Subscriptions and free trials
Design plans and introductory offers that are clear, eligible, and testable.
A trial should let someone experience the paid value before billing begins. Configure the offer in App Store Connect and design the paywall around the real eligibility and price returned by Apple.
Design the subscription first
- Name the recurring value customers continue receiving.
- Keep plans for the same service inside one subscription group.
- Rank access levels correctly so upgrades and downgrades behave as intended.
- Choose monthly and annual options only when each helps a real customer goal.
Configure the free trial
- Create an introductory offer for the subscription in App Store Connect.
- Choose the eligible product, trial duration, territories, and availability.
- Make the StoreKit or RevenueCat paywall react to Apple’s eligibility result.
- Test eligible and previously subscribed accounts separately.
What the paywall must communicate
- The specific features or service included.
- The trial duration when the customer is eligible.
- The localized price and billing period after the trial.
- That the subscription renews automatically until cancelled.
- A clear purchase action plus privacy and terms links.
When to skip a trial
A free trial is not automatically better. Skip it when the paid value is immediate and obvious, the product is a one-time utility, or trial users would create significant variable cost before understanding the product. A useful free tier or preview may explain value more clearly.