Apple paid apps agreement

To sell anything on the App Store, a subscription included, Apple requires the Paid Apps Agreement. It is a contract between you and Apple: it says Apple sells on your behalf and pays you. Bloxks cannot sign it for you: Apple keeps it for the Account Holder of the developer account.

Why it matters

As long as the agreement is not Active:

• your paywall shows no plan, not even in TestFlight or with a test account;
• no error message says why: the plans simply do not load;
• Apple refuses new in-app purchases and new paid apps.

It is the number one cause of an empty paywall on iPhone. A free app with no subscription does not need it.

Before you start

• Log in with the Apple account of the Account Holder (the person who enrolled in the Apple Developer Program). Admins cannot sign.
• Have at hand your bank details (IBAN and account holder name) and your tax identification (tax number, company number if you enrolled as an organization).
• Allow 15 minutes.

Step 1: sign the agreement

1. Open App Store Connect and click Business at the top of the page.
2. On the Agreements tab, find the Paid Apps row, then click View and Agree to Terms.
3. Apple may ask for a two-factor verification code: enter the one received on your iPhone or Mac.
4. Read the terms, tick the box, then click Agree. This cannot be undone, and you can download a copy.

Step 2: add your bank account

1. Still in Business, on the Paid Apps row, click Add next to Bank Account.
2. Enter your bank details. The account holder name must match your Apple Developer account (your name, or your company’s).
3. Save. This is where Apple will pay your sales, about once a month.

Step 3: fill in the tax forms

1. On the same row, click Add next to Tax Forms.
2. Fill in the U.S. tax form Apple asks for, even if you live outside the United States: outside the US it is usually the W-8BEN (individual) or W-8BEN-E (company). It lowers the tax withheld on your US sales when your country has a tax treaty.
3. Add the forms of the other territories if Apple suggests them.

Check that it is active

Back on the Agreements tab, the Paid Apps row must show the status Active. While it shows Pending or Processing, Apple is checking your details: it usually takes a few hours, up to 24 hours, sometimes a bit more for bank checks.

Once it is active, reopen your app from TestFlight: the plans appear on their own, nothing to republish.

If it doesn’t work

• No Agree button: you are not logged in as the Account Holder. Ask them to do it, or log in with their account.
• The status stays Pending for more than 2 days: open the row to see what is missing (often a tax form or a bank check). Apple sometimes sends an email asking for a document.
• The agreement was active and the plans disappeared: Apple published a new version of the agreement, or your membership was renewed late. An alert appears at the top of App Store Connect: accept the new version the same way.
• Everything is active and the paywall is still empty: check the other items of the Last mile card in the Paywall tab, starting with the in-app purchase key. The full list is in Paywall and subscriptions.

Good to know

• The agreement covers all the apps of your account: sign it once.
• Apple sends the agreement again when it changes (usually once a year): accept the new version, otherwise sales stop.
• The whole Apple setup, from membership to the smaller commission: Set up your Apple account.

Sources: Apple, Sign and update agreements, RevenueCat, App Store Connect setup guide.