Apple Introduces Retention Messaging API to Help Developers Retain Subscribers

Apple is rolling out a new feature that helps developers persuade users to keep their subscriptions active. 

With the expanded In-App Purchase framework, developers will now be able to display retention messages when users try to cancel their subscriptions from the Settings app.

The Retention Messaging API offers developers several ways to convince users not to cancel, including:

• A simple text message
• A text message with an image
• A suggestion to switch to a different subscription tier
• A promotional discount offer

These features aim to make it easier for developers to retain their subscribers by offering incentives such as free extensions or discounted subscription tiers. These messages can be updated in real time, as the API pulls the latest data from the developer’s backend right before displaying the cancellation menu to the user.

However, developers won’t be able to change the actual interface beyond adding images, text, and buttons. Users will always see a “Cancel Subscription” button, with the option to either confirm or cancel the cancellation.

Currently, this new API only applies to Apple In-App Purchase system subscriptions, which are listed on the Subscriptions page in the Settings app. It’s important to note that many larger companies avoid Apple’s system due to the 30% commission Apple takes. The feature is in pre-release, and developers must register their interest to use it. However, Apple is expected to open this feature to all subscription-based apps in the future.

Interestingly, it took Apple this long to implement such features, even though retention offers are already widely used by other subscription-based businesses. While Apple has always made it easy to cancel subscriptions, the ability to reconsider a cancellation could be a welcomed change for both developers and users. For users, receiving discounts might make sticking with a service more appealing than canceling it altogether.