What is an auto-renewable subscription?
An auto-renewable subscription is a type of in-app purchase that gives a user access to content or a service for a set period, then renews and charges automatically at the end of each period until the user cancels. It is how most iOS apps sell ongoing access, from streaming and news to productivity tools. On Apple platforms these subscriptions are sold through StoreKit and billed by Apple.
How auto-renewable subscriptions work
You define subscriptions in App Store Connect inside a subscription group. A group holds related options, such as a monthly and a yearly plan for the same service, and a user can hold only one level in a group at a time, which makes upgrades and downgrades clean. Each subscription has a billing period, like one month or one year, and renews on its own at the end of that period. Apple handles the charge, and if a renewal payment fails it enters a billing retry window, sometimes with a grace period that keeps access on while Apple tries again. Apple takes a commission on the revenue.
Managing subscriptions in code
On the app side, StoreKit fetches the available subscription products, starts purchases, and reports the user's current entitlement so you know whether to unlock paid features. Renewals, cancellations, and refunds happen outside the app, so apps commonly rely on App Store Server Notifications and receipt or transaction checks to stay current. Because handling all of that correctly is involved, many teams use a tool like RevenueCat, which wraps StoreKit, tracks entitlements, and reports subscription metrics so you write less billing code yourself.
Subscriptions, the App Store, and how AppFlight fits
Apple's guidelines generally require selling digital subscriptions through in-app purchase, and users manage or cancel them in Settings rather than inside the app. AppFlight builds native Swift and SwiftUI projects and offers one-click integrations for RevenueCat and Superwall, so an app can present a paywall and unlock auto-renewable subscriptions through StoreKit with the billing logic wired in. Apple still reviews the app and its subscription setup, so a submitted app is not the same as an approved one.
FAQ
What is a subscription group?
A subscription group is a set of subscriptions where a user can be subscribed to only one level at a time, such as monthly versus yearly of the same service. Grouping lets users upgrade, downgrade, or crossgrade between options while Apple manages the proration.
Do I have to use Apple billing for subscriptions?
For subscriptions that unlock digital content or features inside an iOS app, Apple App Store guidelines generally require using in-app purchase, and Apple takes a commission. Subscriptions for physical goods or services consumed outside the app follow different rules.
How do users cancel an auto-renewable subscription?
Users manage and cancel subscriptions in the Settings app or App Store under their Apple Account, not inside your app. Canceling stops the next renewal; access usually continues until the end of the paid period.