Closed Beta: This feature is currently in a closed beta. It is also only available inside of the United States.

What are Mobile External Purchases?

Normally, all payments made within a mobile app must go through the app store’s payment system (Apple App Store or Google Play). This means app stores collect a 15–30% commission on every in-app purchase.

The Mobile External Purchases feature addresses these changes. When enabled, it allows your Members to complete their purchases directly through a secure web checkout, even when they start the purchase flow inside your mobile app.

This means you can:

Avoid the high app store fees of 15-30%
Access all acquisition and checkout features (coupons, subscription upsells, localized pricing)
Keep more of your revenue
Provide instant in-app access after purchase.

How the new mobile checkout experience works:

When enabled, the Mobile External Purchases feature redirects Members to your web checkout when they start a purchase in the app. Once payment is complete, access is instantly unlocked in the app.

Steps:

Member selects a paid video or subscription in your app.
The app opens a secure web checkout page.
The Member completes payment using your connected provider (Stripe or PayPal).
Uscreen automatically grants access in the app.
The Member returns seamlessly to your app experience.

Benefits:

Reduced fees: Save 15-30% on app store commissions
Feature parity: Access web features unavailable in traditional in-app purchases:
- Coupons
- Gift subscriptions
- Subscription pausing
- Churn reduction tools
- Referral programs
- Try again for free
- Cover my fees
- Localized pricing
Flexible payment methods: Offer multiple payment options through your web checkout

How to enable:

Go to your Uscreen Admin Area
Navigate to Settings > Mobile & TV Apps > Preferences
Find the "External Payments" section
Toggle the feature on

Supported content types

Mobile External Purchases Checkout supports all monetization models:

Subscriptions (SVOD)
Bundles
One-time video purchases
Video rentals

Requirements and considerations

Your mobile app must be on version 3.26 or higher
You must have a connected payment provider (Stripe or PayPal)
The feature is currently available only for U.S.-based customers
This is an opt-in feature for existing apps
For new apps, the Mobile External Purchases checkout will be the default payment flow

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this affect my existing subscribers?

No, existing subscribers will continue to be billed through their original payment method. Mobile External Purchases checkout is only available for new purchases.

Can I use this feature outside the United States?

Currently, this is only available for U.S.-based customers. We're working on expanding availability to other regions.

Will this disrupt my app's approval process?

We've successfully tested the new Mobile External Purchases checkout with multiple app store submissions. However, app store policies can change, so we recommend staying informed about the latest guidelines.

Can I use Mobile External Purchases Checkout with custom checkout solutions?

Yes, this works with custom checkout solutions implemented through Zapier or our API. However, this requires additional setup and technical knowledge.