Subscription apps and paywalls: StoreKit and Google Play Billing done right

Apple: you receive 70 percent in a subscriber's first year and 85 percent after one year, or 85 percent from the start if you are in the App Store Small Business Program (up to 1 million USD in proceeds the prior year). Google changed fees in 2026: in the US, UK, EEA, Australia and Japan, auto-renewing subscriptions are 10 percent plus a 5 percent billing fee; other markets stay at 15 percent until the global rollout. Check the official pages for your markets.

Common reasons are prices or terms that are unclear, missing links to terms and privacy policy, trials that do not state what happens after, products the reviewer cannot reach, and restore purchases missing. Apple lists misleading users (2.3) and incomplete information (2.1) among the most common issues. ODEL checks every product is reachable from the paywall before submission.

It depends on the number of plans and platforms, whether you need server-side receipt checks, and whether it is a new build or a fix. ODEL quotes after a short audit or discovery call.

It depends on how often people use the app and what it costs to run. Utilities used daily often fit a subscription with a yearly plan; tools used occasionally can sell a lifetime unlock; kids apps in Apple's Kids Category should not include third-party advertising or analytics, with limited exceptions (guideline 1.3). ODEL's own apps use all three models, so the recommendation in your scope comes from running them.

You do. The app is published under your own Apple and Google developer accounts, the repository is yours, and the written agreement assigns the code and design to you; under US law, for example, a contractor owns the code by default unless there is a written assignment, so ask for that clause from anyone you hire. ODEL is added to your accounts as a team member and can be removed at any time.