Deceptive Paywalls

​

What are deceptive paywall rejections?

• “The app uses deceptive or manipulative subscription practices”
• “Subscription terms are not clearly displayed”
• “The app does not clearly identify the price and terms of the subscription”
• “Users may not understand what they are purchasing”
• “The free trial terms are not sufficiently clear”

​

Why this happens

• Hiding the price or showing it in tiny text
• Pre-selecting the most expensive option
• Making the close button hard to find
• Unclear free trial terms (when it ends, what it costs after)
• “Continue” buttons that actually purchase
• No way to dismiss the paywall
• Subscription auto-renewing without clear disclosure
• Fake urgency (“Sale ends in 5 minutes!”)
• Fake social proof (“10,000 users subscribed today!”)

​

How to fix it

​

Make pricing impossible to miss

• Price in tiny text at the bottom
• Price hidden behind “See details” link
• Price only visible after scrolling
• “Continue” button with no price visible
• Price shown without currency symbol

• Price displayed prominently near the purchase button
• Full price with currency symbol ($9.99, not just 9.99)
• Billing frequency stated clearly (per month, per year)
• Auto-renewal disclosed near the price
• Readable font size (minimum 14pt)

“$9.99/month, auto-renews monthly. Cancel anytime.”

​

Make the close button obvious

• Close button visible immediately (no delay)
• Close button in expected location (top-left or top-right)
• Close button large enough to tap easily (44x44pt minimum)
• Close button has sufficient contrast to be visible

• Close button appears after 3 seconds
• Close button is a tiny “X” in low contrast
• Close button hidden behind other elements
• “Skip” text that looks like body copy
• No close button at all

<div class="paywall">
  <button class="close-button" onclick="dismissPaywall()">
    <svg width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2">
      <path d="M18 6L6 18M6 6l12 12"/>
    </svg>
  </button>
  
  <!-- Paywall content -->
</div>

.close-button {
  position: absolute;
  top: 16px;
  right: 16px;
  width: 44px;
  height: 44px;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
  border-radius: 50%;
  border: none;
}

​

Be transparent about free trials

• Trial duration (“7-day free trial”)
• What happens when trial ends (“Then $9.99/month”)
• When the first charge occurs (“You won’t be charged until January 28, 2025”)
• How to cancel (“Cancel anytime in Settings”)

• “Start Free Trial” button with no other information
• Trial length buried in terms of service
• Post-trial price not mentioned
• No indication of when charges begin
• Implying the trial is free forever

• All four disclosures visible on the same screen as the button
• Specific date when trial ends and billing begins
• Clear statement that no charge happens today
• Cancellation instructions visible

“7-day free trial, then $9.99/month. You won’t be charged until January 28, 2025. Cancel anytime in your device settings.”

​

Don’t pre-select expensive options

• No option pre-selected (user must tap to choose)
• Cheapest option pre-selected
• Most popular option highlighted but not pre-selected

• Most expensive option pre-selected
• Only option visible is the expensive one
• Cheaper options hidden in “See all plans”

​

Use honest button labels

• “Continue” (then charges immediately)
• “Next” (then starts subscription)
• “Get Started” (ambiguous)
• “Unlock” (unclear if paid)

• “Subscribe for $9.99/month”
• “Start Free Trial”
• “Purchase for $29.99”
• “Subscribe” (with price clearly shown nearby)

​

Avoid fake urgency and scarcity

• “Sale ends in 04:59” (fake countdown)
• “Only 3 spots left!” (fake scarcity)
• “50% off today only!” (always-on “sale”)
• “10,000 users upgraded this hour” (unverifiable)
• “Last chance!” (repeating message)

• Legitimate limited-time promotions (with real end dates)
• Actual user counts if verifiable
• Seasonal sales that actually end

​

Use RevenueCat paywalls

import despia from 'despia-native';

// Launch compliant native paywall
despia('revenuecat://launchPaywall?external_id=user_123&offering=default');

• Pricing pulled from App Store / Play Store
• Localized currency and formatting
• Trial terms displayed correctly
• Compliant by design
• Close button included

​

Quick checklist

1. Price is prominent (not tiny or hidden)
2. Billing frequency is stated (monthly, yearly)
3. Auto-renewal is disclosed
4. Currency is shown

5. Trial length is stated
6. Post-trial price is shown
7. First charge date is clear
8. Cancellation method is mentioned

9. Close button is visible immediately
10. Close button is easy to tap (44x44pt minimum)
11. No option is pre-selected (or cheapest is)
12. Button labels match the action

13. No fake countdown timers
14. No fake scarcity claims
15. No unverifiable social proof
16. No “bait and switch” tactics

​

Common rejection reasons

​

Apple’s specific requirements

• Clearly displayed subscription price and duration
• Description of what the subscription provides
• Clear explanation of free trial terms
• Easy access to subscription management
• No automatic upgrades without consent

• The price of the subscription
• The duration of the subscription
• A description of the content or services
• Clear cancellation terms

​

Still stuck?

1. Screenshot your paywall and ask: “Is everything a user needs to know visible at a glance?”
2. Have someone unfamiliar with your app try to understand the pricing in 5 seconds
3. Compare your paywall to apps like Spotify, Netflix, or Headspace
4. Contact support: support@despia.com with:
   • Screenshot of your paywall
   • Your rejection notice in full
   • Whether you’re using custom or RevenueCat paywall