How iOS in-app purchases work

Understand how Apple’s fees affect purchases on the Whop iOS app

Starting November 29, the Whop iOS app uses the Apple App Store in-app purchasing system for one-time purchases under $700. This means that any one-time purchase under $700 made on the Whop iOS app will be processed by Apple and will therefore be subject to its 30% App Store fee. 

Any one-time purchases over $700 and any subscription purchases will continue to use our existing web checkout and not incur any App Store fees. 

Is the Apple App Store fee optional?

No, the 30% fee is not optional. Apple requires all apps on its App Store to use its in-app purchasing system and pay the fee for doing so. Whop can’t opt out of it and individual customers can’t opt out of it either. 

However, using the iOS app is optional. To avoid Apple’s 30% fee, customers can make purchases on any device by using a web browser rather than the Whop iOS app. 

Who pays the 30% fee?

The 30% fee goes straight to Apple; it is not related to Whop’s fees or payment structure. 

To make sure our creators receive 100% of the revenue they get from purchases on other platforms, Whop will automatically raise the prices of applicable products on the iOS app. 

To completely offset the fee for creators, we will increase prices by 1/(1-30%), which equals 42.86%. This means your customers will have to pay more for some products (one-time purchases under $700) if they want to buy through the iOS app.

How long will it take to get payouts from the App Store?

Apple processes all transactions for sale in the Whop iOS app before it remits the payment to Whop. This process can take up to 75 days after the transaction date but will often take less. While Apple is processing the transaction, it will show as pending on your Whop dashboard. 

What currencies does Apple support?

The App Store’s in-app purchasing system supports over 44 currencies and 200 payment methods.

How do refunds work?

Customers who make a purchase through Apple’s in-app purchase can choose to request a refund through Apple. You can check Apple’s refund policy for more details. 

Will this change leave customers unsatisfied?

Because the price of certain products will increase on the Whop iOS app, some customers could feel inconvenienced. In this situation, you can explain to your customers that the prices have been increased to pay Apple’s App Store fee and that they can purchase your products for the normal price by using a different platform than the iOS app, such as the web version of Whop.