Include subscription name for clarity

   Note

   While images are optional for initial submission, they’re required for promotional display in the App Store. You can add them later.

9. Save and Submit

   Click Save to create the subscription.

   For First Subscription:

   • Must be submitted with a new app version
   • Include in your next App Store submission
   • Cannot submit independently

   For Subsequent Subscriptions:

   • Can be submitted directly from the Subscriptions page
   • Don’t require a new app version
   • Available after first subscription is approved

Subscription Status

Your subscription will have one of these statuses:

Status	Description	Can Test?
Missing Metadata	Incomplete setup	Yes (sandbox)
Ready to Submit	Complete but not submitted	Yes (sandbox)
Waiting for Review	Submitted to Apple	Yes (sandbox)
In Review	Being reviewed by Apple	Yes (sandbox)
Approved	Available for purchase	Yes
Rejected	Needs changes	Yes (sandbox)

Tip

You can test subscriptions in sandbox mode even if they show “Missing Metadata” or “Ready to Submit”!

Using in Your App

Once created, reference the subscription in your app using the product ID:

import { NativePurchases } from '@capgo/native-purchases';

// Fetch subscription products
const { products } = await NativePurchases.getProducts({
  productIdentifiers: [
    'com.yourcompany.yourapp.premium_monthly',
    'com.yourcompany.yourapp.premium_annual'
  ]
});

// Display subscription details
products.forEach(product => {
  console.log(`${product.title}: ${product.priceString}`);
  console.log(`Duration: ${product.subscriptionPeriod}`);
  console.log(`Description: ${product.description}`);
});

// Purchase a subscription
try {
  const { customerInfo } = await NativePurchases.purchaseProduct({
    productIdentifier: 'com.yourcompany.yourapp.premium_monthly'
  });

  // Check entitlements
  if (customerInfo.entitlements.active['premium']) {
    console.log('Premium subscription active!');
    // Enable premium features
  }
} catch (error) {
  console.error('Purchase failed:', error);
}

// Check subscription status
const { customerInfo } = await NativePurchases.getCustomerInfo();
const premiumEntitlement = customerInfo.entitlements.active['premium'];

if (premiumEntitlement) {
  console.log('Expires:', premiumEntitlement.expirationDate);
  console.log('Will renew:', premiumEntitlement.willRenew);
  console.log('Product:', premiumEntitlement.productIdentifier);
}

Best Practices

Pricing Strategy

• Monthly plans: Lower barrier to entry, builds habit
• Annual plans: Better value, higher LTV, lower churn
• Multiple tiers: Basic, Premium, Ultimate for different user segments
• Competitive analysis: Research similar apps’ pricing

Product IDs

• Use consistent naming: company.app.tier_duration
• Include tier and duration in ID: premium_monthly, ultimate_annual
• Avoid changing product IDs (they’re permanent)
• Document all product IDs for your team

Family Sharing

• Enable for family-oriented apps (games, educational, entertainment)
• Consider impact on revenue
• Test sharing behavior thoroughly
• Communicate sharing capability in marketing

Localization

• Translate all subscription names and descriptions
• Consider regional pricing differences
• Test display in all supported languages
• Use culturally appropriate marketing language

Promotional Images

• Maintain consistent visual style
• Include subscription name and key benefit
• Update for seasonal promotions
• Match app’s overall design language

Common Subscription Patterns

Single Tier (Freemium)

Free App + Premium Subscription
- Basic: Free (limited features)
- Premium Monthly: $4.99
- Premium Annual: $39.99 (save 33%)

Multi-Tier (Good, Better, Best)

- Basic Monthly: $4.99
- Premium Monthly: $9.99
- Ultimate Monthly: $19.99

- Basic Annual: $49.99
- Premium Annual: $99.99
- Ultimate Annual: $199.99

Consumable + Subscription Hybrid

- Credit packs (consumable)
- Monthly subscription (unlimited credits)
- Annual subscription (unlimited + bonus features)

Troubleshooting

Subscription not loading in app:

• Verify product ID matches exactly (case-sensitive)
• Check subscription is in subscription group
• Ensure bundle identifier matches App Store Connect
• Wait 2-3 hours after creating product

Cannot submit subscription:

• Complete all required fields (name, description, price)
• Add at least one localization
• Verify banking/tax info is approved
• Check if first subscription (requires app version)

Family Sharing toggle disabled:

• Already enabled (cannot be disabled)
• Check in subscription details
• Contact Apple Support if stuck

Price tier not available:

• May be restricted in some territories
• Choose alternative tier
• Contact Apple for pricing questions

“Invalid Product ID” error:

• Must be reverse domain format
• Cannot contain spaces or special characters
• Check for typos
• Verify uniqueness across all products

Next Steps

• Create an introductory offer to attract new subscribers
• Configure sandbox testing to test your subscriptions
• Set up promotional offers for win-back and retention
• Implement subscription analytics tracking

Additional Resources

For more details, refer to the official Apple documentation on auto-renewable subscriptions.