TL;DR
RevenueCat is the tool that manages in-app subscriptions, trials, and receipts across both stores through one simple interface. Create your products in the stores, connect them in RevenueCat, add its SDK with Claude Code, then ask one question in your app: is this user subscribed. Its free tier covers most new apps.
Handling in-app subscriptions by hand means talking to Apple's and Google's separate billing systems, validating receipts, tracking renewals and trials, and keeping it all in sync. That is a lot of fragile code for a beginner. RevenueCat exists to do it for you. It sits between your app and the stores, manages the whole subscription lifecycle, and gives your app one clean way to ask whether a user is subscribed.
What RevenueCat actually does
RevenueCat talks to both the App Store and Google Play so you do not have to write two billing integrations. It tracks who is subscribed, handles trials and renewals, validates receipts, and lets you change prices and run tests without shipping a new build. In your app, it boils all of that down to a simple check: is this user entitled to the paid features. That single question replaces a mountain of billing code.
The setup steps in order
- Create your subscription products in App Store Connect and Google Play Console with prices and durations.
- Make a RevenueCat account and connect it to both stores with their API keys.
- Map your store products to RevenueCat offerings and entitlements so the app knows what unlocks.
- Add the RevenueCat SDK to your app with Claude Code and wire the paywall to it.
Wire it up with Claude Code
You do not need to memorize RevenueCat's SDK. Tell Claude Code you want to add RevenueCat to your Expo app, point it at your RevenueCat keys and offerings, and describe the paywall and the paid features to unlock. Claude Code writes the integration, the subscription check, and the restore-purchase flow. Preview it in Expo and confirm that buying a plan unlocks the right features on your phone.
Test with sandbox accounts
Before you ship, run real purchase flows using the stores' sandbox and test accounts. Buy a subscription as a test user and confirm RevenueCat marks them as subscribed and your app unlocks the paid features. Test restoring a purchase after a reinstall too. RevenueCat's dashboard shows the test purchase coming through, which is a satisfying way to confirm the whole chain works before real money is involved.
Use the dashboard to steer
Once live, RevenueCat's dashboard becomes your revenue cockpit. It shows subscriptions, trials, conversions, and churn across both stores in one place, so you can see what is working and test paywalls and prices against real users. Instead of guessing, you make pricing and paywall decisions from real numbers, which is exactly how you turn a working app into a growing one.
Common questions
What is RevenueCat?
It is a tool that manages in-app subscriptions, trials, and receipts across the App Store and Google Play through one interface. It sits between your app and the stores, tracks who is subscribed, and gives your app a simple way to check subscription status instead of hand-coding two billing systems.
Do I have to pay for RevenueCat?
Not to start. RevenueCat has a free tier that handles a healthy amount of revenue before you pay anything, which covers most first apps. You get real subscription management, cross-store support, and analytics without an upfront cost, and only pay once you are genuinely earning.
What do I set up before adding RevenueCat?
Create your subscription products in App Store Connect and Google Play Console first, with their prices and durations. Then make a RevenueCat account, connect both stores with API keys, and map your products to RevenueCat offerings and entitlements so your app knows what each purchase unlocks.
Do I need to know how to code to use RevenueCat?
No. Tell Claude Code you want to add RevenueCat to your Expo app, point it at your keys and offerings, and describe the paywall and features to unlock. Claude Code writes the integration, the subscription check, and the restore flow. You preview it in Expo and confirm it works on your phone.
How do I test RevenueCat before launch?
Use the stores' sandbox and test accounts to run real purchase flows without real charges. Buy a subscription as a test user and confirm RevenueCat marks them subscribed and your app unlocks the paid features. Test restore-purchase after a reinstall too, and watch it appear in the dashboard.
What does the RevenueCat dashboard show me?
Subscriptions, trials, conversions, and churn across both stores in one place. It lets you test paywalls and prices against real users and see what works. Instead of guessing, you make pricing and paywall decisions from real numbers, which is how you turn a working app into a growing one.
Keep going
Set up RevenueCat and let it run your subscriptions
Get the other 37 in the app user stack, plus the full App Store Launch Club community - $9/mo, cancel anytime.
Join the Club