App Store rejection guide

Guideline 3.1.1 and 3.1.2: in-app purchase and subscription rejections

Last reviewed 18 October 2026

Payment rejections are where old advice does the most damage. Apple’s rules on links to other ways to pay now differ by storefront, so a fix copied from a forum post can be out of date. This guide follows Apple’s current text.

Short answer

If your app unlocks digital features or content, Apple expects in-app purchase. Physical goods and real-world services are the opposite: they must not use it. Add a way to restore purchases, describe subscriptions clearly before people pay, and only show links to buy elsewhere where Apple’s rules for that storefront allow them.

What Apple is saying

“unlock features or functionality within your app … you must use in-app purchase”
Apple, App Review Guideline 3.1.1

3.1.1, in-app purchase: subscriptions, in-game currency, levels, premium content and full-version unlocks go through in-app purchase. Apps can’t use their own unlock mechanisms such as licence keys, QR codes or crypto. Purchased credits can’t expire, and you should have a way to restore purchases that can be restored.
3.1.1(a), links to other ways to buy: on the United States storefront, apps may include buttons, external links and other calls to action that point to other purchase methods. In other storefronts, that’s only allowed through specific Apple entitlements in specific regions. Everywhere else, apps and their metadata can’t direct people to buy outside in-app purchase.
3.1.2, subscriptions: they must give ongoing value, last at least seven days and work across all of the person’s devices. Before asking anyone to subscribe, clearly describe what they get for the price.
3.1.3, exceptions: physical goods and services used outside the app must use other payment methods, such as Apple Pay or card entry. Real-time one-to-one services like tutoring or fitness coaching may use them too. Reader, multiplatform and enterprise apps have their own rules.

The usual causes

A card form or web checkout inside the app for digital content instead of in-app purchase.
A “buy on our website” link in storefronts where it isn’t allowed. The United States storefront exception doesn’t apply worldwide.
No way to restore purchases for non-consumables or subscriptions.
A subscription screen that doesn’t say enough: price, length and what’s included, plus links to your terms of use and privacy policy.
Codes that unlock features, such as promo or QR codes outside Apple’s own offer codes.
In-app purchase used for physical goods or real-world services, which must use other payment methods.
Purchases the reviewer can’t find or test, which also overlaps with Guideline 2.1(b).
A switch to subscriptions that takes features away from people who already paid for them.

How to fix it

Sort everything you sell into two lists: digital things used in the app (in-app purchase) and physical goods or real-world services (your own payment provider).
Move digital sales to in-app purchase using StoreKit, and remove any in-app card forms or licence-key unlocks for them.
Add a visible Restore Purchases option, usually on the paywall and in settings.
Fix the subscription screen. Show the price, billing period and what’s included before the purchase button, and link your terms of use and privacy policy there and in your App Store metadata.
Check where the app is sold. If you want a link to buy on your website, show it only where Apple’s rules for that storefront allow it. StoreKit can tell the app which storefront the person is using.
Protect existing customers. When moving to subscriptions, keep what people already paid for.
Submit the purchases with the build and test each one in the sandbox, then explain anything unusual in the review notes.
Reply to App Review listing the changes. Our reply and appeal guide covers what to include.

Questions founders ask

Can we use Stripe or another payment provider?

For physical goods and real-world services, yes, and in-app purchase isn’t allowed for those. For digital content and features used in the app, use in-app purchase; on the United States storefront you may also link people to buy on your website.

Do we need a Restore Purchases button?

Apple says you should have a restore mechanism for purchases that can be restored, such as non-consumables and subscriptions. A visible Restore button is the usual way to provide it.

What’s the shortest subscription period allowed?

Seven days. Auto-renewable subscriptions must last at least that long and work across all of the person’s devices.

More rejection guides

Based on Apple’s App Review Guidelines as last updated by Apple on 16 October 2026. Apple changes them from time to time, so check the current text on Apple’s developer site.