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> Why does patreon need its own app? Why can't it just be web based? There is the simple solution taken by companies like Spotify and Netflix. Have a free app

> Why does patreon need its own app? Why can't it just be web based? There is the simple solution taken by companies like Spotify and Netflix. Have a free app for users, but only accept payments through your own website. In which case, Apple doesn't get a dime.

bearjaws 2y ago
Spotify had a nightmare of a time getting to that point. Same with Floatplane, a streaming platform from LTT. If you actually try to copy Spotify / Amazon you find out very quickly they have exclusive deals and their own account managers. You actually will not get approved for 5-6 months if you try to copy them, and even use their same exact UI and verbiage. This is the part of the problem with Apple app store.
- GeekyBear 2y ago
  As far as I've seen, this isn't any sort of exclusive on Apple's App Store or Google's Play Store. Free apps that allow users to access paid subscription content aren't required to accept payments for the subscription through the app. > Offer subscriptions through your own website or app rather than the app stores. This allows you to process payments directly and avoid the 30% fees. However, you'll need to provide your own payment processing and customer support. https://www.quora.com/Is-it-possible-to-avoid-paying-a-30-commission-to-Google-and-Apple-for-my-subscription-apps https://www.quora.com/Is-it-possible-to-avoid-paying-a-30-co...
  - bearjaws 2y ago
    Here is just one example about how hard it is to get approved, and reflects my experience as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzQw3kEbEio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzQw3kEbEio You can say it's easy, but if you try to make your app only take payments off platform you will fight with Apple for months. Apple will gladly say they aren't preventing you from taking payment off platform and then make your life hell. They are big enough that this isn't some accident, this is 100% on purpose. The whole LTT saga went on for nearly 2 years, you can watch all of it through their podcast: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=floatplane+apple+app+store https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=floatplane+appl... AND they had the benefit of having millions of viewer leading to them getting an active account manager... Imagine some random company.
BillinghamJ 2y ago
This is actually only an option if you qualify under Apple's definition of "reader" apps - ones that are pure content-consumption, nothing interactive etc. If you don't qualify as a "reader" app, what you're suggesting actually isn't allowed - you're _required_ to offer IAP if you provide access to the service in-app 3.1.3(b) - "may allow users to access content [...] provided those items are also available as in-app purchases within the app" https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#other-purchase-methods https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#oth... The app I work on is a content app, but they decided it did not qualify as a "reader" app because we had polls alongside the content, which were interactive and therefore excluded us from the definition.

bearjaws 2y ago

Spotify had a nightmare of a time getting to that point. Same with Floatplane, a streaming platform from LTT. If you actually try to copy Spotify / Amazon you find out very quickly they have exclusive deals and their own account managers. You actually will not get approved for 5-6 months if you try to copy them, and even use their same exact UI and verbiage. This is the part of the problem with Apple app store.

GeekyBear 2y ago
As far as I've seen, this isn't any sort of exclusive on Apple's App Store or Google's Play Store. Free apps that allow users to access paid subscription content aren't required to accept payments for the subscription through the app. > Offer subscriptions through your own website or app rather than the app stores. This allows you to process payments directly and avoid the 30% fees. However, you'll need to provide your own payment processing and customer support. https://www.quora.com/Is-it-possible-to-avoid-paying-a-30-commission-to-Google-and-Apple-for-my-subscription-apps https://www.quora.com/Is-it-possible-to-avoid-paying-a-30-co...
- bearjaws 2y ago
  Here is just one example about how hard it is to get approved, and reflects my experience as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzQw3kEbEio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzQw3kEbEio You can say it's easy, but if you try to make your app only take payments off platform you will fight with Apple for months. Apple will gladly say they aren't preventing you from taking payment off platform and then make your life hell. They are big enough that this isn't some accident, this is 100% on purpose. The whole LTT saga went on for nearly 2 years, you can watch all of it through their podcast: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=floatplane+apple+app+store https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=floatplane+appl... AND they had the benefit of having millions of viewer leading to them getting an active account manager... Imagine some random company.

BillinghamJ 2y ago

This is actually only an option if you qualify under Apple's definition of "reader" apps - ones that are pure content-consumption, nothing interactive etc. If you don't qualify as a "reader" app, what you're suggesting actually isn't allowed - you're _required_ to offer IAP if you provide access to the service in-app 3.1.3(b) - "may allow users to access content [...] provided those items are also available as in-app purchases within the app" https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#other-purchase-methods https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#oth... The app I work on is a content app, but they decided it did not qualify as a "reader" app because we had polls alongside the content, which were interactive and therefore excluded us from the definition.