Apple has informed App Store developers that they can now add retention messages sooner, when they want to remind cancelling subscribers of how great their app is.

You already know how this works. You go to cancel broadband, cable if you still have it, that New York Times subscription, and no one will just let you do it.

Instead, you're asked if you're sure, then if you're really sure, and often the service says, look, stick with us and you can have a huge discount. It's a routine story, and actually one Apple has offered developers before.

It's more than a year since Apple created a retention message API for developers, but now it has announced that the feature is available with no clear detail over what's new. It appears, though, that the difference may be in how Apple has added a further option regarding when users get these messages.

Previously developers had the option to present various messages when a user clicked or tapped on a Cancel button. Now the user only has to be on the page that has that button for the developer's server to be alerted in real-time.

"The real-time messaging flow calls your server when an active subscriber views a subscription details page with a Cancel button," says Apple's developer documentation. "For example, customers might consider canceling on the Apple Account > Subscriptions page, or when viewing the subscription details page on the App Store."

If a user does this, the developer can be alerted with a location and "the original transaction ID." It's not clear how precise the location is, but it means the developer can automatically send a message in the most likely correct language or using the local currency.

The transaction ID lets the developer know which subscription tier the person is on and how long they've been a subscriber. So there are more options for a developer to tailor a retention message.

This feature of real-time alerts to the developer even if the user hasn't yet clicked a Cancel button was not part of the offering when launched in July 2025. There's no indication, though, of when it was added so this may not be the reason Apple has announced the feature again.

Apple does say that developers must request the feature. So it's possible that the company is just re-promoting the feature on its developer site.

What users see

Regardless of any detail changes, the retention messages API continues to work in the same way. Once a subscriber taps or clicks on a button to cancel their subscription, Apple lets developers present one of four types of message:

  • Text with optional bullet points
  • Text with optional bullet points and an image
  • Offer of a different subscription tier when available
  • Offer of a discounted subscription

Alongside whichever message the developer chooses, the app must then have buttons to Cancel, Keep Subscription, or take up those offers.

For all the value that subscriptions can offer, though, they do also mount up. Regardless of any retention messages, do make a habit of auditing your subscriptions and cancelling any you don't need.