iPhone apps free for a limited time: how to catch them
This week one app went free and Appollow, the site I run, tried to push that to every subscriber in the same second. The server choked on the burst and a lot of those notifications never went out. The people who missed it had asked to be told when an app goes free, and the deal could have ended before they stumbled on it themselves.
I fixed it by capping pushes at three per person per hour, and the whole time I kept thinking how strange it is that this is my problem to solve at all, Apple lets developers make an app free for a day, and doesn't tell anyone.
How do paid iPhone apps end up free for a limited time?
The developer schedules it. In App Store Connect, a developer can set a temporary price change with a start date and an end date, for the countries they pick, and Apple won't touch the price during that window. The longest one allowed is a year, but nothing stops a developer from running it for a single day (App Store Connect Help).
There's no set length, so a deal can end tomorrow, and it can run in one country only, so an app that's free in the US store might still show a price in yours. Apple's terms just say "Content prices may change at any time" (Apple Media Services Terms).
Does the App Store tell you when a price drops?
Not that I've ever found. I've gone through the App Store app looking for a watch list or a price alert and there isn't one, you can't follow an app's price. So you're left with two options: check a list of current deals every day, or have something send you an alert.
How to get an alert when an iPhone app goes free
This is the part I built Appollow for. It's a web app, so there's nothing to download from the App Store, but it can still send you notifications once it's on your Home Screen.
- Open appollow.net in Safari.
- Tap the Share button, then Add to Home Screen, then Add. (There's a step-by-step with screenshots if you get stuck.)
- Open Appollow from your Home Screen, go to Settings, and turn on Notifications.
You need iOS 16.4 or later for this. That's the version where Apple gave web apps on the Home Screen push notifications, and iOS only lets the site ask after you tap something, which is why it's a toggle you turn on yourself. The notifications show up on the Lock Screen, in Notification Center and on a paired Apple Watch, same as any other app (WebKit, February 2023).
You get a push when an app that had a price goes free. The title says "Free for a limited time" and, when we know it, the price it was before. If more than three apps go free within an hour, you get one last push that says "Lots of apps just went free!" and opens the full list, instead of your phone buzzing all afternoon.
If you'd rather check a list
The discounted apps page shows what's currently free or on sale. If you check it once a day you'll catch most deals, the risk is the short ones that start and end between two of your visits.
Check it's actually free before you tap Get
A few things I check every time:
- The button. If it shows a price instead of Get, the deal's over or it's not running in your country.
- In-app purchases. Some apps that go free are really selling a subscription inside. Check the listing for in-app purchases before you get excited.
- Your country. Because developers pick the countries for a price change, the same app can be free in one store and paid in another.
Grab it even if you don't need it yet
Once you've downloaded an app during a free deal, it's in your purchase history. Later you can open the App Store, tap your photo, go to Apps & Purchase History, then Your Apps, then Not on this iPhone, and tap Redownload (Apple Support). Apple's page doesn't say what happens if the developer pulls the app from the store, so I wouldn't count on it forever, but for anything still listed you don't pay again.
I paid yesterday and it's free today. Can I get a refund?
You can ask, but don't expect it. Apple's terms say "All Transactions are final," and nothing on Apple's refund page mentions price drops. If you still want to try, sign in at reportaproblem.apple.com, choose I'd like to, then Request a refund, pick a reason and the app. Apple says to check back in 24 to 48 hours, and eligibility depends on your country (Apple Support).
FAQ
How long do limited-time free deals last on the App Store?
There's no fixed length. The developer picks a start and end date, anywhere up to a year, and can pick a single day. Once the end date passes, the old price comes back.
Do I need to install an app to get free app alerts on iPhone?
No. Appollow is a web app: add it to your Home Screen from Safari and turn on notifications. It needs iOS 16.4 or later, because that's when Home Screen web apps got push notifications.
Why didn't I get a notification when an app went free?
It's one of these: you opened Appollow in a Safari tab instead of from the Home Screen icon, notifications are off in Appollow's settings, or your iPhone is on a version older than iOS 16.4. If lots of apps went free in the same hour, you got one summary push instead of one per app.
Do I keep an app after the free deal ends?
Yes. It stays in Apps & Purchase History and you can redownload it from there without paying. Apple doesn't say what happens if the developer later removes the app from the store.
If you spot a free app before I do, submit it so other people see it too.