An in-app purchase is digital content or access that someone pays for inside an iPhone app through the App Store. There are four types, one app can have up to 10,000 of them, and Apple's standard commission is 30%, or 15% in the Small Business Program.
What it is and where buyers see it
Under guideline 3.1.1, anything digital that unlocks features or content in an app is sold through App Store purchases. That covers subscriptions, in-game currency, levels and full versions. License keys, QR codes and cryptocurrency can't be used for this (App Store Review Guidelines).
Buyers see the purchase on the purchase screen in the app and, if you promote it, on your App Store page too. The money goes through Apple and you get the proceeds minus the commission.
The four purchase types
- Consumable. Used up and bought again, Apple's help uses fish food in a fishing game.
- Non-Consumable. Bought once, for example a full version.
- Auto-Renewable Subscription. Renews until cancelled, and guideline 3.1.2 sets the period at 7 days or more.
- Non-Renewing Subscription. Access for a fixed time with no renewal, for example a year of live streams.
StoreKit restores non-consumables and auto-renewable subscriptions on all of a person's devices. Consumables never come back.
Where it lives in App Store Connect
Go to App Store Connect › Apps › your app › Monetization › In-App Purchases. Subscriptions sit next door under Subscriptions, inside a subscription group. The add button (+) asks for the type, Reference Name and Product ID, and Create opens the purchase page with the price, localized text and review details.
Paid content can only be sold once the Account Holder accepts the Paid Apps Agreement under Business and adds banking and tax details. Until the agreement is active, purchases don't work even in the sandbox.
Apple's limits and numbers
| Field or rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| Reference Name, internal | up to 64 characters, editable without review |
| Product ID | up to 100 characters, letters, numbers, hyphens, periods, underscores, fixed once saved |
| Display Name, shown to buyers | 2 to 30 characters per language |
| Description | up to 45 characters per language |
| Review Notes | up to 4,000 characters |
| App Review Screenshot | required, seen only by Apple |
| Image | 1024×1024 pixels, for promoting on your page and for win-back offers |
| Purchases per app | up to 10,000 |
Per App Store Connect Help, In-App Purchase information and the configuration overview, checked October 16, 2026.
A product ID can't be used twice in the same app, even after the purchase is deleted. Settle on a scheme such as com.mybrand.app.pro.lifetime before you start.
Apple's commission
Section 3.4 of Schedule 2 to the Apple Developer Program License Agreement sets the commission at 30% of the price, and at 15% for subscription renewals after a year of paid service. Members of the Small Business Program pay 15% on every sale. You qualify if all your apps earned no more than 1 million USD in proceeds in the previous calendar year, and new developers qualify too.
In China the rates have been 25% instead of 30% and 12% instead of 15% since March 15, 2026 (Apple news, March 12, 2026).
How to set up a purchase, step by step
- Accept the Paid Apps Agreement and add tax and banking details.
- In In-App Purchases press (+), pick the type, enter the Reference Name and Product ID.
- Set the price under Price Schedule, the price points page explains how it converts by country.
- Add the Display Name and Description in every language.
- Upload a screenshot of the purchase and say in the notes how to reach it.
- Wire it up with StoreKit 2 and buy it in the sandbox. Page edits can take up to an hour to get there.
- Submit the first purchase together with a new app version.
Appto sets up purchases and prices in App Store Connect and asks for your yes before each write (App Store Connect in Appto).
Common mistakes
- A license key instead of a purchase. Guideline 3.1.1 requires an App Store purchase for anything digital, otherwise Apple may not accept the version.
- No restore. Guideline 3.1.1 asks for a restore mechanism, without one people lose what they bought when they switch iPhones.
- A lifetime unlock set up as a Consumable. A consumable doesn't come back on a new device.
- The first purchase sent without a version. App Store Connect Help says it goes to review only with a new app version.
Questions
How much does Apple take from in-app purchases?
30% at the standard rate, 15% in the Small Business Program (up to 1 million USD in proceeds last year) and on subscription renewals after the first year. China has had 25% and 12% since March 15, 2026.
What is the difference between consumable and non-consumable?
A consumable is used up and bought again, like coins in a game. A non-consumable is bought once, and StoreKit restores it on all of the person's devices.
How long can an in-app purchase name and description be?
Display Name 2 to 30 characters, Description up to 45 per language, internal Reference Name up to 64 (App Store Connect Help, checked October 16, 2026).
Do I need a screenshot for an in-app purchase?
Yes, the App Review Screenshot is required and only Apple sees it during review. Once uploaded it can be replaced but not removed.
Build your own app in Appto
Appto checks the niche on fresh App Store data, designs the screens, writes the code, builds the App Store page and submits to Apple from your account or shows you what to press in App Store Connect. Runs on your own Claude Code or Codex.
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