App rejected due to Guideline 3.1.2 - Business - Payments - Subscriptions

Hi there!


My macOS app is continuously rejected due to the auto-renewing subscription.


This is what Apple reviewer said to me:


"Guideline 3.1.2 - Business - Payments - Subscriptions


Your app uses auto-renewing subscriptions, but it is not an appropriate use of the service.


Next Steps


To resolve this issue, please change your in-app purchase product to a non-renewing subscription."


This makes no sense for me because the iOS version of the same app is approved and it has exactly the same data for the auto-renewing subscription.

I have asked for more information but they don't answer me.


Can anybody help me or give me some clue to understand what may be happening?


Thanks for your time.


PS: Both versions of the app (iOS and macOS) were reviewed at the same time 😝 iOS approved, macOS rejected. It is a productivity app with a seven days free trial.

Replies

My desktop application was also rejected because it has a subscription in-app purchase several months ago. So I was forced to switch to a non-consumable in-app purchase. But I ran into many desktop applications (Adobe Lightroom, CorelDRAW, Polarr Photo Editor...) with such when I was browsing applications with Mac App Store app several days ago. So I would ask them why they are allowed if your app is rejected with a subscription in-app purchase.

Yes, I agree. Other apps on the Mac App Store like Ulysses, Timepage have auto-renewing subscriptions. And we have the same model that they have (free trial and full access with subscription).


We asked but nobody have answered us yet.

If you don't hear their reply, you may consider filing an appeal. But you have to be careful when you do so. The appeal board used to be quite neutral, but things changed two to three years ago. These days, the appeal board is likely to take the side of the reviewer with or without reading your grieviance. If they rule against you, even when the reviewer is absolutely wrong, it's final. Basically, it's now an unreliable process. Sometimes, the reviewer changes their decision when they realize they are wrong if you give them 2 to 3 days.

Ok, thank you for the advice

Hi,
Can you solved your problem?


Apple rejects our app too. They say we should use non-renewing subscription for premium features on our apps.


Similiar apps use auto-renewing subscription but they don't allow us to use it.

Hi!

I'm afraid not 😟


We spent two weeks trying to clarify it, asking for explanations and answering their questions. But as we could not move forward we decided to launch the app with non-renewing subscriptions.