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Types of In-App Purchases?

shopping

There are four types of in-app purchases. Let's understand differences in all four.

1. Consumables​

Consumables are products that can be used (‘consumed’) once and then repurchased multiple times.

Example
  • Clash of Clans – Buying Gems to speed up upgrades.
  • Candy Crush – Buying extra lives or boosters.

2. Non-consumables​

Non-consumables are products that are purchased once, have no expiry date, and remain permanently available within your app.

Example
  • Spotify – One-time purchase to remove ads in the free version.
  • Minecraft – Unlocking skin packs or maps permanently.

3. Auto-renewable subscription​

Auto-renewal subscriptions are products or services that you pay for on a recurring basis. Developers love these, as they guarantee a steady income stream.

Example
  • Netflix – Monthly/annual subscription for unlimited streaming.
  • Tinder – Tinder Gold/Plus for premium dating features.

4. Non-renewing Subscriptions​

Non auto-renewal subscriptions are those that run for a fixed period of time, after which you can choose to manually renew. Often, these last longer and cost more than auto-renewal subscriptions.

Example
  • Duolingo Plus – A 6-month language learning plan that expires unless manually renewed.
  • Udemy – Buying a specific course for lifetime access without recurring fees.