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I also wonder why Apple allows some apps to accept payments via credit card yet others need to use the built in payment solutions?

EDIT: some research later indicates that it's possible allowing a user to sign up outside the app (and outside a webview initiated by the app) skirts around the policy [1], since the user can return to the app and log in, then use their account for payments.

[1] https://www.designernews.co/stories/9695-how-do-apps-like-ly...

discuss

ProblemFactory|8 years ago

Apps are allowed to use external payment methods for "real world" goods and services.

All digital content (premium features, game coins, file storage, music or video libraries) accessible within the app must be charged through Apple, and the user must not be able to find an alternative payment method from within the app.

> EDIT: some research later indicates that it's possible allowing a user to sign up outside the app (and outside a webview initiated by the app) skirts around the policy, since the user can return to the app and log in, then use their account for payments.

Depending on the precise details of your signup page, this may or may not get banned by Apple if they notice it. It's allowed to sign up users and accept external payments outside the app - but then you must not have links to this payment page from within the app. If the user already has an external paid account, then they can use it, but any first-time users must only see IAP or nothing.

Some time ago Apple threatened to ban Dropbox, because they had a webview for signups, and it was possible to upgrade to a premium account within that webview.

aaronbrager|8 years ago

That's false. You can offer your own solution presented side-by-side with IAP.

bestnameever|8 years ago

Only certain classes of app's are allowed to do this. From a comment on your linked article, it seems Apple only allows you to do so for physical and non-digital items.

ClassyJacket|8 years ago

It's just a matter of whether your content is delivered via the app. Netflix, for example, must have users pay via Apple (or outside the app), because they deliver the content in the app. Ebay doesn't require that, since you're just buying something that's going to be delivered to you.

rimliu|8 years ago

If you collect payments for anything that cannot be used inside the app you are not allowed to use in-app purchases.