Apple To Retire In-App Purchase Promo Codes - Here's What Developers Get Instead

Apple announced a handful of new changes for how developers interact with the App Store and offer their products. According to the company, this is part of an ongoing commitment to help developers succeed on Apple's marketplace. These changes come at a moment when Apple is having to accept third-party marketplaces and third-party payment methods in different regions.

One of the biggest changes is that Apple is phasing out promo codes for In-App Purchases. Starting March 26, 2026, developers won't be able to create promo codes for In-App Purchases in App Store Connect. While any existing promo codes will be available until they expire, and developers will still be able to provide users with promo codes to let people try their apps for free, the company is creating an all-new offer code.

These offer codes support all In-App Purchase types, including consumable, non-consumable, and non-renewing subscriptions, while expanding support for auto-renewable subscriptions. Apple says developers can "present people with a limited-time offer for a free or discounted In-App Purchase. This allows you to share the value of your In-App Purchases and encourage engagement and purchases within your apps and games."

When developers have an App Review in progress, they can now send additional items independent of an existing submission, giving more flexibility for developers' apps and games. Among the changes, Apple says developers can submit one or more In-App Events in separate submissions, an app version to address a critical bug, or one or more Game Center features — which could mean faster bug fixes when using an essential app on the iPhone. Moreover, these changes will make app submission more dynamic and improve the flow between developers, the App Store, and customers.

Apple is also adding the ability for developers to create custom product pages that let them highlight different content and features within an app or game with unique screenshots, app previews, and promotional text. Apple says developers can create and publish up to 70 custom pages at a given time, making apps more discoverable on the App Store by adding specific keywords instead of those selected on your default product page. To learn more about these changes, developers can check the new documentation Apple published on its developer website.