Apple is making it easier for businesses and educational institutions to purchase app subscriptions for multiple people through a single transaction. The new multiseat purchasing feature, available starting October 22, 2026, lets organizations buy the number of subscription seats they need and manage access through their existing device management tools.

Announced through the Apple Developer website, the feature works with Apple Business and Apple School Manager, giving companies, schools, and other eligible organizations a way to purchase auto-renewable app subscriptions in bulk rather than arranging individual purchases for every employee or student.

How Apple’s multiseat subscriptions work

With multiseat purchasing, an organization can buy multiple seats for an eligible app subscription through a single Apple in-app purchase. Administrators can then assign those seats to users and manage them through their existing device management systems.

Organizations can also add or remove seats as their requirements change. This flexibility could be useful for businesses onboarding new employees, schools equipping students with educational apps, or teams that need access to specialized productivity and collaboration software.

The system is designed to simplify subscription management by bringing bulk purchasing into Apple’s existing business and education platforms. Instead of handling separate subscriptions for individual users, an organization can purchase the required seats together and manage access centrally.

Multiseat purchasing is enabled by default

Apple says multiseat purchasing is enabled by default in App Store Connect for eligible auto-renewable subscriptions, unless developers have previously changed the setting or the subscription falls under an exception.

Developers can manage their subscription’s purchase options in App Store Connect, including deciding whether it can be purchased through the App Store, Apple Business, or Apple School Manager. This gives developers control over where their subscriptions are available and whether customers can buy multiple seats.

There are some exceptions for existing subscriptions. Apple’s documentation notes that subscriptions created before September 14, 2026, that do not use StoreKit 2 or have Family Sharing enabled are opted out by default. Developers can enable multiseat purchasing for these subscriptions where supported.

The change could give app developers another way to reach organizational customers without requiring them to build a separate purchasing and account-management system for every business or school.

Group purchases are coming to the App Store

Apple is also preparing to extend multiseat subscriptions beyond organizations. Starting October 28, 2026, developers will be able to configure and test group purchases using a Sandbox Apple Account.

Group purchases are expected to arrive on the App Store this winter. The feature will let customers purchase multiple subscription seats and invite other people to use them, with Apple handling the seat assignment and invitation process.

Unlike the business and education offering, which relies on Apple’s organizational purchasing platforms, group purchases will give regular App Store customers a way to buy subscriptions for multiple people in a single transaction.

Together, the two initiatives expand Apple’s subscription model beyond individual users. Businesses and schools can begin using multiseat purchasing now, while consumers and other groups will have to wait for the planned App Store rollout.