Can app have trial period without showing subscribe popup at the beginning?

I want my app to start in 'Premium/Full' mode, and after a trial period, initiate auto-renewing IAP, and if unpaid, drop to 'Lite' mode.


I know auto-renewing IAP can have free trial period. But if I use that option, new users will be prompted with Subscription Popup with trial/payment details right at the begining. Many new users (teens) will be put off, or will have to defer purchase to their parents. Instead can an app provide the free trial outside the auto-renew IAP, and then invoke it after the trial period as follows?


1. App counts 3 month trial period from date of installation (with help of user login/backend server).

At end of 3 months trial, user taps 'Purchase' button to initiate Auto-renewing IAP (1-year terms with zero trial period).

2. If user doesn't pay, app changes to 'Lite' mode with limited but decent functionality.


Will this scheme pass App Store review? Appreciate if there are any other alternate ideas.

Thanks in advance.

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Yes it is ok with App Review (IMHO). Your autorenewable subscription will not have a trial period. Your app will record its install date using a durable method - for example, the keychain survives delete-and-reinstall of the app. Alternatively you could use the user's iCloud key-value file or your own server. But if you use your own server, you need to prevent a user from creating a new username every 3 months.

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PBK
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PBK, thanks for the reply and suggestions! In my case user logs in with phone # which is validated with SMS code from backend server.


One last query - is it ok to use the phrase 'Free Trial' during the initial trial period in the app? Read somewhere that Apple objects to that but it could have been an old article.

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sbakshi111
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>One last query - is it ok to use the phrase 'Free Trial' during the initial trial period in the app?


yes. But after that free trial period the app must still operate at, at least, a 'lite' level.

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PBK
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