Today, Apple is launching a new subscription option on the App Store for app developers. With this new option, developers can allow potential subscribers to commit to a 12-month plan with an option to pay for it monthly instead of paying for a full year in one go.
As per Apple’s announcement, “Today, we’re introducing a new way that people can pay for your auto-renewable subscriptions on the App Store: monthly subscriptions with a 12-month commitment. This new payment option allows you to offer subscribers more affordable options. People can cancel their subscription at any time, which will prevent the subscription from renewing after they’ve completed their agreed-to payments to fulfill their commitment.
To provide transparency, people can easily view the number of completed and remaining payments for the subscription in their Apple Account. Apple will also send email and, if opted in, push notifications ahead of their renewal date to remind them of their upcoming purchase.
Starting today, you can configure this type of subscription in App Store Connect and test it in Xcode. With the exception of the United States and Singapore, monthly subscriptions with a 12-month commitment will be available worldwide to people on iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, macOS Tahoe 26.4, and visionOS 26.4, or later, with the release of iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, macOS Tahoe 26.5, and visionOS 26.5 in May.”
This implies that users will be able to cancel their subscription, but it will only be applicable after the commitment period has ended. This option will be available to developers worldwide, except for the United States and Singapore, without any clear reason for the exclusion of these countries.
This is very similar to the way Adobe offers subscriptions on a yearly contract basis, with an option to exit for a fee of the remainder of the subscription period. While there is no mention of an “exit fee” for early cancellation in the announcement, it might be added as an option, considering that Apple provides transparency and ease of use to customers.
Will you choose this option if the app you subscribe to offers it? Let us know down in the comments or write to us on @appleosophy! Be sure to download the Appleosophy App from the App Store or visit our website to stay updated with the latest Apple news!
