We noticed that your app includes the ability to collect charitable donations within the app, which is not appropriate for the App Store.

Our application collects charities and donations. We send payment/amount/card details back to server which processes the payment via stripe.

No external link (safari) was opened for payment neither SMS service used for donation.

So my App was rejected from App store.

What steps or alternate methods we can follow to collect donations/ charities.



Currently our mobile app is capturing the information about which campaign/cause user want to support by making donation. Next screen capture user credit card information and pass all the information to server using https. server pass that information to stripe and if stripe signals back with success response that is passed back to mobile. As apple policy said open in safari, can we do that one server send payment response success message to app and we show campaign details, donation details along with thank you note in safari.


we spents months developing the app and now hit by this policy so we are looking what option take less development efforts to put our app on store before our deadline expires.

Replies

Please read the "Business Models" section of the Apple Review Guidelines. Specifically, from the "Unacceptable" section:


(iv) Unless you are an approved nonprofit or otherwise permitted under Section 3.2.1 (vi) above, collecting funds within the app for charities and fundraisers. Apps that seek to raise money for such causes must be free on the App Store and may only collect funds outside of the app, such as via Safari or SMS.


Setting up an HTTPS post in your app isn't "outside your app."


Why did you do all of this work without becoming (or creating) an approved nonprofit organization to own your app?

And for completeness:

3.2.1 (vi) Approved nonprofits may fundraise directly within their own apps or third-party apps, provided those fundraising campaigns adhere to all App Review Guidelines and offer Apple Pay support. These apps must disclose how the funds will be used, abide by all required local and federal laws, and ensure appropriate tax receipts are available to donors. Additional information shall be provided to App Review upon request. Nonprofit platforms that connect donors to other nonprofits must ensure that every nonprofit listed in the app has also gone through the nonprofit approval process. Learn more about becoming an approved nonprofit.

Hi. I am thinking of doing something very similar and am trying to come up with an easy solution (for charities) that also complies with Apple's policies.


If you don't mind me asking: did you ever get a resolution from Apple, or come up with a solution that they accepted?


Thank you.

I'm interested in this too. Did anyone in this thread actually go through the process and get approved?
  1. So each non-profit that is accepting the donation will need to be approved via causes.benevity.org.

  2. You need to offer Apple Pay support. I assume this means the ability to pay by Apple Pay. Interestingly it does not same you can't use other methods if you also provide Apple Pay.

  3. These apps must disclose how the funds will be used, abide by all required local and federal laws, and ensure appropriate tax receipts are available to donors.

Is that it?

What about charity apps that only allow crypto payments?

Do I have to provide an Apple Pay option as well?