Substack adds web payment option to its iOS app
It means that subscribers can now pay through external web links in the app.
Over the past few years, Apple’s App Store policies have been at the centre of heated debates, with Epic Games leading the charge against the tech giant’s control over in-app payments. That legal battle cracked open the door for alternative payment methods, and now the effects are starting to trickle down to other apps.
One of the latest to take advantage of this shift is Substack, the newsletter subscription platform that has quickly become a home for independent writers and creators.
Substack has rolled out an update to its iOS app in the U.S. that gives readers a choice in how they pay for subscriptions. On one hand, there’s Apple’s in-app purchase system, which is quick and seamless but comes with a higher price tag since Apple takes a commission. On the other hand, users can now subscribe via external web links directly from inside the app, often at a lower cost. This would make the process of choosing between convenience and savings much more transparent for subscribers.
Oluwaseun Bamisile
The setup is fairly straightforward. If you go through Apple’s system, prices may automatically be set higher to make sure creators aren’t losing money. Substack adjusts those rates so that writers still pocket the same amount as they would from a web subscription, though creators can choose to lower those prices if they want. Substack itself still takes its standard 10% cut from web payments, but with Apple out of the picture on those transactions, both writers and readers have more flexibility.
With this setup, it's arguably easier for creators to retain revenue since they won't have to send their audience through multiple layers just to pay. And for readers, they have a cheaper subscription option available in a few clicks, or they pay a bit more for convenience.
That said, Apple hasn’t completely loosened its grip. The rules still require every app to keep Apple’s in-app purchase option in place if they sell digital goods or subscriptions. Developers can now add external links, but they can’t remove Apple’s system entirely. So while this is a win for Substack and its users, it’s not a full escape.
But since platforms like Spotify, Patreon, and now Substack are quickly adding their own links, it's only a matter of time before this becomes the new normal on iOS.
Emmanuel Oyedeji
