If you own one of the best iPhones, chances are you’re subscribed to more than a few apps. Now, Apple has announced a new option for App Store subscriptions, introducing a new pricing model that looks more flexible at first glance, but comes with a catch.
Developers can now offer monthly subscriptions with a 12-month commitment, letting you pay for something like an annual plan in smaller chunks rather than one upfront fee. In theory, that means you can get pricing similar to discounted annual plans, without having to drop a larger sum all at once.
But while you can cancel at any time, it simply stops the subscription from renewing after you’ve completed all 12 monthly payments. So once you’re in, you’re effectively committed to a full year.
Traditional monthly subscriptions are easy to dip in and out of, but you normally pay more for the flexibility. This new model sits somewhere between monthly and annual plans, trading that flexibility for a lower monthly cost.
Elsewhere, users will be able to see how many payments they’ve completed and how many are left directly in their account, while email and optional push notifications will flag upcoming renewals.
For developers, the feature is already live. Subscription types can now be set up in App Store Connect and tested in Xcode, with the option rolling out to users next month alongside updates like iOS 26.5 and its equivalents across Apple’s other platforms.
At launch, the new subscription model won’t be available in the United States or Singapore, with Apple yet to confirm when those markets will be included.
For everyone else, this could make premium apps and services feel a bit more affordable, as long as they’re used regularly enough.
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