‘This will not end well’: Apple App Store gets new ‘more affordable’ monthly subscriptions, but not all iPhone owners are convinced

Phones ‘This will not end well’: Apple App Store gets new ‘more affordable’ monthly subscriptions, but not all iPhone owners are convinced News By Alex Blake published 28 April 2026 A new way to pay on iOS When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Future) Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Apple has added a new App Store subscription tierIt lets you pay for an annual membership on a monthly basisIt’s received an initially mixed reaction on social mediaTired of paying through the nose for annual subscriptions to the best iOS apps? There could be a degree of financial relief on the way thanks to new App Store rules that Apple has just implemented — but not everyone is happy about the new situation.Previously, you’d have two main choices when it came to paying for iOS app subscriptions: a rolling monthly fee or an annual payment. The latter often worked out cheaper than taking out a monthly subscription and continuing it for twelve months, but it also required a sizable up-front payment that would have put a lot of people off.Now, though, Apple says developers can offer users a “more affordable” option that involves buying a year-long membership and then paying for it in monthly chunks.Article continues below You may like Stop the financial bleed! How Orbit fights back against the dreaded 'Subscription Creep' The Premium and PC Xbox Game Pass tiers are rumored to be merging Apple Music has a slew of new features on the way, including a revamped UI That makes this new subscription level a midway point between the old monthly and annual options. Users don’t have to pay up front, making it a little easier on their finances, but they’re still locked into an annual membership, just as they would be if they’d taken out an annual subscription under the old system.It’s worth noting that the previous monthly and annual subscriptions still exist. They’re not going anywhere, so if you don’t like the new “annual subscription with monthly payments” tier, you don’t have to use it. And interestingly, the new option will be available worldwide except for the US and Singapore. Apple didn’t give a reason for that or when it would become available in these territories.The App Store is changing (Image credit: Brett Jordan / Pexels)While this third choice from Apple means there’s another way to manage your paid-for iOS apps, not everyone is excited to try it out. Over on Reddit, in fact, some users are vocal in their displeasure.User enki941 warned that “This will not end well for consumers.” That’s because they believe developers could change their subscription offerings in a way that negatively impacts customers. window.sliceComponents = window.sliceComponents || {}; externalsScriptLoaded.then(() => { window.reliablePageLoad.then(() => { var componentContainer = document.querySelector("#slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-2ck5sYhRfSLskznGvYWoe"); if (componentContainer) { var data = {"layout":"inbodyContent","header":"Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox","tagline":"Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.","formFooterText":"By submitting your information you agree to the <a href=\"https:\/\/futureplc.com\/terms-conditions\/\" target=\"_blank\">Terms &…

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