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I think this is explicitly forbidden by app store rules. It is definitely the case for the iOS app store anyway.

tonyedgecombe 7y ago
You could create two versions, one crippled for the app store and another that you actively market. There is no point giving Apple 30% if you are finding the customers yourself.
- parasubvert 7y ago
  You’re not allowed to create a crippled or discounted version per the App Store rules. You are allowed to make the same version available elsewhere and pocket the margins. This is what BBEdit has been doing for many years for example.
  - tonyedgecombe 7y ago
    Even if the products had different names? Or are you saying once you put one product in app store they all have to go in.
    - kevingadd 7y ago
      You're not dealing with an excel spreadsheet here. Apple has rules that are enforced by humans. If you try to cheat them out of the 30% they believe you owe them, they will punish you for it by removing you from the store. So far, very few (if any) companies have gotten away with it. You can't just point to a tiny asterisk or typo in the terms and get them to go 'oh well I guess you got us then'. They have the power. This is why you can't purchase kindle books from the iOS app and have to use a web browser to do it. Even that is kind of an exception (people already have existing Kindle libraries, so it's not really reasonable for Apple to tell them to go screw themselves - but you bet they're gonna demand 30% of on-device purchases!) One pattern I've seen however in modern mobile games is that instead they use an loyalty program, where if you buy direct from them (at the same price) they give you free bonuses that you don't get on the iOS store. That satisfies the "equivalent price" and "no crippling" semi-rules but I suspect eventually Apple will decide to punish it too.
  - saagarjha 7y ago
    I know a number of apps that sell both on and off the App Store and cripple the latter. Where does it say this is against the rules?
    - ajscanlan 7y ago
      What apps do this? How do they distribute on iOS without the App Store?
      - least 7y ago
        I think they're referring to MacOS app store here. Certain applications might need access outside of the sandbox for certain features to work so a non-app store version would have more functionality than the app store version.

You could create two versions, one crippled for the app store and another that you actively market. There is no point giving Apple 30% if you are finding the customers yourself.

parasubvert 7y ago
You’re not allowed to create a crippled or discounted version per the App Store rules. You are allowed to make the same version available elsewhere and pocket the margins. This is what BBEdit has been doing for many years for example.
- tonyedgecombe 7y ago
  Even if the products had different names? Or are you saying once you put one product in app store they all have to go in.
  - kevingadd 7y ago
    You're not dealing with an excel spreadsheet here. Apple has rules that are enforced by humans. If you try to cheat them out of the 30% they believe you owe them, they will punish you for it by removing you from the store. So far, very few (if any) companies have gotten away with it. You can't just point to a tiny asterisk or typo in the terms and get them to go 'oh well I guess you got us then'. They have the power. This is why you can't purchase kindle books from the iOS app and have to use a web browser to do it. Even that is kind of an exception (people already have existing Kindle libraries, so it's not really reasonable for Apple to tell them to go screw themselves - but you bet they're gonna demand 30% of on-device purchases!) One pattern I've seen however in modern mobile games is that instead they use an loyalty program, where if you buy direct from them (at the same price) they give you free bonuses that you don't get on the iOS store. That satisfies the "equivalent price" and "no crippling" semi-rules but I suspect eventually Apple will decide to punish it too.
- saagarjha 7y ago
  I know a number of apps that sell both on and off the App Store and cripple the latter. Where does it say this is against the rules?
  - ajscanlan 7y ago
    What apps do this? How do they distribute on iOS without the App Store?
    - least 7y ago
      I think they're referring to MacOS app store here. Certain applications might need access outside of the sandbox for certain features to work so a non-app store version would have more functionality than the app store version.