Apple's App Store Is Getting A Big Pricing Shakeup
Apple today announced new pricing structures for App Store apps and games, giving developers even more flexibility in pricing their apps — not just in their home country, but also the world over. Apple now gives developers more than 900 pricing possibilities, including the 600 newly added options, with apps and subscriptions that can range in price from $.29 all the way up to $9,999. We're not sure there's any developer that can provide enough value to justify targeting the upper end of that, but it's there.
In addition to new steps in the price ladder, this change will make it easier for developers to adapt to changes in foreign exchange rates, among other quality-of-life benefits. With the changes, any developer will easily be able to manage and set prices in 45 currencies across 175 different storefronts (one for each supported country). Apple says the changes are available for auto-renew subscription apps starting today, while apps offering one-off in-app purchases will get it sometime in spring 2023.
What this means for developers and users
Apple is introducing a tiered approach to the pricing ladder, with denominational gaps increasing exponentially for each step up in the price bracket. For instance, you can set your price in $.10 increments from $.29 up to $9.99. From $10 to $50 are $.50 increments, then it's $1 up to $200, $5 up to $500, $10 up to $1,000, and $100 up to $10,000. Furthermore, Apple will support several pricing conventions, including $0.99, $1.00, $0.90, or $0.95. Additional options are available upon direct request.
Also, while Apple can and will automatically show the appropriate price in foreign App Store fronts based on the region you selected as your primary, developers will still have the option to set prices for paid apps and in-app purchases on a per-territory basis. None of this should impact much for the end user, but for developers, it makes figuring out the financials a lot less stressful. Perhaps that'll give them more time and energy to create even better apps — a win/win for everyone.