What are Mobile External Purchases

Purchases made inside a mobile app normally go through the app store's own payment system.

Mobile External Purchases (MEP) let members in your iOS app subscribe through your secure web checkout. The purchase starts in the app, payment happens on the web, and access unlocks in the app right away.

Since August 17, 2026, web checkout is the default checkout in iOS apps for eligible stores. Apple in-app purchase is still available as a second option.

This means you can:

Use your checkout features in the app (coupons, localized pricing, digital wallets, subscription upsells)
Keep more of your revenue
Give members instant access in the app after they pay

📝 NOTE: Mobile External Purchases is available in iOS apps only. Android apps keep using Google Play billing, based on Google's current policies.

The Member Experience

The member chooses a subscription in your iOS app
The app shows the purchase options: your web checkout first, with the App Store option also available
If the member picks web checkout, a secure checkout page opens
The member pays with any method on your web checkout (Stripe payment methods, and PayPal if enabled)
Uscreen grants access right away
The member taps Back to App on the confirmation screen. If they miss it, they can reopen the app and their subscription is there

ℹ️ INFO: The external checkout is your standard web checkout. It opens from the app and shows a Back to App button at the end.

🔗 Learn more about the Web Checkout

Where It's Available

Availability depends on the country of the member's Apple Account (their App Store country), not where you or the member are located. You can use MEP wherever your business is based.

MEP is currently available for App Store accounts in: United States, Japan, South Korea, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden.

If a member's App Store country isn't on this list, they see the standard in-app purchase. Nothing breaks.

📝 NOTE: Availability can change when app store rules change. Apple updated its terms for the EU in October 2026, so availability in EU countries may change.

Benefits

More revenue: keep more of every subscription sold through web checkout
Better retention: in our testing across stores, members who subscribe through web checkout stay longer than in-app subscribers
Feature parity with your web checkout:
- Coupons
- Gift subscriptions
- Subscription pausing
- Churn reduction tools
- Referral programs
- Try again for free
- Cover my fees
- Localized pricing
- Cancellation confirmation emails
More payment methods: whatever your web checkout offers

Supported Offer Types

MEP currently supports subscriptions (SVOD).

Requirements & Considerations

Stripe connected as your primary payment provider
At least one Public web subscription plan. Private plans don't work with MEP
Your web plans match your in-app plans in price and billing interval (for example, monthly $9.99 and yearly $99.99 in both places)
In-app purchase products set up in your app. Apple requires in-app purchase to stay available next to web checkout
iOS app on version 3.29 or higher. We recommend 3.31 or higher for correct country handling

⚠️ IMPORTANT: If your web plans don't match your in-app plans, Apple can reject your app. The risk is highest when your web plans are cheaper than your in-app plans.

If you meet these requirements, there is nothing to turn on. MEP is on by default for eligible iOS apps.

🔗 Learn more about Requesting an App Update

Identifying MEP Subscribers

Go to Analytics > Subscriptions and use the Origin filter, or check the Active Subscribers by Origin chart.

External Apple: started in your iOS app and paid through web checkout
Apple: paid through Apple in-app purchase
External Google and External Payment: may appear on older records, from before MEP was limited to iOS or where the platform wasn't recorded

📝 NOTE: An origin only appears once at least one member has subscribed that way.

🔗 Learn more about Subscriptions Analytics

FAQs

Do I need to do anything to use this?

No. MEP is on by default for eligible iOS apps. Make sure your web plans are Public and match your in-app plans.

Will this affect my existing subscribers?

No. Existing in-app subscribers keep billing through Apple, and Apple's fees still apply to them. MEP only applies to new subscriptions.

Can you move my in-app subscribers to web billing?

No. Apple manages in-app subscriptions, and we can't move members out of them. To switch, the member cancels their in-app subscription in their Apple Account settings, waits for it to end, then subscribes again through your web checkout.

Why isn't MEP available in Android apps?

Google's current policies for purchases made outside the app don't give you the same benefits, and our testing showed lower conversion on Android. We'll revisit this if Google's policy changes.

Why do my app and web plans need to match?

Apple reviews the offers in your app against your web checkout. Mismatched plans, especially cheaper web plans, can lead to a rejection. If Apple flags your app, we handle the resubmission.

Will the app show a discounted price if a member has a coupon?

Not currently. The app's Account > Purchases screen shows the plan's standard price. The final price shows on the member's web account page and on their payment statement.

Do MEP subscribers get a cancellation confirmation email?

Yes. They get the same email as web subscribers, automatically.

Can I use it with a custom checkout?

Yes, with custom checkouts built through Zapier or our API. This needs extra setup.

How does this show in my analytics?

MEP subscriptions appear in your Uscreen analytics with your other sales. Use the Origin filter to see them separately.

💬 We'd love to hear from you, so here's how you can submit feedback.