In-app purchase: what it is and the 4 types

An in-app purchase is something you buy inside an app, after you've installed it. Apple defines it as an optional purchase that changes an app's features or unlocks services, content or virtual goods. There are four types: consumable, non-consumable, auto-renewable subscription and non-renewing subscription. On the App Store, the "In-App Purchases" label near the Get button tells you an app offers them.

This guide covers both sides of the question. As a user: what the label means, what you actually pay, how to cancel, get a refund or block these purchases on a child's iPhone. As a developer: the four types as App Store Connect names them, Apple's commission and what your app needs to handle. Everything comes from Apple's pages, reviewed on November 3, 2026.

I sell in-app purchases in my own iOS apps. Solys, a social media blocker, offers a subscription and lifetime access. TradaZen, a trading simulator, and Nolera, an AI outfit try-on app, mainly sell an annual subscription with a free trial.

In-app purchase: Apple's definition

On its About in-app purchases page, the App Store says these are optional purchases meant to change an app's features or unlock services, content or virtual goods. The key word is "optional." An in-app purchase is never forced on you: you're the one who chooses to buy it.

So an app can be free to download and still sell something inside. Apple's help page on downloading apps says it plainly: if an app shows a Get button instead of a price, it's free, and you won't be charged for the download. But some free apps offer in-app purchases and paid subscriptions.

To spot these apps before installing them, the App Store suggests checking whether the "In-App Purchases" label appears next to the price or the Get button. It doesn't tell you what you'll pay. It only tells you there's something to buy in the app.

The 4 types of in-app purchases

App Store Connect, the tool where developers create their products, lists four types. Here are the definitions and examples from App Store Connect Help, plus the ones from the App Store page.

Type	What you pay for	Examples given by Apple
Consumable	An item used once, bought again	Fish food, lives, gems
Non-consumable	An unlock bought once, never expires	Race track, levels, filters
Auto-renewable subscription	Access billed at a regular interval	Video streaming, cloud storage
Non-renewing subscription	Time-limited access, no automatic renewal	Article archives, seasonal pass

Consumable

Apple defines it as a product used once, which gets depleted and has to be bought again. Think in-game currency, a pack of lives, or generation credits in an AI app. One rule protects the buyer: under guideline 3.1.1, credits or currencies bought through in-app purchase can't expire.

Non-consumable

It's a product bought once that doesn't expire and doesn't run down with use. It unlocks a feature for good: the full version, a level pack, photo filters. Solys's lifetime access falls into this type. You pay once, and you get it back if you switch iPhones.

Auto-renewable subscription

It gives access to content or a service for a period, then renews by itself until the user cancels. That's the model my apps use. Guideline 3.1.2 sets three conditions: it has to provide ongoing value, last at least seven days and work across all of the user's devices. This is the type behind the classic free trial, set up in App Store Connect. An app without a subscription can also offer a trial, as a free non-consumable purchase named "XX-day Trial," according to guideline 3.1.1.

Non-renewing subscription

It gives access to a service for a limited time and doesn't renew. To keep going, the buyer has to buy it again. Apple mentions one year of access to article archives, or a seasonal online video pass. I don't use it in any of my apps.

What each type changes in practice

The type's name doesn't tell the whole story. Here's what it changes for the buyer and the app, based on Apple's in-app purchase page and the StoreKit documentation on currentEntitlements, the list of current access rights.

Type	Buy again?	Restored after reinstall	Family Sharing
Consumable	Yes	No	No
Non-consumable	No	Yes	Possible
Auto-renewable subscription	No, it renews	Yes, if active or in a grace period	Possible
Non-renewing subscription	Yes, when it ends	Yes	No

Two details. Family Sharing lets you share access with up to five family members, and Apple supports it for auto-renewable subscriptions and non-consumable purchases. The developer decides whether to turn it on. And a purchase refunded or revoked by the App Store disappears from the entitlements.

What the user sees, from purchase to refund

Confirming a purchase

According to the App Store page, you have to enter your password or use Touch ID to make an in-app purchase. With a password, you choose whether it's required for every transaction or every 15 minutes. Apple's help page on purchase password settings adds Face ID: if Touch ID or Face ID is turned on for purchases, it's requested for every download, even free ones.

Canceling a subscription

Canceling goes through your Apple Account, not the developer. On iPhone, according to Apple's help page on canceling:

1. In Settings, tap your name.
2. Tap Subscriptions.
3. Tap the subscription.
4. Tap Cancel Subscription. You may need to scroll down to find the button.

According to the App Store page, the subscription ends at the end of the current billing cycle. For a free trial, the same help page recommends canceling at least 24 hours before the trial ends.

Requesting a refund

Refunds go through Apple, not the developer. Apple's help page on refunds gives the steps: sign in at reportaproblem.apple.com, tap "I'd like to," then "Request a refund." Pick the reason, then the app or subscription, and submit. Apple asks you to allow 24 to 48 hours for a reply. Eligibility depends on the country.

Blocking in-app purchases on a child's iPhone

Apple offers two settings. The first blocks everything, the second has a parent approve each purchase.

Blocking with Screen Time. According to Apple's help page on Screen Time, Screen Time has to be turned on first. Then:

1. Open Settings, then tap Screen Time.
2. Tap Apps & Websites, then App Store.
3. Tap In-App Purchases and select Blocked.

Ask to Buy, with Family Sharing. If your child has their own device and their own account in your family group, the Ask to Buy feature sends you every request. It covers app downloads and in-app purchases, whatever the app's age rating. To turn it on from your device:

1. Open Settings, then tap Family.
2. Tap your child's name.
3. Tap Apps & Websites, then Restrictions.
4. Tap Ask to Buy, then turn on Require Purchase Approval.

Depending on the country, this option is on by default and can't be turned off before age 18.

For developers: what an in-app purchase involves

In-app purchase is required to unlock digital content

Guideline 3.1.1 requires it: to unlock a feature or content in your app, you have to use Apple's in-app purchase. A license key, a QR code or cryptocurrency aren't allowed for this, except in the cases Apple carves out. The exceptions and the rules for each region are in my guide on guideline 3.1.1.

Apple's commission

According to the membership page, the commission on digital goods and services sold through the App Store is 30%. It drops to 15% for members of the Small Business Program and a few other programs, and for eligible subscriptions. Other rates and fees can apply to some apps distributed in certain countries, including the European Union, Japan and South Korea. The details, including how to enroll, are in Apple Small Business Program.

What you need before your first product

1. Get the paid apps agreement signed. According to App Store Connect Help, the Account Holder has to sign the Paid Apps Agreement to offer in-app purchases. The steps are in my guide on the Paid Apps Agreement.
2. Create the product in App Store Connect. According to the help page on creating an in-app purchase, a consumable or non-consumable is created from the app's sidebar, under Monetization, in In-App Purchases. You pick the type, then enter a reference name and a product ID. Subscriptions are created separately, in Subscriptions.
3. Plan for restoring. Apple's in-app purchase page makes the point: if someone reinstalls your app or switches devices, they should get back what they bought right away. Your app also has to offer a way to restore restorable purchases, under guideline 3.1.1.

To wire it all up without writing receipt validation myself, I use RevenueCat. The steps are in RevenueCat and iOS in-app subscriptions.

Which type to pick for your first app

What you're selling	The right type
A service that gets better every week	Auto-renewable subscription
The full version, once and for all	Non-consumable
Credits, generations, lives	Consumable
Access for a set period, no renewal	Non-renewing subscription

For a first app, the real choice almost always comes down to subscription versus one-time purchase. I break it down, with the monthly revenue math, in subscription or one-time purchase for your iOS app.

Selling your first in-app purchase

The iOS & Android Kit starts from my apps' Starter Code: onboarding, paywall and subscriptions are already built, and the four-step path takes you all the way to the App Store, at your own pace. The whole chain, from products in App Store Connect to the paywall, is covered on the iOS in-app subscriptions page.

If you're getting ready for your first launch, take the free diagnostic: it tells you what's really holding your project back and sends you my Apple rejection-proof checklist.

Frequently asked questions

What does "In-App Purchases" mean on the App Store?

The label means the app sells something inside: a currency, an unlock, a subscription. It shows up next to the price or the Get button. Downloading the app is still free if it shows Get, and you only pay for what you choose to buy.

Is a free app with in-app purchases really free?

The download is free, and Apple says you won't be charged for it. Some features or content inside can be paid, though. To buy, Apple asks for your password, Touch ID or Face ID.

What's the difference between a consumable and a non-consumable purchase?

A consumable runs out as you use it and gets bought again, like lives or gems. A non-consumable is bought once and stays yours, like a level pack or the full version. Of the two, only the non-consumable comes back after a reinstall.

How do I turn off in-app purchases on iPhone?

Turn on Screen Time, then go to Settings, Screen Time, Apps & Websites, App Store. Tap In-App Purchases and select Blocked. For a child's device, Ask to Buy lets you approve each purchase instead.

Can I get a refund for an in-app purchase?

Yes, some purchases are eligible. You request it at reportaproblem.apple.com, under "I'd like to," then "Request a refund." Apple asks you to allow 24 to 48 hours, and eligibility depends on the country.

What commission does Apple take on an in-app purchase?

As a general rule, 30% on digital goods and services. It's 15% for Small Business Program members and for eligible subscriptions. Other rates and fees can apply to some apps in certain countries, including the European Union.