Don't subscribe in the app: AI plan app store markups
Some AI companies charge more when you subscribe inside their iPhone app than on their website, because Apple takes a cut of every in-app subscription. We checked the App Store price of 19 plans from 6 tools in the US and Canada. The biggest gap: Cursor Super costs $129.99/mo in the app vs $100/mo on the web (+30%).
App Store prices checked Oct 18, 2026 · CAD web prices marked ~ are converted at 1 USD = 1.4154 CAD, Bank of Canada, Oct 16, 2026
Web vs in-app price
| Tool | Plan | Web US$ | iPhone app US$ | Markup | Web CA$ | iPhone app CA$ | Markup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cursor Cursor (sold via X Subscription Corp.) |
Super In app: “X Super” |
$100 | $129.99 | +30% | ~CA$142 | CA$179.99 | ~+27% |
| Cursor Cursor (sold via X Subscription Corp.) |
Ultra In app: “X Ultra” |
$200 | $259.99 | +30% | ~CA$283 | CA$359.99 | ~+27% |
| Claude Code Anthropic |
Max 5x In app: “Claude Max 5x - Monthly” |
$100 | $124.99 | +25% | ~CA$142 | CA$179.99 | ~+27% |
| Claude Code Anthropic |
Max 20x In app: “Claude Max 20x - Monthly” |
$200 | $249.99 | +25% | ~CA$283 | CA$349.99 | ~+24% |
| OpenAI Codex OpenAI |
Go In app: “ChatGPT Go” |
$8 | $8 | same | ~CA$11 | CA$12.99 | ~+15% |
| OpenAI Codex OpenAI |
Pro 100 In app: “ChatGPT Pro 100” |
$100 | $100 | same | ~CA$142 | CA$152.99 | ~+8% |
| Claude Code Anthropic |
Pro (annual) In app: “Claude Pro - Annual” |
$200 | $214.99 | +8% | ~CA$283 | CA$299.99 | ~+6% |
| OpenAI Codex OpenAI |
Pro 500 In app: “ChatGPT Pro 500” |
$500 | $500 | same | ~CA$708 | CA$759.99 | ~+7% |
| GitHub Copilot GitHub (Microsoft) |
Pro+ In app: “Copilot Pro+” |
$39 | $39.99 | +3% | ~CA$55 | CA$49.99 | ~-9% |
| Replit Agent Replit |
Core (annual) In app: “Replit Core” |
$216 | $219.99 | +2% | ~CA$306 | CA$299.99 | ~-2% |
| Claude Code Anthropic |
Pro In app: “Claude Pro - Monthly” |
$20 | $20 | same | CA$28 official | CA$28 | same |
| Cursor Cursor (sold via X Subscription Corp.) |
Premium In app: “X Premium” |
$30 | $30 | same | ~CA$42 | CA$41.99 | ~-1% |
| Gemini CLI Google |
Google AI Pro In app: “Google AI Pro (5 TB)” |
$19.99 | $19.99 | same | CA$26.99 official | CA$26.99 | same |
| Gemini CLI Google |
Google AI Ultra 20x In app: “Google AI Ultra (30 TB)” |
$199.99 | $199.99 | same | CA$279.99 official | CA$279.99 | same |
| GitHub Copilot GitHub (Microsoft) |
Pro In app: “Copilot Pro” |
$10 | $10 | same | ~CA$14 | CA$14 | ~-1% |
| OpenAI Codex OpenAI |
Pro 200 In app: “ChatGPT Pro 200” |
$200 | $200 | same | ~CA$283 | CA$249 | ~-12% |
| Replit Agent Replit |
Core In app: “Replit Core” |
$20 | $20 | same | ~CA$28 | CA$25 | ~-12% |
| OpenAI Codex OpenAI |
Plus In app: “ChatGPT Plus” |
$20 | $19.99 | same | ~CA$28 | CA$24.99 | ~-12% |
| GitHub Copilot GitHub (Microsoft) |
Max In app: “Copilot Max” |
$100 | $99 | -1% | ~CA$142 | CA$129 | ~-9% |
Monthly prices unless marked annual. Markup = (app price − web price) ÷ web price. App prices link to the Apple App Store listing (US or Canadian storefront, “In-App Purchases” section). Web prices come from each vendor's pricing page, linked on the tool page. Most vendors bill Canadians in US dollars on the web, so the CA$ web price is a conversion (~) and the CAD markup is approximate; a no-FX-fee card matters there. Prices exclude sales tax. Apple lists two "Replit Core" items in the Replit app; the US$219.99 / CA$299.99 one is the yearly price. The app lists one Ultra plan, "Google AI Ultra (30 TB)", at the same price as the web Ultra 20x tier ($199.99 / CA$279.99).
Why apps cost more
When you subscribe inside an iPhone app, Apple processes the payment and keeps a commission. On Android, Google Play does the same. Some companies raise the in-app price to cover that fee, others eat it and charge the same as the web.
- Apple: the developer gets 70% of an auto-renewing subscription in the subscriber's first year, and 85% after a year of paid service. So Apple keeps 30%, then 15% (Apple). Developers with under US$1M a year in App Store proceeds pay 15% (Small Business Program).
- Google Play: auto-renewing subscriptions carry a 15% service fee: 10% plus a 5% billing fee in the US, UK, EEA, Australia and Japan, and 15% in other markets including Canada (Google Play Console Help).
- A 30% cut on a $100 plan is $30, which is why a +25% to +30% in-app price on the bigger plans is the giveaway.
Tip: subscribe on the web
Every plan above is the same plan whether you pay in the app or on the website. Your usage limits, models and account are identical. Sign up on the vendor's website, then just log in on your phone. The app picks up your plan.
Google Play per-plan prices aren't shown on Play's public web listings, so we only list Apple prices here. With Google's fee at 15% on subscriptions, Android markups tend to be smaller, but check the price on the purchase screen before you tap Subscribe.
Already subscribed in the app? Switch to the web
- Cancel the in-app subscription. Deleting the app does not cancel it. On iPhone: Settings → your name → Subscriptions → pick the plan → Cancel Subscription (Apple's steps). On Android: Google Play → profile icon → Payments & subscriptions → Subscriptions → pick the plan → Cancel (Google's steps).
- Use up what you paid for. Cancelling stops the next renewal. You normally keep access until the end of the current billing period.
- Resubscribe on the web with the same account once the app subscription ends, so you aren't billed twice. Use the same email or login you use in the app.
Sources
- Apple: 70% to developer in a subscriber's first year, 85% after one year of paid service (i.e. Apple keeps 30%, then 15%) (checked Oct 18, 2026)
- Apple App Store Small Business Program: 15% commission for developers with up to US$1M in proceeds (checked Oct 18, 2026)
- Google Play service fees: auto-renewing subscriptions 15% (10% + 5% billing fee in the US, UK, EEA, Australia, Japan; 15% in other markets incl. Canada) (checked Oct 18, 2026)
- Apple: cancel a subscription (checked Oct 18, 2026)
- Google Play: cancel, pause or change a subscription (checked Oct 18, 2026)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cursor/id6767085653 (App Store listing, checked Oct 18, 2026)
- https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/cursor/id6767085653 (App Store listing, checked Oct 18, 2026)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/claude-by-anthropic/id6473753684 (App Store listing, checked Oct 18, 2026)
- https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/claude-by-anthropic/id6473753684 (App Store listing, checked Oct 18, 2026)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chatgpt/id6448311069 (App Store listing, checked Oct 18, 2026)
- https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/chatgpt/id6448311069 (App Store listing, checked Oct 18, 2026)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/github/id1477376905 (App Store listing, checked Oct 18, 2026)
- https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/github/id1477376905 (App Store listing, checked Oct 18, 2026)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/replit-vibe-code-with-ai-fast/id1614022293 (App Store listing, checked Oct 18, 2026)
- https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/replit-vibe-code-with-ai-fast/id1614022293 (App Store listing, checked Oct 18, 2026)
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/google-gemini/id6477489729 (App Store listing, checked Oct 18, 2026)
- https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/google-gemini/id6477489729 (App Store listing, checked Oct 18, 2026)
- Web prices: see each tool page for the vendor pricing page and the date we checked it.
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