Should we send users to web checkout instead of in-app purchase, and what's allowed in the US, EU and Canada?
Store fees and rules on external payments changed repeatedly in 2025 and 2026. What's allowed depends on where your users are.
- Can we link to our website to subscribe?
- Do the rules differ by country?
- Will conversion drop?
It depends on the store and the user's country. In the US, court rulings changed what Apple allows for external purchase links, and the terms are still being litigated. In the EU, Apple and Google have Digital Markets Act terms that were revised in 2026. Google Play changed its external billing terms in 2026. In Canada and most other regions, standard store rules mostly apply. Check each store's current terms, then test conversion: web checkout can lose users that one-tap in-app purchase keeps.
Decide with data
| Factor | In-app purchase | Web checkout |
|---|---|---|
| Conversion | One tap | More steps |
| Fees | Store commission | Payment processor plus any store fee |
| Refunds and support | Store handles | You handle |
| Allowed | Everywhere | Depends on region and store |
Watch
- Store policy pages for each region.
- Court and regulatory updates.
- Your own conversion test results.
How we look at it at ShoutEx
We help test web-to-app and web checkout flows and track revenue by channel. Web versus app store covers the trade-offs.
- Assuming one rule worldwide.
- Switching without testing.
- Ignoring refund and support costs.
- Outdated fee assumptions.
- Rules checked by region.
- Conversion tested.
- Net revenue compared.
- Policy updates watched.
What developers and the app stores say
Here is what Apple, Google and developers say.
Apple's current page for US external purchase links.
Read Apple's page →Google Play's payments rules and programs.
Read Google's policy →Community summaries describe recurring themes in public threads, not individual posts. Vendor pages describe vendor claims, so test them on your own calls.
Read next
Go deeper in the ShoutEx guides, or check the sources behind this answer.
We'll help test flows and compare net revenue.
Book a call →Follow-up questions
Does web checkout hurt rankings?
No direct evidence, but watch conversion.
Can we use both?
Often yes, where allowed.
Who handles refunds on web sales?
You do, through your processor.