Converting a Paid App to In-App Subscriptions

In the early days of the App Store, developers faced challenges in sustaining revenue from paid apps due to low pricing models like 99¢, which necessitated high sales volumes to be profitable. As a solution, the transition to subscription-based models became popular, offering continuous revenue and financial stability for app developers. Subscriptions allow developers to receive ongoing support from users who value their products, akin to recurring bills like rent or gym memberships. RevenueCat is highlighted as a tool that simplifies this transition by handling subscription logic, receipt validation, and entitlements management, without the need for developers to manage complex backend processes. The article also discusses the importance of maintaining access for existing users who paid for the app prior to the subscription switch, using entitlements to manage feature access based on purchase history. The implementation of the Purchases SDK and the creation of a CompatibilityAccessManager class are explained as methods to ensure users have appropriate access to premium features, with RevenueCat automating much of the process. The guide concludes by encouraging developers to use the open-source PurchasesHelper library to streamline the integration of subscription models in iOS apps.