Apple · Apple App Store Review Guidelines · View original document ↗

Subscription and Auto-Renewal Requirements

Medium severity Unique · 0 of 343 platforms
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This analysis describes what Apple's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

The clause establishes substantive and procedural requirements for subscription offerings on the App Store platform. It creates both a disclosure obligation (pre-purchase transparency) and a performance standard (ongoing value delivery), with removal authority serving as the enforcement mechanism for non-compliance.

Recent Activity

This document changed recently

Medium Jun 9, 2026

The updated guidelines state that developers must ensure kids receive age-appropriate experiences within their apps and must remove user-generated content that violates the guidelines, terms of service, or community standards. Under the revised policy, if Apple identifies policy-violating content, the developer will be asked to remove it and provide a compliance improvement plan. Based on the developer's response, the app may be removed from the App Store until compliance is demonstrated. This establishes a formal escalation pathway where developer inaction or inadequate remediation can result in app suspension or removal.

View change record →

Clause Stability Stable

0
Changes
3
Months Monitored
Apr 28, 2026
First Seen
Apr 28, 2026
Last Seen
This clause type exists across 535 other provisions on other platforms.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

The provision requires developers to disclose subscription terms, pricing, and cancellation methods before purchase occurs, establishing baseline transparency requirements. It also establishes that Apple may remove apps that fail to deliver ongoing value to subscribers, creating a platform-level quality standard for subscription offerings.

How other platforms handle this

Skillshare Medium

Your subscription will automatically renew at the end of each subscription period unless you cancel your subscription before the renewal date. You authorize Skillshare to charge your payment method on a recurring basis for the subscription fee.

Perplexity AI Medium

Some of our Services require payment of fees. If you sign up for a paid subscription, you agree to pay the applicable fees. Subscriptions automatically renew unless you cancel before the renewal date.

Midjourney Medium

Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled before the renewal date. By subscribing to a paid plan, you authorize Midjourney to charge your payment method on a recurring basis at the then-current subscription fee. You are responsible for canceling your subscription before renewal if you do not...

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▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
If you offer an auto-renewing subscription, you must provide ongoing value to the customer, and we may reject or remove your app if subscribers are not getting ongoing value. Before asking a customer to subscribe, you must clearly describe what the user will get, the price, the duration of the subscription, and what happens if they want to cancel.

— Excerpt from Apple's Apple App Store Review Guidelines

Applicable regulations

DMA
European Union

Provision details

Document information
Document
Apple App Store Review Guidelines
Entity
Apple
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
April 28, 2026
Last verified
May 12, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-003885
Document ID
CA-D-00025
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
307db15d06f03003277f88a1476a1308e92cc7cba75906b4fac341d1054f5040
Analysis generated
April 28, 2026 08:36 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Apple
Document: Apple App Store Review Guidelines
Record ID: CA-P-003885
Captured: 2026-04-28 08:36:55 UTC
SHA-256: 307db15d06f03003…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/apple/apple-app-store-review-guidelines/subscription-and-auto-renewal-requirements/
Accessed: June 19, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Apple's Subscription and Auto-Renewal Requirements clause do?

The clause establishes substantive and procedural requirements for subscription offerings on the App Store platform. It creates both a disclosure obligation (pre-purchase transparency) and a performance standard (ongoing value delivery), with removal authority serving as the enforcement mechanism for non-compliance.

How does this clause affect you?

The provision requires developers to disclose subscription terms, pricing, and cancellation methods before purchase occurs, establishing baseline transparency requirements. It also establishes that Apple may remove apps that fail to deliver ongoing value to subscribers, creating a platform-level quality standard for subscription offerings.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Apple?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Apple.