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What is Intro offer eligibility?

Definition, examples, and more

Definition

A user's status, tracked by the app store, that determines whether they qualify for introductory pricing. On iOS, eligibility is typically limited to one offer per subscription group per Apple ID, meaning churned users may not qualify again.

Example

A fitness app checks intro offer eligibility before rendering their paywall. New users see '7 Days Free, then $9.99/month.' Returning users who already used their trial see '50% off your first month — $4.99' (a promotional offer instead). This personalized approach avoids showing ineligible users a trial they cannot redeem, preventing confusion and potential refund requests.

Why Intro offer eligibility Matters

Showing a free trial to someone who is not eligible creates one of the worst user experiences possible — they tap 'Start Free Trial' and get charged immediately. A cooking app was displaying trial offers to all users without checking eligibility. Result: 23% of returning users were charged full price when expecting a trial, generating a flood of refund requests and 1-star reviews. After adding eligibility checks via Botsi, refund requests dropped 70% and their App Store rating recovered within 6 weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Apple determine intro offer eligibility?

Apple tracks whether a user's Apple ID has ever redeemed an introductory offer within a specific subscription group. Each Apple ID gets one intro offer (free trial, pay-as-you-go, or pay-up-front) per subscription group, ever. Once used, that user is ineligible for any introductory offer in that group again, even if they cancel and return months later.

Can I offer a discount to returning users who are not eligible for the intro offer?

Yes — this is where Apple's promotional offers come in. Unlike intro offers, promotional offers can be given to existing or lapsed subscribers. You control the targeting logic. This is a powerful tool for win-back campaigns: offer returning users a discounted re-entry price since they cannot get the free trial again.

How do I check intro offer eligibility in my app?

Use StoreKit 2's Product.SubscriptionInfo.isEligibleForIntroOffer on iOS, or use Botsi's SDK which provides a simple eligibility check method. Always check eligibility before rendering your paywall so you can show the appropriate offer — trial for eligible users, promotional offer for ineligible returning users, or full-price for everyone else.

Category
Subscription App Terminology
Related Area
Mobile App Growth & Monetization
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Introductory pricing

More terms starting with “I”

In-app message (IAM)

A native message displayed within the app interface (e.g., banners, modals, full screens) used to guide user actions - such as starting a trial, updating payment info, or exploring premium content. IAMs complement push notifications for mid-session engagement.

In-app purchase

A transaction made within the app to unlock content, features, or virtual goods. For subscription apps, IAPs can be used for one-time purchases alongside recurring plans, and must comply with Apple and Google's platform rules for digital goods.

Install attribution

The process of determining which marketing source or campaign drove an app install. Accurate attribution is needed for measuring CAC, optimizing performance marketing, and analyzing subscriber LTV by channel.

Install-to-subscribe rate

The percentage of users who install the app and ultimately start a paid subscription. This is a key funnel metric for evaluating onboarding effectiveness, paywall performance, and the overall value proposition.

Introductory pricing

A discounted subscription offer available only to first-time subscribers for a limited time (e.g., $0.99 for the first month). It's used to lower entry barriers and increase trial-to-paid conversions, and is governed by platform-specific rules on eligibility.

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