Apple rejecting app submissions with names that include references to price

Apple is no longer allowing developers to include pricing information in the name of their respective app store submissions, a practice commonly used to promote free or inexpensive software.

Apple has been gradually shifting App Store policy over the past month to accommodate the new stipulations, according to VentureBeat. In particular, submissions containing references to pricing in their name, preview images or metadata are being blocked from the iOS and Mac App Stores.

The company discourages developers from incorporating allusions to price in app titles and accompanying App Store assets, but until now has not taken action against those who do. Developers have for years used app names to tout free to download software, a tactic that plays to the App Store's visual design.

According to the report, however, submitting an app with the word "Free" in its title now returns the following error message:

Your apps name, icons, screenshots, or previews to be displayed on the App Store include references to your apps price, which is not considered a part of these metadata items.

Please remove any references to your apps price from your apps name, including any references to your app being free or discounted. If you would like to advertise changes to your apps price, it would be appropriate to include this information in the app description. Changes to your apps price can be made in the Pricing and Availability section of iTunes Connect.

An Apple spokesperson confirmed the new App Store protocol to VentureBeat, but declined to explain the impetus behind the changes.

Apple's current developer guidelines do not specifically restrict developers from including the term "Free" in app names, though certain documentation does prohibit similar information from appearing in app screenshots. Appearing alongside app descriptions, screenshots are often modified with text to promote or highlight app features.

"Dont reference specific prices in your app screenshots. Referencing a local currency can mislead customers in other store territories and cause confusion," the document reads.

In any case, the newly instituted restriction appears to impact newly submitted titles, as a number of apps with the word "Free" in their name can be found on the App Store. For example, Google Drive for iOS, which shows up on the iOS App Store as "Google Drive — free online storage," is sitting in the No. 34 spot on Apple's Top Charts for free apps as of this writing.

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14 Comments

Rayz2016 6957 comments · 8 Years

About 7 years ago

Probably because most of these 'free apps' have in-app purchases.

sirlance99 1301 comments · 11 Years

Seriously! Of all the hundreds of thousands of apps to choose from, you choose to single out Google?

cropr 1142 comments · 11 Years

As an app developer I don't like that at all. One of my apps has 2 versions: a free version, with reduced functionality, and a paid version version, with full functionality. It will just confuse the final customer if he has no clear distinction in a title between the 2 versions.
On top of that the new rule disturbs my own marketing for the app (which does not come for free). I will have additional costs with no added value whatsoever

The_Purple_Pear 1 comment · 7 Years

cropr said:

As an app developer I don't like that at all. One of my apps has 2 versions: a free version, with reduced functionality, and a paid version version, with full functionality. It will just confuse the final customer if he has no clear distinction in a title between the 2 versions.
On top of that the new rule disturbs my own marketing for the app (which does not come for free). I will have additional costs with no added value whatsoever

Genuine question.. Why 2 versions? Why not one version with IAP for full version functionality?Regarding the Google app mention in the article, 'Free' is not really being used to highlight the price of the app but describe the service. Have seen other examples mentioned on other sites, 'AppsGoneFree' for example is the name of the app not a reference to the price, Spotifiy 'Listen to and stream music for free' same situation as the Google app - describing the service not the price of the app.

Imagine if there was a Free Willy* app (there may be, I didn't look) again 'Free' is part of the title, not a reference to price. I'm sure there are plenty of games with Free in the title that again is in no way a reference to the app price. I would hope and expect that Apple will be making exceptions in those cases - although the process that triggers the automated error message mentioned in the article might have trouble with detecting the difference.

(*For youngsters with dirty minds; I'm referencing the old films (whilst showing my age), nothing rude!)

AppleInsider said:

Apple is no longer allowing developers to include pricing information in the name of their respective app store submissions, a practice commonly used to promote free or inexpensive software.

{snip}

In any case, the newly instituted restriction appears to impact newly submitted titles, as a number of apps with the word "Free" in their name can be found on the App Store. For example, Google Drive for iOS, which shows up on the iOS App Store as "Google Drive -- free online storage," is sitting in the No. 34 spot on Apple's Top Charts for free apps as of this writing.