An offer code is a code from App Store Connect that gives an in-app purchase at a discount or for free for a set period. Since October 29, 2025 codes work for every purchase type, an app can have up to 1 million codes a quarter, and promo codes for purchases can't be created since March 26, 2026.
What they are and who gets them
You create an offer code in App Store Connect and hand it out yourself, by email, on a flyer, through support or on social media. The person enters the code or opens a link, and the App Store applies the discount or free period. If the app isn't on their phone yet, the App Store asks them to download it first.
Apple's own examples are one-time codes that move subscribers from an app you are closing to a new one, and custom codes printed on flyers for event guests.
What changed in 2025 and 2026
- October 29, 2025. Codes started working for every purchase type, consumables, non-consumables and non-renewing subscriptions. Subscriptions also got codes for a period with no renewal afterwards.
- March 26, 2026. Promo codes for in-app purchases can no longer be created. Ones issued earlier work until they expire, and promo codes for a free app download stay.
- WWDC26, 2026. For iOS 27 Apple showed new redemption calls, offerCodeRedemption(options:isPresented:onCompletion:) and presentOfferCodeRedeemSheet(from:options:). They return a verification result, and the older calls from iOS 16 are marked deprecated.
Sources are Apple's news post of October 29, 2025 and WWDC26.
Where it lives in App Store Connect
For one-time purchases go to App Store Connect › Apps › your app › In-App Purchases › purchase › Offer Codes › Create Offer. For subscriptions it's Subscriptions › group › subscription › Subscription Prices › (+) › Create Offer Codes.
First you create the offer, meaning who gets which discount. For one-time purchases the options are people who never bought in the app, bought within the last 30 days or bought earlier. For subscriptions they are new, current or expired subscribers of the group. Then you issue codes with Create One-Time Use Codes or Create Custom Codes, and download one-time codes as a .csv file with Download.
Apple's limits and numbers
| What | Limit |
|---|---|
| Codes per app per quarter | up to 1,000,000, shared by all purchases |
| Active offers | up to 10 at a time |
| One-time use codes per batch | 500 to 25,000 |
| One-time code validity | up to 6 months, expires at 12 a.m. Pacific time |
| Custom code | up to 64 characters, no special characters, up to 25,000 redemptions at a time, end date optional |
| Sandbox test codes | 10 to 10,000 |
| App promo codes | up to 100 per version, valid for 4 weeks |
Per App Store Connect Help, codes for in-app purchases, codes for subscriptions and promo codes, checked October 16, 2026.
How to launch a campaign, step by step
- Make sure the app is live. Codes only work for an app on the App Store, and one-time codes for subscriptions need the Ready for Sale status.
- Create the offer and choose who is eligible, the countries, the discount type and the duration.
- Issue codes. One-time codes in a batch of 500 to 25,000, or a custom word like SPRINGPROMO with a redemption limit.
- Allow up to an hour for the codes to go live, and run the flow with a sandbox code.
- Hand out the codes or the redemption link.
- Add the system redemption sheet to the app and listen to Transaction.updates so the purchase arrives right away.
How people redeem a code
There are three ways. A redemption link, Redeem Gift Card or Code in the App Store account settings, and the redemption sheet inside your app. In SwiftUI the offerCodeRedemption modifier opens the sheet, in UIKit it's AppStore.presentOfferCodeRedeemSheet.
Subscription codes redeem on iOS 14.2 and later, codes for other purchases on iOS 16.3 and later. A code redeemed outside the app arrives as a regular transaction in Transaction.updates, more on that on the StoreKit 2 page.
Common mistakes
- A custom screen for entering codes. The StoreKit documentation allows in-app redemption only through the system sheet.
- Trying to issue a new promo code for a purchase. Since March 26, 2026 that's gone, and a free purchase now comes from an offer code of the Free type.
- A custom code with no end date shared widely. The end date can't be changed later, and the only way to stop the code is Deactivate.
- Counting on the limit coming back. Unredeemed codes from a deactivated batch don't return to the quarterly limit.
Questions
What is the difference between offer codes and promo codes?
An offer code can give a discount as well as free access, and you choose who is eligible. Since March 26, 2026 promo codes for in-app purchases can't be created, while promo codes for app downloads remain, up to 100 per version.
How many offer codes can I create?
Up to 1 million codes per app per quarter, shared by all purchases, with up to 10 active offers at a time. One-time codes come in batches of 500 to 25,000.
How long does an offer code last?
A one-time code lasts up to 6 months. A custom code can have no end date or one up to 6 months out, and the date can't be changed later.
Can I give an offer code for a one-time purchase?
Yes, since October 29, 2025 codes work for consumables, non-consumables and non-renewing subscriptions. Such codes redeem on iOS 16.3 and later.
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