Apple allows monthly payment on annual subs

Apple is adding a new App Store subscription format: monthly payments tied to a 12-month commitment. (developer.apple.com) Apple announced the option on April 27, 2026, for auto-renewable subscriptions sold through the App Store. Developers can configure it now in App Store Connect and test it in Xcode. (developer.apple.com) The pitch is lower monthly pricing without switching to a standard month-to-month plan. Apple said subscribers can cancel at any time, but the cancellation only stops the subscription from renewing after they finish the payments they already committed to. (developer.apple.com) Apple said customers will be able to see completed and remaining payments in their Apple Account. The company also said it will send email reminders and, if enabled, push notifications ahead of renewal dates. (developer.apple.com) For developers, this changes how a subscription’s life cycle works behind the scenes. Apple’s StoreKit documentation says apps and servers need to handle monthly renewals inside a longer commitment plan, while continuing to grant access the same way they do for standard subscriptions. (developer.apple.com 1) (developer.apple.com 2) Apple’s broader subscription system has long been built around fixed renewal periods such as one week, one month, three months, six months, and one year. This new format effectively layers an annual obligation onto monthly billing. (developer.apple.com 1) (developer.apple.com 2) The rollout is not global on day one. Apple said monthly subscriptions with a 12-month commitment will be available worldwide except in the United States and Singapore, and only on devices running iOS 26.4, iPadOS 26.4, macOS Tahoe 26.4, tvOS 26.4, or visionOS 26.4, with customer availability tied to the May release of version 26.5 across those platforms. (developer.apple.com) Apple is also steering developers toward its server tools to keep track of these plans. The company’s documentation says App Store Server Notifications and the App Store Server API should be used to monitor renewals and update subscription status in real time. (developer.apple.com 1) (developer.apple.com 2) The result is a subscription that looks cheaper month to month, but behaves more like an annual contract. Apple is treating it as a new payment option inside the existing App Store subscription system, not a replacement for standard monthly or annual plans. (developer.apple.com) (developer.apple.com)