Payment and subscription infrastructure provider Paddle and RevenueCat are working together to begin replacing Apple's in-app purchases following changes to the US app store policy that allows app developers to process their own payments. On Tuesday, the company announced a new integration that will allow users to purchase from developer apps, whether on web or mobile devices.
Paddle manages web-specific payments, along with the associated tax and compliance complexity. Meanwhile, thanks to RevenueCat, developers can access subscription data and performance on both web and mobile platforms.
The ability to provide in-app purchase links via the web is a new change to the US iOS application. This is a decision that was made by district judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers as part of the court's ruling in an antitrust lawsuit against Apple by Fortnite Maker Epic Games. Apple primarily won that case, but the court declared it not an exclusive, and was forced to allow developers to link to web payment options without paying Apple A's fees.
Combined, Paddle and RevenueCat's new solutions provide a way for users to subscribe on one platform (web or mobile), and automatically access subscriptions on all devices. Additionally, your subscription data is stored in the RevenueCat dashboard. This dashboard provides easy access for developers to track real-time analytics across the web, iOS and Android.
Some apps already use services from both providers, such as the running app Runna. In that case, the new integration provides a more seamless path to web monetization, the company explains.
“There is a huge opportunity for subscription apps to increase revenue by expanding to the web, but that shift poses new technical and operational challenges,” Paddle CEO Jimmy Fitzgerald said in a statement shared with TechCrunch. “By partnering with RevenuECAT, we are making it easier for developers to manage subscriptions across platforms, while also providing greater control over how and where they are monetized.”
Jacob Eiting, co-founder and CEO of RevenueCat, added that today's services will boost over 70,000 apps, Paddle is a great partner in the new initiative, allowing developers to offer web-based payments along with traditional app stores.