Can I make an iOS App Store subscription with a free trial that deactivates at the end?

I'd like to offer an auto-renewable subscription for app users, but give some users a promo code which will give the user a free trial but NOT auto-renew at the end of the trial. Is it possible for Apple to accept that promo code and handle this case? Or would I have to handle validating the promo code and offer a different "promo" subscription product?


If I had to validate promo codes, would I still be able to let the user have free access via the App Store subscription for a period of time? This would basically be a free non-renewing subscription, but I can't create a free subscription, and it wouldn't be ideal to make them enter another promo code to get the discount.

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While I try to unpack that, I'd first want to confirm you've read thru the ASRGs recently: Introduction


Edit:


>Can I make an iOS App Store subscription with a free trial that ...


No. Apple does not allow that specific combination - quoting the ASRGs:


  • Non-subscription apps may offer a free time-based trial period before presenting a full unlock option by setting up a Non-Consumable IAP item at Price Tier 0 that follows the naming convention: “XX-day Trial.” Prior to the start of the trial, your app must clearly identify its duration, the content or services that will no longer be accessible when the trial ends, and any downstream charges the user would need to pay for full functionality. Learn more about managing content access and the duration of the trial period using Receipts and Device Check.
  • Auto-renewing subscription apps may offer a free trial period to customers by providing the relevant information set forth in App Store Connect.


What's your plan B, then...


As an aside, where do these ideas come from? What's wrong with just doing what Apple wants? Why are some devs always willing to put energy into ad-hoc schemes like this in the face of documentation from Apple that does it's best to provide otherwise workable solutions? Is it because you have an existing business model from other platforms that doesn't yield itself to changes and now you're holding a square peg?

Complicated.


You can offer promo codes issued by Apple. You cannot offer promo codes issued by yourself. In your case you would create a non-renewing subscription and try to use promo codes for that IAP. Promo codes for IAPs were buggy - I don't know if they have been fixed.


You can offer all users (not selected users) a free period to try something in your app and have it expire at the end of that free period. Simply write the start date to the users iCloud key-value file or keychain.


Autorenewing subscriptions are complicated - they must be used as prescribed. You can offer an autorenewable subscription with an initial free trial period that flows automatically into the paid subscription.

Thanks, this was helpful. Looks like the best move is to handle my case outside of any subscription purchase.