Payments, in-app purchase and subscription rules explained
Money rules produce some of the most confusing rejections, partly because they have changed a great deal in recent years. The basic principle on both platforms is the same: digital goods and features sold inside an app are expected to go through the store's own billing system, while physical goods and services delivered in the real world are not. Almost every payment rejection is about where a particular item falls on that line.
The second theme is honesty about cost. Both stores want people to understand what they will be charged, how often and how to stop it, before they commit. Rejections here are usually about presentation, such as a price that is hard to see or a trial whose terms are not explained, and not about the decision to charge.
External payment links and regional exceptions are the part that has moved most. Court decisions and regulation in several countries have led both companies to adjust what apps may say about paying elsewhere, so advice that was correct a couple of years ago may no longer apply. The pages below describe the rules as a framework; the current text for your region is what counts.
How Apple approaches it
Apple's rules sit in section 3. Guideline 3.1.1 sets the In-App Purchase requirement, 3.1.1(a) deals with links to other ways of paying, 3.1.3 lists the recognised exceptions such as physical goods and person-to-person services, and 3.1.3(a) covers reader apps. Subscriptions have their own guideline, 3.1.2, which concentrates on clear disclosure of price, period and renewal, and a purchase screen that does not hide the billed amount behind a smaller breakdown.
Apple also has rules aimed at specific cases, such as hardware-linked content, cryptocurrency, and a ban on charging for capabilities the device already provides for free.
How Google Play approaches it
Google Play's equivalent is the Payments policy together with its Subscriptions policy. Digital goods and subscriptions in apps distributed through Play are expected to use Google Play Billing, with defined exceptions and region-specific programmes that allow alternative billing under conditions. Subscription terms must be disclosed before purchase, and cancellation information should be easy to find.
Because Google runs programmes that differ by country, the eligibility of a developer for alternative billing is a question of region and enrolment, not just of the app itself.
Where the two platforms differ
- Both stores require their own billing for digital goods, with exceptions for physical goods and real-world services.
- Apple lists its exceptions in detail in 3.1.3 and has a separate rule for reader apps. Google handles exceptions through the policy text and its regional programmes.
- Both require clear subscription disclosure. Apple is particularly specific about the prominence of the billed amount.
- The status of external purchase links differs by platform and region and has been changing. It is the part of this topic most likely to be out of date.
- Apple restricts charging for built-in device features. Google's closest idea is its general rule against low-quality or deceptive functionality.
What reviewers typically check
- Whether anything sold inside the app is a digital good or feature, and if so whether it is bought through the store's billing system.
- Whether any button, link, message or image points to a purchase outside the app, and whether an exception or programme applies in the region.
- Whether the price, billing period and renewal terms of a subscription are visible before the user commits.
- Whether the paid items referred to in the app exist in App Store Connect or Play Console and can be purchased in the review environment.
- Whether there is a way to restore previous purchases and to reach subscription management.
Key terms
- In-App Purchase
- Apple's system for selling digital goods and subscriptions inside an app.
- Google Play Billing
- Google's equivalent billing system for digital goods in apps distributed through Play.
- Steering
- Directing users from the app to a way of paying outside the store's billing system.
- Reader app
- An app whose main purpose is accessing content purchased elsewhere, such as books, music or video.
- Consumable
- A purchase that is used up, such as in-game currency, as opposed to a one-off unlock or a subscription.
Common questions
Regulation and court decisions have changed what each company allows in particular regions, so eligibility for external links or alternative billing can depend on location.
Services consumed outside the app, such as events or rides, are generally treated differently from digital content, but the details depend on the specific rule and region.
Both stores expect free trials to be described clearly, including what is charged afterwards and when.
Apple guidelines on this topic
Google Play policies on this topic
Platform rules change often. This page is a plain-language overview written by AppReviewFix, not official guidance. Check the App Store Review Guidelines and the Google Play Developer Program Policies for the exact current wording.