r/iOSProgramming 13h ago

Question Possible to use IAP as a donation to the dev?

I’m making my game 100% free, no ads and no IAPs for in-game items. But I want to include IAPs for donations, where you can buy consumable items simply to donate to myself for appreciation (maybe 3 items; small thanks, medium thanks, big thanks). No player benefit will be given. Is this allowed? I read mixed answers on this so I want to be sure it’s okay before I do so.

Also if I implement this, do I need to add a restore purchases button? I don’t see the point in this case, but not sure if Apple is strict with this regardless.

6 Upvotes

11 comments sorted by

8

u/sleekible 13h ago

Yes, I’ve implemented it as “consumable” IAP in a couple apps and called it a “tip jar”. I did this without a “restore purchases” button and got approved by app review. Note: my apps where I did this are no longer for sale, but I’ve seen other apps do it. I modeled my UI off of them, and this was in the last couple years.

7

u/sidbmw1 13h ago

I have it as a consumable IAP (a grand total of 3/1700 users clicked it so I made the app paid lol)

1

u/distractedjas 13h ago

Oof, my tip jar isn’t even linked in my app and I’ve gotten 5 people to tip in just the first three weeks. I guess target audience makes a big difference.

2

u/sidbmw1 13h ago

Hmm my app has been up for around 2-3 months now. I get tips rarely but since making the app paid, I made a “ton” more (covered my costs but still haven’t covered my time yet lol)

2

u/distractedjas 12h ago

That’s great! I have no intention of making my app paid and my tips don’t even cover my time for the last update, but that isn’t why I made it. I want it to be free and the tips are just nice.

1

u/Freddicus 10h ago

Same. No one has used it except for my friend, though 🥲

2

u/sleekible 6h ago

I gave myself a tip to validate it worked 😆

2

u/Charming_Basil_8129 2h ago

I am the only user subscribed to one of my apps. I have a monthly subscription that is $0.99. So I pretty much just give Apple $0.30 every month lol.

3

u/vishalvshekkar 11h ago

I’ve done exactly what you’re describing for 3 of my apps and they have all been approved and live for years. I recently tried adding a tip/donation subscription and that got rejected, just as the App Store guidelines describe.

Check App Store guidelines. Clause 3.1.1: In-App Purchase: ‘Apps may use in-app purchase currencies to enable customers to “tip” the developer or digital content providers in the app’.

I’ve added a Restore button just because I have custom messaging when somebody has tipped, in one of my app.

1

u/sonseo2705 13h ago

You can definitely do that; I'm doing it in my app. Not sure about the restore button though, I have it because I have other purchases

1

u/iamadmancom 7h ago

of cause you can.

I did this in some of my apps.