I have a question about payments through an app. Are there any type of payments you can do without apple applying their 30% cut?
from my understanding, apple’s stand is if your application generates any new revenue, that apple is entitled to 30% of the revenue since they are providing the service and hardware that gets you that new revenue.
we are a subscription based service (we sign customers up outside of the app either though our website or in person). we use the app to access our data in a mobile form.
we recently began offering a new service where we need to charge them per usage (its outside of the subscription fee). this is a service for existing customers and the app has not attracted a new revenue source. all services available in the app are available through our website or in person.
we sell a service and access to our database, no physical goods. the new service will be available through the application, but not used in the application.
we would process the payment on our own servers (do not use services like paypal). they can always make a payment through our website or in person. we would either store their credit card information on our servers or prompt them to enter it.
it is a matter of convenience for our customers to do a payment through the app.
will apple insist on taking their cut do you believe?
EDIT:
how do credit card companies handle payments in their apps? are they paying apple 30% per payment you make to your card? or are they an exception to the rules? does apple believe that allowing big credit card companies to accept payments w/out taking a cut help apple in the long run as an attraction?
If users pay to unlock digital content within your app then you must use In-App purchases, for which Apple will take their 30% cut.
If however the unlocked services are for ‘real world’ goods or they are not accessible within the app then you must use another payment method with no cut taken.
Overview of In-App Purchase