Drew McCormack:
Apple currently allows free trials in two forms: if you sell subscriptions, you can give customers a free month to try the app; and, you can give your app away free, and offer a free In-App Purchase (IAP) to unlock all features for a fixed period of time.
So why does Apple allow these forms, but not offer a more formal version of free trials?
And:
Think for a moment about how a ‘formal’ free trial system would work. What would you see in the App Store? Probably something along the lines of a button with the text “$50 with Free Trial”. Now take your average iOS customer, who has never heard of free trials as they exist outside the App Stores. I suspect many will already be confused by this.
Drew goes on to explain that confusion, with specific questions like:
- If I click the button, will I be charged $50 now?
- What happens when my trial is up: will I be charged automatically then?
Not sure that confusion can’t be addressed by better wording. And if Apple did go down that road, I think they would try to make sure all those questions were answered before the user was put in that decision position.
I also think, and this is a nitpick on the post’s title, it’s impossible for anyone outside Apple to truly know Apple’s logic on this without either a clear statement from Apple or being inside the room.
To be clear, I do like this post. The two points above are my instant reaction, don’t want them to be left unsaid. Don’t let those points derail you, though. Drew’s post is worth reading.
Moving on:
So why are the existing options any better? Let’s take the free IAP system. Firstly, there is no fear about downloading an app — it is free to download. There is a nice big “Get” button to indicate that. Second, once you have the app, you are told there is a free trial, and you are given a clear choice to opt-in. Because it is an IAP, and not a subscription, you know there can be no charge at the end of the trial. There is a second IAP to purchase the app; it is equally clear that you don’t pay until you activate that IAP, and that you can do that any time. Everything is driven by the customer, and all opt-in. No uncertainty.
To me, that’s the core. Apple’s chose a clear, straightforward solution. Not one that will satisfy everyone, but one that won’t confuse users.
This is an interesting take on the free trial issue, and a good balance to Daniel Jalkut’s excellent Ersatz Free Trials post from a few weeks ago.
[H/T Dman228]
Arguing the stupidity of customers is insulting. Customers will most certainly understand a button that reads: “Free trial” and a text beside it reading: “You will be able o use this app for 30 days before you may choose to purchase it.”
Of course the direct consequence being: You cannot buy an app immediately, you have to wait for the trial period, before you can buy it. Sounds simple enough, but imagine being a parent trying to buy an app for a family member – will they have to request you authorise the payment after 30 days?
I could not disagree more strongly with the linked article or your final analysis of it. I almost spit out my drink when I read your conclusion, “To me, that’s the core. Apple’s chose a clear, straightforward solution. Not one that will satisfy everyone, but one that won’t confuse users.”
Are you kidding me? You think the current solution is not confusing to users? Let me list the ways just off the top of my head that the current solution is not just confusing, but horrible:
In-app purchase:
1) Some games are free with in-app purchase, while others cost money and then also have in-app purchases available. And the phrase In-App Purchases is in the tiniest font possible.
2) The list of in-app purchase options in an app’s description can be absolutely indecipherable. Here are some examples, along with their prices:
Memrise: Language Learning
1-Month Pro Subscription $8.99
Memrise Pro $29.99
3-Month Pro Subscription $18.99
1 Year Pro Subscription $59.99
Memrise Pro Offer $45.99
Memrise Pro Offer $59.99
Liftetime Plan. $99.99
Memrise Pro $17.99
Castro Podcasts
Castro Plus $8.99
Castro Plus $2.99
8fit Workouts & Meal Planner
8fit Pro – Workouts & Meals $59.99
8fit – workouts and meal plans $59.99
8fit Nutrition-based fitness $59.99
8fit Pro – Workouts & Meals $29.99
8fit Pro – Workouts & Meals $59.99
8fit Pro – Workouts & Meals $71.99
8fit Pro – Workouts & Meals $41.99
8fit – workouts and meal plans $39.99
8fit Pro – Workouts & Meals $3.995
8fit Pro – Workouts & Meals $71.99
SoundCloud – Music & Audio
SoundCloud Go+ $12.99
SoundCloud Go+ $12.99
SoundCloud Go $5.99
SoundCloud Go+ $16.99
SoundCloud Go+ $9.99
SoundCloud Go+ $11.99
SoundCloud Go $5.99
SoundCloud Go+ $10.49
SoundCloud Go+ $12.99
SoundCloud Go+ $10.49
I defy you to tell me what the difference is between those in-app purchase options if you have never used the app and do not download it to see if you can find more details in the app.
I could go on about the ridiculous nature of what they are currently doing with pricing in the app store, but this is enough to prove just how awful it is from the perspective of Apple’s customers.
I would love to hear someone make a coherent argument about why the current model is the best way, because the linked article and the analysis done here were not that.