Glossary/Mobile & App Marketing/In-App Purchase (IAP)
Mobile & App Marketing
In-App Purchase (IAP)
Buying digital goods, upgrades, or subscriptions within an app, usually processed through the Apple App Store or Google Play billing.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Short answer
An in-app purchase (IAP) is a transaction to buy digital goods, upgrades, currency or subscriptions inside a mobile app. Payments are usually processed through Apple App Store or Google Play billing, which take a commission, commonly 15 to 30 percent. IAP is the main revenue model for free-to-download games and many consumer apps.