Apple has announced a new subscription option for the App Store which enables users to pay monthly while committing to a 12-month plan. With this option the company will be giving access to discounted annual pricing without the upfront cost. The Cupertino-based tech giant has confirmed that the feature will roll out globally in May 2026 with the release of iOS 26.5, iPadOS 26.5, macOS Tahoe 26.5, tvOS 26.5, and visionOS 26.5, though it will not be available in the United States and Singapore.“We’re introducing a new way that people can pay for your auto-renewable subscriptions on the App Store: monthly subscriptions with a 12-month commitment. This new payment option allows you to offer subscribers more affordable options. People can cancel their subscription at any time, which will prevent the subscription from renewing after they’ve completed their agreed-to payments to fulfill their commitment,” said Apple in a release.
How the new subscription option works
The new subscription model will enable the developers to offer annual pricing spread across monthly installments. Users will also be able to cancel the annual subscription at any time, but the subscription will not renew once the 12‑month commitment ends. Along with this, Apple will also display the number of completed and remaining payments in the Apple Account settings, and subscribers will receive email and optical push notifications ahead of the renewal dates.“To provide transparency, people can easily view the number of completed and remaining payments for the subscription in their Apple Account. Apple will also send email and, if opted in, push notifications ahead of their renewal date to remind them of their upcoming purchase,” added Apple.
Benefits for users and developers
For consumers, this option makes premium apps and services more affordable and manageable, especially in markets where upfront annual payments are less feasible. For developers, it provides a way to secure longer commitments while reducing churn, potentially boosting adoption of premium apps.
