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iOS In-App Purchases

iOS in-app purchases let users buy digital content and features inside an app on the App Store. Apple processes every payment through StoreKit, its purchase framework, and takes a commission on each sale. There are four types: consumable, non-consumable, auto-renewable subscriptions, and non-renewing subscriptions.

In-app purchases are the primary way apps on iOS make money. Apple App Store consumer spending reached $117.6 billion in 2025, up 13.6% year over year (Business of Apps, 2026), and iOS drives about 85% of all app subscription revenue, roughly 5.6 times what Android generates, based on Adapty’s analysis of 16,000+ apps and $3B in subscription revenue (State of In-App Subscriptions 2026). Nearly every free app on the store now earns through in-app purchases rather than a paid download.

The four types of iOS in-app purchases

Apple sorts every in-app purchase into one of four product types. The type controls how the purchase behaves, whether it restores across devices, and how you configure it in App Store Connect.

  • Consumable. Used once and depleted, then bought again. Games sell in-app currency this way, such as gems in Clash of Clans.
  • Non-consumable. Bought once and kept for good, and it restores across a user’s devices. A one-time upgrade that removes ads or unlocks a Pro feature set is the common case.
  • Auto-renewable subscription. Recurring access that renews on its own until the user cancels. Spotify Premium and most streaming and productivity apps use this type.
  • Non-renewing subscription. Access for a fixed period that does not renew on its own, so the user buys it again when it ends. Apps use it for time-boxed passes, like a single-season sports pass.

Subscriptions carry most of the revenue. Auto-renewable weekly plans alone generated 55.6% of app revenue in 2025, while one-time purchases like consumables and lifetime unlocks grew to 10.3%, up from 6.4% two years earlier (Adapty, 2026).

The rules for iOS in-app purchases

In-app purchases sell digital goods and services only: content, features, and subscriptions that a user consumes inside the app. Physical goods and real-world services, such as ride-hailing, food delivery, and ecommerce, use other payment methods and fall outside the in-app purchase system.

On iOS, StoreKit is the required payment path for those digital goods. The app cannot take payment for them through an outside processor, and Apple runs the transaction through the user’s Apple account.

Apple takes a 30% commission on most in-app purchases, or 15% for developers in the App Store Small Business Program. For the full 2026 details on rates, tax, and exceptions, see Apple’s commission and fee breakdown.

iOS vs Android in-app purchases

The two platforms sell the same product types but differ in how they run purchases, refunds, and distribution. They also diverge on monetization: on iOS, paid conversion runs roughly 3 times higher than on Android across plan types (Adapty, 2026). The five mechanical differences that matter:

  • Payment framework. iOS uses StoreKit. Android uses Google Play Billing.
  • Store review. Apple reviews apps more strictly and leans on manual review. Google leans more on automated checks.
  • Refunds. Apple owns the iOS refund process, and users request refunds from Apple directly. On Android, developers can issue refunds themselves through the Play Console.
  • Distribution. Android allows sideloading and third-party stores. iOS restricts installs to the App Store, with alternative marketplaces available only in regions like the EU under the Digital Markets Act.
  • Testing. Apple uses Sandbox and TestFlight. Google uses license testers and closed testing tracks in the Play Console.

How iOS in-app purchases work

At a high level, the app asks StoreKit for the products you configured in App Store Connect and shows them to the user. When the user taps buy, StoreKit runs the payment through their Apple account and returns a signed transaction that the app verifies before it unlocks the content. The app then finishes the transaction, and Apple handles receipts, renewals, and billing retries. For the full setup, including StoreKit configuration and code, see how to implement iOS in-app purchases.

Adapty handles iOS in-app purchases and subscriptions end-to-end, from StoreKit integration to receipt validation and renewal tracking, through a single Adapty iOS SDK.

FAQ

iOS in-app purchases are digital content and features a user buys inside an app on the App Store, such as in-app currency, a Pro unlock, or a subscription. Apple processes each payment through StoreKit and takes a commission. There are four product types.

The four types are consumable, non-consumable, auto-renewable subscription, and non-renewing subscription. Consumables deplete and can be rebought, non-consumables are permanent and restore across devices, auto-renewable subscriptions renew until cancelled, and non-renewing subscriptions grant fixed-term access the user must buy again.

Apple takes 30% on most in-app purchases and 15% for developers in the App Store Small Business Program, which covers those earning under $1 million a year. Rates, tax handling, and exceptions vary, so check the current fee breakdown before you model revenue.

Apple collects and remits applicable sales tax or VAT on in-app purchases in most countries, so buyers see tax added at checkout and developers receive payouts after Apple deducts it. The exact treatment depends on the buyer’s location and local rules.

Both platforms sell the same product types, but iOS runs payments through StoreKit while Android uses Google Play Billing. They also differ on refunds, which Apple owns on iOS and developers handle on Android, and on distribution, where Android allows third-party stores.

Yes, the original StoreKit still works, but Apple deprecated it in 2024 and renamed it the original API for in-app purchase. It receives no new features, and Apple recommends StoreKit 2, its Swift framework introduced in 2021, for all new development.