Apple has announced a new subscription model for the App Store, allowing users to purchase multiple seats for a single application. This feature enables a primary subscriber to invite family members, colleagues, or team members to share access to the service while maintaining individual Apple accounts.
The initiative includes two distinct purchasing paths. The Volume Purchasing feature for corporate and educational clients is already live as of October 22, allowing organizations to manage subscriptions via Apple Business or Apple School Manager. This system provides tools for administrators to distribute and adjust seat counts.
For general users, the Group Purchases feature is scheduled for release this winter. Developers can begin configuring and testing this functionality in a sandbox environment starting October 28. The system is designed to facilitate shared access to tools such as fitness, design, or AI applications.
Developers retain control over these features through App Store Connect. They can choose to disable multi-seat purchasing or restrict its availability across specific platforms, including the standard App Store, Apple Business, or Apple School Manager. Apple has not yet specified pricing, minimum seat requirements, or discount mandates.
