Shopify App Billing: Why Your Users Aren't Seeing the Approval Screen Every Time

Understanding Shopify App Billing and Reinstalls

Hey everyone! I was just browsing the Shopify Community forums and saw a really interesting question pop up about app billing. It's something that a lot of developers grapple with, so I thought I'd share some insights.

The question, originally asked by user3970, was essentially: "Do I need to show the 'Approve billing' screen every time a user reinstalls my app?" It's a great question because you definitely want to make sure you're handling billing correctly and not confusing your users.

Let's dive into what the community had to say and break down the details.

The Billing Approval Flow: Once is Usually Enough

The short answer, according to eCominMotion, is generally no. Shopify is designed to only show the "Approve billing" screen once for each store and app combination, as long as there's an active charge associated with the app.

Think of it this way: the billing approval is linked to the charge itself, not to each individual install of the app. So, if a user installs your app, approves a subscription, and then uninstalls and reinstalls, they won't be prompted to approve billing again. Shopify remembers that they've already authorized the charge.

When Does the Billing Screen Reappear?

Now, there are a few specific situations where the "Approve billing" screen will reappear:

• The charge was canceled: If the user actively canceled their subscription (or you canceled it on their behalf), the next time they install the app, they'll need to approve billing again.
• The charge expired: Some charges might have an expiration date. If the charge has expired, the user will need to re-approve billing.
• You create a new charge: This is the big one. If you change the user's plan (e.g., upgrade them to a higher tier with more features), you'll need to create a new charge. This will trigger the "Approve billing" screen again.

Key Takeaway: Active Charge = No Repeated Approval

The core concept to remember is that the billing approval is tied to the active charge. As long as there's an active, valid charge in place for the user's store and your app, they won't be prompted to approve billing on every reinstall.

Shopify's documentation on app billing is super helpful here. You can find it here: About billing for your app

Testing Considerations

User3970 mentioned they were testing their app and noticed the behavior. This is a great point! When you're developing and testing, you might be reinstalling your app frequently. Because of the way Shopify handles billing, you might not see the billing approval screen every time during your testing phase. This is normal, but it's important to be aware of it so you don't get confused about how the billing flow works for real users.

Ensuring a Smooth User Experience

Ultimately, the goal is to create a seamless and intuitive experience for your users. Understanding how Shopify handles app billing is a crucial part of that. By knowing when the billing approval screen will appear (and when it won't), you can design your app's onboarding flow to be as clear and user-friendly as possible.

So, in a nutshell: don't worry about showing the "Approve billing" screen on every reinstall unless the charge is canceled, expired, or you're creating a new one. Shopify's got your back (and your users' backs) on this one!