7 Best In App Payment Solutions for Mobile Apps (iOS and Android)
Summary
- The Epic v. Apple ruling allows iOS developers to bypass Apple's 30% commission, potentially saving an app with $500K in revenue over $100,000 per year.
- Modern in-app payment solutions eliminate the old trade-off between paying high fees for a good user experience and using a clunky web redirect that hurts conversion.
- The best alternative depends on your needs: a full Merchant of Record (MoR) handles global taxes and compliance, while payment gateways offer more control for teams with existing infrastructure.
- For iOS developers wanting the fastest way to increase revenue, Allocents provides a drop-in SDK that adds direct billing in 15 minutes and handles all payment complexities.
In April 2025, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers made it permanent: Apple can no longer force developers to use its In-App Purchase (IAP) system in the United States. The Epic v. Apple ruling didn't just open a door — it blew the wall off, unlocking over $150 billion in annual IAP volume for direct competition.
For years, iOS developers were stuck in an impossible choice. As one developer put it in a candid Reddit thread: "Pay the 30% IAP fee to Apple to get the smooth StoreKit experience, or save on the fees by using Web Checkout, but sacrifice the UX by forcing users into a janky Safari redirect that kills conversion." That was the deal. You either paid the "Apple Tax" or you hemorrhaged conversions.
That trade-off is now dead.
Today, a new generation of in-app payment solutions gives developers real alternatives — from full Merchant of Record (MoR) providers that handle taxes, fraud, and chargebacks globally, to flexible payment gateways for teams who want total control. Below, we've ranked the 7 best options by use case, so you can match the right tool to your specific situation.
1. Allocents — Best for iOS Developers Post-Epic v. Apple
Ideal for: iOS subscription apps ($500K–$20M+ ARR), mobile game studios (consumables), cross-platform apps on Flutter/React Native
If you're an iOS developer who's been quietly seething about handing Apple 30 cents of every dollar, Allocents was built specifically for this moment — by ex-Apple OS engineers who know StoreKit from the inside. They understand exactly why the old alternative payment flows felt so broken, and they built Allocents to fix it.
The core proposition: a single SDK that integrates in 15 minutes and lets you offer direct billing alongside or instead of Apple's StoreKit — with a checkout that feels completely native to your app.
Two billing modes:
- Allocents Billing (Full MoR): Allocents acts as the Merchant of Record, handling payments, tax remittance across 190+ countries, chargebacks, fraud protection, refunds, and customer support. Pricing: 5% + $0.50 per transaction. This is Apple-like billing infrastructure without the Apple fee.
- Bring Your Own Stripe (BYOS): Connect your existing Stripe account. You handle MoR responsibilities; Allocents provides the SDK, checkout UI, and smart migration flows. Pricing: 0.5% of direct billing revenue migrated.
Standout features:
- "Sign Up & Save" paywalls where new users choose App Store or direct billing at signup
- "Switch & Save" campaigns to migrate existing StoreKit subscribers to direct billing
- Native web checkout with Apple Pay / Google Pay (no Safari redirect)
- Smart cancellation flows with discount offers and pause options to reduce churn
- Automatic StoreKit product sync from App Store Connect
- Gradual rollout controls (start with 10% of traffic, scale, rollback instantly)
- A/B testing for discounts, copy, and timing
- Analytics dashboard tracking migration rates, cohort adoption, and revenue impact
This removes the key objection to every previous alternative: that going off Apple IAP meant rebuilding subscription logic from scratch (typically requiring both Paddle and RevenueCat), or accepting a degraded user experience. Allocents replaces that whole stack with one 15-minute integration.
2. Paddle — Best MoR for SaaS & Cross-Platform Apps
Ideal for: SaaS companies, cross-platform desktop/mobile apps, global software sales
Paddle is the established Merchant of Record for software and SaaS. As a full MoR, it takes on all the legal and operational weight of global sales — VAT, GST, sales tax, fraud, and payment disputes — so you don't have to. If you're selling software across multiple platforms and regions and you need air-tight tax compliance out of the box, Paddle is a proven solution.
Pricing: 5% + $0.50 per transaction MoR: Yes SDKs: iOS, Android, Web Key features: Customizable hosted checkouts, automated invoicing, subscription management, built-in fraud protection
The trade-off compared to Allocents is that Paddle isn't purpose-built for the post-Epic iOS migration workflow. There's no StoreKit product sync, no gradual rollout tooling, and no "Switch & Save" campaign flows designed to migrate existing App Store subscribers.
3. Stripe — Best for Custom Payment Stacks
Ideal for: Larger app teams with in-house compliance and support, developers who need a fully bespoke checkout flow
Stripe is the developer's payment processor of choice for a reason — its API is best-in-class, its documentation is immaculate, and its flexibility is unmatched. For teams that want complete control over the payment experience, the Stripe iOS SDK offers a prebuilt PaymentSheet for quick integrations, a FlowController for custom flows, and an Appearance API to match your brand.
Pricing: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (base rate) MoR: No — you are the Merchant of Record SDKs: iOS (Swift/Objective-C), Android, Web
The critical caveat: Stripe's headline rate doesn't tell the full story. As developers note in community discussions, Stripe "can get pricey and rigid" once you factor in the tools you need to bolt on — sales tax software, fraud detection, churn management, and the internal headcount to handle chargebacks and customer disputes. If you're a solo developer or a lean team, that operational overhead adds up fast.
Stripe is excellent as the payment rails underneath an Allocents BYOS setup: you bring your existing Stripe account, and Allocents wraps it with the iOS migration UI and smart offer flows.
4. RevenueCat — Best for Subscription Analytics & Management
Ideal for: Subscription apps that want to stay on native IAP but need cross-platform entitlement management and analytics
RevenueCat isn't a payment processor — it's the backend brain for subscription apps. It sits on top of StoreKit, Google Play Billing, and Stripe to unify subscription state, analytics, and integrations across platforms. If you want to keep using Apple IAP but need powerful churn analytics, server-side receipt validation, and easy A/B testing for paywalls without building your own backend, RevenueCat is the go-to.
Pricing: Tiered, based on monthly tracked revenue MoR: No SDKs: iOS, Android, Web Key features: MRR/LTV/churn dashboards, paywall A/B testing, webhook integrations, cross-platform entitlement management
What RevenueCat doesn't solve is the core cost problem: you're still paying Apple's 30% commission. Think of it as optimizing within the Apple tax rather than escaping it.
5. Braintree — Best for PayPal/Venmo Conversion
Ideal for: E-commerce apps and marketplaces where PayPal and Venmo acceptance is critical to checkout conversion
Braintree, a PayPal service, differentiates itself through payment method breadth. If your user base heavily indexes on PayPal or Venmo — common in peer-to-peer marketplaces and consumer e-commerce — Braintree's native support for both can meaningfully lift conversion rates versus a card-only checkout.
Pricing: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction MoR: No — you're responsible for tax, chargebacks, and fraud SDKs: iOS, Android Key features: PayPal, Venmo, credit/debit, Apple Pay, Google Pay; built-in fraud tools
6. Adyen — Best for Enterprise Global Scale
Ideal for: Large multinational apps and marketplaces needing a unified global payment stack
Adyen is the enterprise payment platform. It powers global brands that need to accept dozens of local payment methods across many regions from a single integration point. Its machine-learning fraud tools and rich payment analytics are best-in-class at scale.
Pricing: Variable, based on transaction volume and payment method MoR: No SDKs: API-first with mobile SDKs available Key considerations: Adyen has high minimum volume requirements and a complex onboarding process — it's not the right fit for most indie or mid-market app developers.
7. Square — Best for Hybrid Physical/Digital Businesses
Ideal for: Businesses with both a physical and digital presence (fitness studios, retail with apps, etc.)
Square's In-App Payments SDK is a straightforward, trusted integration for developers who want a single payment provider spanning their in-person and in-app commerce. Square handles PCI compliance and disputes, though you remain the Merchant of Record.
Pricing: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction MoR: No SDKs: iOS, Android, Flutter Key features: Fast card-entry UI, Apple Pay & Google Pay support, card-on-file for repeat purchases
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Provider | Transaction Fee | Merchant of Record | SDK Availability | Ease of Integration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allocents | 5% + $0.50 (Full MoR) or 0.5% (BYOS) | Yes / Optional | Swift, Kotlin, Flutter, React Native | ~15 minutes |
| Paddle | 5% + $0.50 | Yes | iOS, Android, Web | Low-code options |
| Stripe | 2.9% + $0.30 | No | iOS, Android, Web | Moderate |
| RevenueCat | Tiered by revenue | No | iOS, Android, Web | Easy |
| Braintree | 2.9% + $0.30 | No | iOS, Android | Moderate |
| Adyen | Variable | No | API + mobile SDKs | Complex |
| Square | 2.9% + $0.30 | No | iOS, Android, Flutter | Easy |
Decision Framework: What Is Apple's 30% Really Costing You?
If your iOS app is generating $500K+ in ARR, the Apple Tax isn't an abstract policy complaint — it's a monthly line item that's stunting your growth. Here's what you're actually paying:
Scenario: $500K ARR iOS App
| Apple IAP | Allocents (Full MoR) | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly revenue | $41,667 | $41,667 |
| Platform/processing fee | $12,500 (30%) | ~$4,167 (5% + $0.50 × ~4,167 subs) |
| Monthly take-home | $29,167 | $37,500 |
| Annual take-home | $350,000 | $450,000 |
The difference: $8,333 per month. Over $100,000 per year.
That's not a rounding error. That's a senior engineer's salary. That's a paid acquisition budget that could meaningfully move your growth curve. That's the capital to build the feature that wins your next 10,000 users.
And it compounds. At $1M ARR, you're leaving $200K+ on the table annually. At $2M ARR, it's over $400K.
Use this to pick your solution:
- On iOS, $500K+ ARR, and want the fastest path to direct billing? → Allocents Billing (15-minute integration, full MoR, done)
- Have existing Stripe infrastructure and an in-house support team? → Allocents BYOS at 0.5% of migrated revenue
- Cross-platform SaaS that needs global tax compliance out of the box? → Paddle
- Staying on Apple IAP but need better analytics and entitlement management? → RevenueCat
- Large enterprise with multinational payment complexity? → Adyen
- Marketplace where PayPal/Venmo acceptance drives conversion? → Braintree
- Physical + digital hybrid business? → Square
The Bottom Line
The Epic v. Apple ruling has permanently changed what "in-app payment solution" means for iOS developers. The old binary — pay 30% for a good experience, or break UX to save money — no longer exists. Developers now have genuine, production-ready alternatives that don't force that compromise.
The right choice depends on your stack, revenue scale, and operational capacity. But for iOS developers generating $500K or more in ARR who are done subsidizing Apple's margins, the math is hard to argue with. Allocents provides the most direct, native-feeling path to direct billing — built by engineers who spent years inside the system you're finally allowed to work around.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Epic v. Apple ruling change for iOS developers?
The Epic v. Apple ruling permanently allows U.S. developers to use payment systems other than Apple's In-App Purchase (IAP) and direct users to them within their apps. This means you are no longer forced to pay Apple's 15-30% commission on all digital sales and can integrate third-party solutions that offer lower fees, more control, and a better user experience without clunky website redirects.
Why should I switch from Apple's In-App Purchase (IAP)?
The primary reason to switch from Apple's IAP is to significantly increase your revenue by avoiding the 15-30% "Apple Tax." For an app generating $500K in annual revenue, this fee costs over $100,000 per year. By switching to a lower-cost provider, you can reinvest that capital into product development, user acquisition, or hiring. You also gain more control over pricing, promotions, and the customer relationship.
What is a Merchant of Record (MoR) and do I need one?
A Merchant of Record (MoR) is a service that acts as the seller on your behalf, taking on the full legal and financial responsibility for your transactions. This includes handling global sales tax, VAT remittance, fraud detection, and chargebacks. If you sell internationally, an MoR is essential to simplify compliance and reduce operational overhead, allowing you to focus on your product instead of global tax law.
How can I migrate existing subscribers from Apple IAP to direct billing?
You can migrate existing subscribers by using specialized tools that present compelling "Switch & Save" offers inside your app. Solutions like Allocents are designed for this exact purpose, providing pre-built campaigns that can offer users a discount or bonus to update their payment method. The process is handled within a seamless, native UI, making it easy for users to switch and increasing your take-home revenue.
What's the difference between a payment gateway (like Stripe) and a full payment solution (like Allocents)?
A payment gateway like Stripe provides the fundamental infrastructure to process payments, but you are responsible for building everything else. A full payment solution like Allocents is an end-to-end system built specifically for the post-Epic v. Apple world. It includes the payment processing, but also the native checkout UI, subscriber migration tools, subscription logic, and Merchant of Record services needed to fully replace Apple's IAP with minimal engineering effort.
Is it complicated to add an alternative payment system to my iOS app?
No, it is no longer complicated thanks to modern SDKs designed for this purpose. Solutions like Allocents offer a 15-minute integration that syncs with your App Store products and provides pre-built, native UI for checkouts and paywalls. This replaces what used to be months of engineering work required to build a custom payment stack from scratch.
How much money can I really save by switching from Apple IAP?
You can save a substantial amount of money. For an iOS app with $1 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), Apple's 30% commission costs you $300,000. Switching to a solution like Allocents, with fees around 5%, reduces that cost to roughly $50,000, saving you $250,000 every year. This recovered margin can fundamentally change your business's growth trajectory.