Over the last few years, the App Store has been continuously enhancing its tools to equip developers with powerful in-app subscription marketing mechanisms. From the introduction of Introductory Offers in iOS 11.2 to the latest Win-Back Offers in iOS 18, developers now have unprecedented flexibility to offer relevant and engaging offers throughout the entire subscriber lifecycle.
Subscription Offers remain one of the most effective ways to acquire, retain, and win back your customers. With four distinct offer types now available – Introductory offers, Promotional offers, Offer codes, and the new Win-back offers – marketing possibilities for attentive developers have never been greater.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll look closely at what tools Apple provides for implementing effective in-app marketing in 2026.
What is Apple’s subscription offer?
First, let’s get the App Store terminology sorted. Apple uses “Subscription offer” as a catch-all term that encompasses four distinct offer types:
- Introductory offers – for new subscribers
- Promotional offers – for existing and lapsed subscribers
- Offer codes – redeemable codes for any eligible user
- Win-back offers – specifically for churned subscribers
Each offer type can use any of three pricing options: free, pay as you go, or pay upfront. Let’s start with pricing options as they’ll be helpful during our discussion of offer types.
Price options
1. Free (Trial)
Apple uses both “free” and “free trial” when referring to this price option. The concept is straightforward: subscribers can access your subscription for free for a specific period. The user won’t be billed until the offer duration ends, and they can cancel at any time.
7-day free trials achieve approximately 40% conversion rates, making this the most popular offer type for user acquisition.
2. Pay as you go
The subscriber pays a discounted price for each billing period for a specific duration (1-12 periods). Once this duration is over, they’ll be billed at the standard price. This option works well for gradually introducing users to your subscription value.
3. Pay upfront
The subscriber pays a one-time discounted price for a specific duration. Once the duration is over, they’ll be billed at the standard renewal price. This is essentially a pay-as-you-go option with one billing period, usually a longer one—ideal for locking in annual subscribers at a discount.
Available periods by price option
| Price Option | Available Durations |
|---|---|
| Free trial | 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year |
| Pay as you go | 1 week, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year (1-12 billing periods) |
| Pay upfront | 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year |
Note that Pay Upfront doesn’t offer weekly plans – Apple recommends longer commitment periods for this model.
App Store subscription offer types
Comparison of all offer types
Before diving into each offer type, here’s a comprehensive comparison to help you understand when to use each:
| Feature | Introductory offer | Promotional offer | Offer codes | Win-back offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Target audience | New subscribers | Current and lapsed subscribers | Any eligible user | Churned subscribers only |
| Where it works | In-app only | In-app only | In-app + outside app | In-app + App Store |
| Active offers limit | 1 per subscription per territory | Up to 10 per subscription | Up to 10 per subscription | Multiple (with priorities) |
| Redemption | Once per subscription group | Multiple (based on your logic) | Once per code / reusable (custom) | Configurable |
| Minimum iOS | iOS 11.2+ | iOS 12.2+ | iOS 14+ | iOS 18+ |
| Server-side signing | No | Yes (JWS format) | No | No |
| Auto-display via StoreKit Message | No | No | No | Yes |
| App Store promotion | Yes | No | Via URL | Yes |
Introductory offer
Introductory Offers allow new users to experience your product’s value at a reduced price—or for free. This is the foundational offer type that most subscription apps should implement.
Key characteristics:
- Available only to users who have never subscribed to any product in your subscription group
- One introductory offer per subscription per territory
- Can be promoted on the App Store product page
- Customers who complete an Introductory Offer are still eligible for Promotional Offers
Best practices:
- 7-day free trials show the highest conversion rates (~40%)
- Shorter trials (3 days) work better for apps with immediate value demonstration
- Longer trials (14+ days) suit complex products requiring more learning time
To set up an introductory offer, configure it in App Store Connect and adapt your UI to show available offers using StoreKit.
Promotional offer
Promotional offers give existing or previous subscribers a free or discounted subscription for a specific duration. Use these strategically to:
- Retain subscribers showing signs of churn
- Upgrade users to higher-tier plans
- Win back recently churned customers
- Cross-sell to other subscriptions
Key characteristics:
- Up to 10 active offers per subscription
- Requires server-side signature generation (JWS format as of iOS 18)
- You control the business logic for when to display each offer
- Works for both current and lapsed subscribers
Implementation complexity: Promotional offers require more technical setup than Introductory Offers. You’ll need to:
- Set up your server to validate receipts and generate JWS signatures
- Generate access keys in App Store Connect (Users and Access section)
- Create promotional offers for each product
- Implement receipt validation to identify eligible user segments
- Use StoreKit 2 APIs for the best experience
With Adapty, implementing Promotional offers becomes remarkably easy. Set up your campaigns once using the dashboard, and our system handles signature generation and decides which users should see which offers—no server-side development required.
Offer codes
Introduced with iOS 14, Offer codes are alphanumeric codes that can be redeemed on the App Store or within your app. The key differentiator: Offer codes can be used outside the app.
This opens up entirely new marketing channels – email campaigns, social media, customer support, partnerships, conferences, and more.
Two types of Offer codes
Apple provides two formats to fit different campaign goals:
| Feature | One-time use codes | Custom codes |
|---|---|---|
| Format | 18-character unique code | Named code (e.g., SPRING2025) |
| Usage | Single use | Reusable (with optional limit) |
| Distribution | Individual (email, support) | Mass distribution (social, ads) |
| Redemption methods | App Store, URL, in-app | URL, in-app |
| Best for | Influencers, VIPs, support cases | Marketing campaigns, Black Friday |
| Expiration | Up to 6 months | Up to 6 months |
Updated limits
Important: The previous limit of 15,000 codes per quarter has been significantly increased:
- 1 million redemptions per app per quarter
- Up to 10 active offers per subscription
- Codes expire after a maximum of 6 months from creation
Three main use cases for Offer codes
1. Acquisition of new customers
You can now reach potential customers wherever they are – email marketing, social media, paid ads, or industry conferences – without requiring them to open your app first.
2. Win back churned subscribers
Previously, reaching users who deleted your app was nearly impossible. Offer codes change this by enabling email retargeting and re-engagement campaigns outside the app ecosystem.
3. Upgrading and cross-selling
Convince existing customers to upgrade tiers or try other products in your portfolio through external channels with favorable conditions.
Distribution channels for Offer codes
| Channel | Code type | Effectiveness | Example use cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email marketing | One-time / Custom | High | Win-back campaigns, personal offers |
| Social media | Custom | Medium | Promotions, contests, giveaways |
| Influencer marketing | One-time | High | Exclusive promo codes for audiences |
| Customer support | One-time | High | Compensation for issues |
| Partnerships | Custom | Medium | Co-marketing, bundle deals |
| Events/conferences | One-time / Custom | Medium | QR codes on flyers, booth giveaways |
| Paid advertising | Custom | Varies | Retargeting, acquisition campaigns |
Win-back offers
Introduced at WWDC24 and available starting with iOS 18, Win-back offers represent Apple’s dedicated solution for re-engaging churned subscribers. Unlike Promotional Offers that require you to build the targeting logic, Win-back offers are specifically designed for lapsed subscribers with built-in eligibility rules.
Key characteristics
- Automatic display: StoreKit Message API can automatically show win-back offers to eligible users
- App Store integration: Offers can appear in the App Store, even if users haven’t opened your app
- Streamlined purchasing: Users can complete the entire redemption flow in the App Store without entering your app
- Priority system: Set High or Normal priority to control which offer displays when multiple are eligible
Win-back offer configuration options
| Parameter | Description | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Priority | High / Normal – affects display in StoreKit views | High for your primary win-back offer |
| Minimum paid duration | How long user must have been subscribed before churning | 1+ month (filters out accidental subscribers) |
| Time since last subscribed | How long since the user churned | 30-90 days (while they still remember your app) |
| Wait between offers | Pause between repeat offer redemptions | 60-90 days (prevents offer fatigue) |
| Streamlined purchasing | Allow purchase directly in App Store | Enable for maximum conversion |
Technical requirements by offer type
| Component | Introductory | Promotional | Offer codes | Win-back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| App Store Connect setup | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| StoreKit 2 recommended | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Required |
| Server-side JWS signing | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Receipt validation | Recommended | Required | Recommended | ❌ |
| Minimum Xcode | 9.0+ | 10.2+ | 12.0+ | 16.0+ |
| Minimum iOS | 11.2+ | 12.2+ | 14.0+ | 18.0+ |
Offer conversion benchmarks
Understanding typical conversion rates helps you set realistic goals and identify optimization opportunities:
| Offer Type | Average conversion | Good conversion | Excellent conversion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free trial (7 days) | 30-40% | 40-50% | 50%+ |
| Free trial (3 days) | 35-45% | 45-55% | 55%+ |
| Free trial (14+ days) | 25-35% | 35-45% | 45%+ |
| Pay as you go (50% off) | 15-25% | 25-35% | 35%+ |
| Pay upfront (annual) | 10-20% | 20-30% | 30%+ |
| Win-back offer | 5-15% | 15-25% | 25%+ |
| Offer codes | Varies by channel | — | — |
Key insights from 2025 data:
- Shorter trials (≤7 days) generally convert better than longer ones
- 52% of all trials are now offered for 5-9 days
- Win-back offers through StoreKit Messages show higher engagement than manual campaigns
- Premium-priced subscriptions actually have higher trial conversion rates than budget options
Strategic use cases by offer type
Choosing the right offer for each situation maximizes your conversion potential:
| Scenario | Recommended offer | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Acquiring new users | Introductory offer (Free Trial) | Standard path, App Store promotion available |
| Upselling to annual plan | Promotional offer (Pay Upfront) | Discount incentivizes longer commitment |
| Retaining at-risk subscribers | Promotional offer | Personalized offer before they churn |
| Winning back recent churners | Win-back offer | Automatic display, optimized for this purpose |
| Re-engaging long-lapsed users | Offer codes (Email) | Reaches users outside the app |
| Black Friday / holiday sales | Custom offer codes | Mass distribution, easy tracking |
| Compensating for issues | One-time offer codes | Individual compensation |
| Cross-promoting apps | Custom offer codes | Simple distribution across properties |
| Influencer partnerships | One-time offer codes | Trackable, exclusive codes |
Limits and restrictions summary
| Restriction | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory offers per subscription | 1 per territory | Different offers for different countries |
| Promotional offers per subscription | Up to 10 active | Can have more inactive |
| Win-back offers per subscription | Multiple | With different priorities |
| Offer code redemptions per quarter | 1,000,000 | Per app, not per subscription |
| Offer code expiration | Up to 6 months | From creation date |
| Subscription groups | Unlimited | But 1 intro offer per group per user |
Building an offer strategy across the subscriber lifecycle
The most effective approach uses different offer types at each stage of the customer journey:
Stage 1: Acquisition
Primary: Introductory Offer (7-day free trial)
Supporting: Offer Codes for marketing campaigns
Stage 2: Activation and retention
Primary: In-app value demonstration
Supporting: Promotional Offers for upgrades
Stage 3: Churn prevention
Primary: Promotional Offer (triggered by cancellation intent)
Supporting: Personalized discounts based on usage
Stage 4: Win-back (0-90 days post-churn)
Primary: Win-Back Offers (automatic via StoreKit)
Supporting: Email campaigns with Offer Codes
Stage 5: Re-acquisition (90+ days post-churn)
Primary: Offer Codes via email/retargeting
Supporting: Consider them as “new” users for Introductory Offers
Implementing offers with Adapty
With Adapty, implementing all four subscription offer types becomes remarkably straightforward:
- No server-side development – Adapty handles JWS signature generation for Promotional Offers
- Visual paywall builder – Create offer paywalls without coding using Adapty Paywall Builder
- A/B testing – Test different offers and configurations with Paywall A/B Testing
- Automated targeting – Our system identifies eligible users and shows appropriate offers
- Analytics – Track offer performance with Subscription Analytics
- Win-Back support – Full iOS 18 Win-Back Offer integration
Set up your campaigns once using the dashboard, and everything works seamlessly. No double prompts, no irritating duplicate offers.
Running subscription offers means keeping a close eye on your cash flow. Our Apple fiscal calendar helps you track exactly when Apple’s 33-day payout cycle will deliver your earnings – so you can plan your next campaign accordingly.
