IAP or Apple Pay for Pet Telemedicine App?

Hello! My app is a pet care app for the in person clinic. We're releasing two features where clients can use the app for:


  • Feature 1: Text messaging with a doctor on call: in order to use this, the user has to pay a fixed fee and timed usage. The doctor is actual person on the other side, but in order to talk to them, the user does have to unlock the code.
  • Feature 2: Conducting a video exam with a doctor: after the video exam, the user will pay for their exam and services with the doctor.


I've read through all the posts here in the forum and the Apple policy but this is in the grey area. We want to specifically use Apple Pay because of the time to market for us to build a third party payment processor (we would've used Stripe, but it's faster to implement Apple Pay we think).


  • This is not a subscription. All charges are fixed for the service. The services are rendered by actual people, so it is not digital, but executed digitally.
  • Do I have to use IAP for Feature 1? I'm concerned since it does require payment to unlock code, but this enables access to non digital services. If yes, does this mean I will have to pay the 30% commission?
  • If I do not have to use IAP, can I use Apple Pay? Do I still have to pay the 30% commission?
  • Are there apps out there that use IAP + 3rd party payment processor or Apple Pay + 3rd party payment processor? I believe the answer is no and yes, but I need a sanity check.


I've read that some other telemedicine apps did not have to use IAP, but Apple Pay since consults do not fall under Apple's guidelines.


Thank you so much for your help!

Up vote post of donutwheel Down vote post of donutwheel
941 views
Posted by
donutwheel
Reply
Add a Comment

Replies

>If I do not have to use IAP, can I use Apple Pay? Do I still have to pay the 30% commission?


IAP and AP are two different things, for two different purposes.


In App purchases are sales between the dev and the user, for additional content and/or subscriptions that users can buy inside your apps, on their iOS devices/computers.


Apple Pay is a service that enables mobile payments/digital wallet apps that initiate secure payment transactions between authorized payment terminals and compatible Apple iOS devices. User can make purchases at a store with credit cards via their Wallet.


Apple gets a small percentage of the AP transaction from the credit card companies. The dev is not financially involved in the transaction.

Posted by
KMT
Up vote reply of KMT Down vote reply of KMT
Add a Comment

> Feature 1: Text messaging with a doctor on call: in order to use this, the user has to pay a fixed fee and timed usage. The doctor is actual person on the other side, but in order to talk to them, the user does have to unlock the code.

> Do I have to use IAP for Feature 1? I'm concerned since it does require payment to unlock code, but this enables access to non digital services. If yes, does this mean I will have to pay the 30% commission?


It's not clear what 'unlock code' means. You want some way of charging the user. You are in a grey area where some of what you are charging for is 'unlocking code within the app' (and must be paid for using IAP) but mostly what you are charging for is the time of the doctor on call. One way of handling that is to offer a one time upgade in the app that allows the user access to text messaging and then charge per text message. The upgrade would unlock the code that allows text messaging through the app and would (aka must) be sold through an IAP. The per text message would be charged not through IAP but through a credit card - like Apple Pay. You could try doing it without the IAP upgrade and hope App Review did not object. Or you could do it all through IAP.


> If I do not have to use IAP, can I use Apple Pay? Do I still have to pay the 30% commission?


If you use IAP you pay 30%. If you use Apple Pay or another credit card system you pay a small percentage not the 30%.


> Are there apps out there that use IAP + 3rd party payment processor or Apple Pay + 3rd party payment processor?


Yes. IAP is a different system used for a different purpose - unlocking features within the app. Apple Pay and 3rd party payment processors are for goods and services used outside the app. It used to be that goods and services used inside the app (what you are doing) could not use IAP but that requirement seems to have been relaxed.

Posted by
PBK
Up vote reply of PBK Down vote reply of PBK
Add a Comment