# Guideline 3.1.2 - Subscriptions: Calculated Pricing More Prominent Than Billed Amount

**Guideline:** 3.1.2 · **Store:** Apple App Store · **Fix difficulty:** medium · **Typical turnaround:** 2-8 hours

Canonical URL: https://appstorereject.com/rejections/apple/3/guideline-312-subscriptions-calculated-pricing-more-prominent-than-billed-amount

## Description

Apple is rejecting your app because the subscription purchase flow displays a calculated or broken-down price (like a monthly or weekly equivalent) more prominently than the actual amount that will be billed. This is the single most common 3.1.2 rejection.

For example, if you sell a yearly subscription for $59.99/year but display "Only $4.99/month" in large text with the actual annual charge in smaller text, Apple considers this misleading. The billed amount — the price that will actually be charged to the user's payment method — must be the most clear and conspicuous pricing element.

This applies to both monthly-calculated and weekly-calculated display pricing. Apple's reviewers evaluate font size, color, weight, and position to determine which price is most prominent.

## Common variations

- Monthly calculated pricing displayed more prominently than billed amount
- Weekly calculated pricing displayed more prominently than billed amount
- Calculated pricing more clear and conspicuous than total billed amount
- Subordinate pricing elements more prominent than actual charge

## Example rejection email

```
One or more auto-renewable subscriptions are marketed in the purchase flow in a way that may mislead or confuse users about the subscription terms or pricing. Specifically:

- The auto-renewable subscription displays the monthly calculated pricing for the subscription more clearly and conspicuously than the billed amount.

See attached screenshot(s) for details.
```

## Resolution steps

## Quick Assessment

Look at your paywall. What's the biggest, boldest price on screen? If it's a calculated price (e.g., "$4.99/mo" for a yearly plan), that's the problem. The actual charge amount must be dominant.

## The Fix

1. **Make the billed amount the headline price** — Display the actual charge (e.g., "$59.99/year") as the largest, boldest, most prominent pricing element.

2. **Subordinate calculated prices** — If you want to show a monthly equivalent, display it smaller, lighter, and below the billed amount. Think of it as supporting text, not the headline.

3. **Check all pricing tiers** — If you offer weekly, monthly, and annual plans, each plan's billed amount must be most prominent for that plan.

4. **Evaluate these factors** — Apple specifically calls out: font size, font weight, color contrast, and position in the layout. The billed amount should win on all four.

5. **Remove per-unit breakdowns from CTAs** — Don't put "$4.99/mo" on the subscribe button if the actual charge is $59.99/year. The button should reflect the real charge.

## Prevention

- Design paywalls with the billed amount as the primary element from the start
- Use Apple's `SubscriptionStoreView` for automatic compliance
- If A/B testing paywalls, ensure all variants pass this rule
- Get a fresh pair of eyes — ask someone unfamiliar with your app which price stands out first

## Before / after examples

**Before:** Large bold text: 'Just $4.99/month' with small text below: '$59.99 billed annually'
**After:** Large bold text: '$59.99/year' with smaller supporting text: 'That's just $4.99/month'
**Why it works:** The billed amount ($59.99/year) is what gets charged — it must be the most prominent price. The monthly equivalent is supplementary information.

## Common questions

**How long does this typically take to fix?**

Typical turnaround is 2-8 hours (difficulty: medium). After resubmission, most re-reviews complete within 24-48 hours.

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*Machine-readable source: https://api.appstorereject.com/api/rejections/detail?slug=guideline-312-subscriptions-calculated-pricing-more-prominent-than-billed-amount*