
Ask HN: Is there a way for indie developers to avoid the App Store Tax? - sp527
Several large entities like Netflix, Spotify, Epic Games, and Tinder seem to be successfully avoiding the “App Store Tax” (30% on all purchases) seemingly on account of their size and clout.<p>The Financial Times (much smaller) blatantly gets away with a message in their app saying “You can join the Financial Times by going to our website” and prevents users who aren’t logged in from reading articles. There’s no way to pay for an FT subscription in the iOS app.<p>Is there a way for independent developers to do the same?<p>Could I have a login splash page with my app’s logo and no other information that subtly encourages people to Google for the app’s site where they can then sign up? Or could I charge a separate “iOS usage fee” that’s in addition to my app’s main subscriber fee?<p>For context, users of my app also have access to a web client with many additional features. In fact, the app is an ancillary product with a subset of features that are useful in a mobile context.<p>Any advice appreciated.
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oriolgg
I've seen a similar example in the yoga Down Dog app, but in this case mobile
is the main app an web is ancillary. On mobile you can pay the subscription,
or they tell you to register through their website if you want to save 30%. So
basically they charge the app store tax to the users who choose to pay through
the mobile app.

In your case, maybe as you mentioned just redirecting your users to your
website? Unless your marketing strategy relies strongly on users first finding
you through the app store. In that case, not being able to experience what
your app does before creating an account will cause drop off - I would give
some kind of free roaming around until they need to sign up, similar to what
Down Dog does.

All said, no idea about if that is actually allowed in the stores ToS / not
enforced, but as you said, it seems that large apps do it, but also smaller
ones.

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andymoe
Unless you are a name brand already pay the tax and focus on growing your user
base. Any additional friction (even a paid app up front in most cases) is
going to stifle your funnel.

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PaulHoule
Make a mobile web site?

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sp527
This isn’t a mainstream solution acceptable to most users. I didn’t create
this environment. I’m just attempting to optimize within it.

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PaulHoule
Most people don't use mobile web sites? Really?

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sp527
That’s not at all what I said.

A mobile website is not an acceptable ‘form factor’ for functionality one
might expect to find in a native app. It violates user expectations and is a
significantly inferior medium for achieving mobile clientside functionality
because it introduces friction and there are limitations on what can be
developed (e.g. no notifications).

