Why am I being charged to download apps?

gregilgen wrote:

This is only part true because many! of the very many apps are inpurchase or missrepresented as free and are not, because they will not let you fully down load the app without recieving your credit card information!!

Most apps will have in-app purchases or even free trials. The developers that create these apps have to pay each year to have them in the store and it also costs them time and money to develop and continue to update the apps. If a developer wants to spend their own money and time to develop an app only to give it to you for free, they can do that. It is a business and without income there is no incentive for most developers to publish their apps.

By using in-app purchases and free trials, it allows you to try out the app to see if it would be useful for you. Before those options were available, most of the apps had a charge to download them and you were not given the chance to try it out before purchasing.

You may need to have a valid payment method to download these free apps, but you will not be charged as long as you do not make an in-app purchase or cancel any free trial before the trial period ends.

Bosslady2025 wrote:

Why I’m been ask to add card every time download app

Apple can require a valid payment method (which cannot be a gift card) for verification purposes. It may be charged a small amount to verify it but this will be automatically refunded.

Add a payment method to your Apple ID - Apple Support

samara278 wrote:

Me to it is charging me 5.41 for a free app

• What is charging you?
• What is the exact description of the charge?
• Have you checked the previous link to Billing and Subscriptions?
• Did you sign up for a free trial?
• Did you recently add a payment method and being charged for a previous purchase?

A charge will not happen using an in-app purchase without you first double clicking the side button. This is not something that can be done by accident. If you are talking specifically about dating apps, then most will have a free trial that needs to be cancelled 24 hours before the trial ends. It may be free to download, but they do not let you use the service for free after the trial ends. That is simply how they make their money.

It’s charging me to download free apps and I have canceled my subscriptions

Read my reply which was the one first posted in response to this thread. You aren't being charged, you are just being asked to show you can pay if necessary.

Snellrodriguez wrote:

I don’t want to enter my credit card information

No need to enter credit card if you do not use the App Store. It is like saying you want to go to the Grocery Store and not bring money. You can look in the App Store, you just won't be able to download anything.

Most apps have in-app purchase or free trial that will require a payment method. There are very little apps that are totally free.

I was looking at an iPhone 14 Pro at Costco re: replacing my XR -been an Apple Fan Boy since the Mac Plus: but I’m seriously looking at an Android for my phone when this battery dies: it’s 80% now. Didn’t help when they conspired to put down Parler: and one slave-labor built phone is as good as another now

so I just ran into the problem and got ahold of apple support. could be different for others but if you for some reason owe money to apple you can’t download any apps regardless of previous download. I made a small purchase ab an hour ago and it kept declining but really it “went thru” but didn’t charge my card for some reason so therefore I owed apple the money. idk how it happened or why but when downloading the app it’ll have you pay for your balance before you download it.

It’s funny because I tried to download telegram which is free. Then I tried to download solitaire which is also free. Both times I had to add a payment method and both times Apple tried to charge me 6$. I’m not paying for free apps. I have no subscriptions. I do not pay for space & I don’t need to look at my billing information for something free. I have this app on my other phone so I don’t understand the problem. I’m not on any group plan or iCloud+ junk. If I run into this problem on any of my other Apple devices I’m switching. This iCloud account isn’t even 3 full months old.

I'm sure I have already posted a list of reasons why you may be required to enter a payment method. If it is trying to charge you right now it is because you owe money for something you already purchased or have a subscription. Apple will require you pay up before it will let you continue to download more things.

This is only part true because many! of the very many apps are inpurchase or missrepresented as free and are not, because they will not let you fully down load the app without recieving your credit card information!!

Ridiculous issue:

Son wants to update Roblox. Keep getting the "There is a billing problem with a family member's previous purchase. Ask the family organizer to update billing information"

Why? He is trying to update a free app and HE isn't the one with a billing issue. Seems like Apple wants to make sure my son or I can be more prone to "accidentally " buy apps and in game purchases with tap. I never wanted to add a payment method with Apple but FORCED to do so because son got a apple gift card and it would let him use it unless I put a card in first ..again why?

Looked up all the info on this issue. We switched him to his mom so he could be in a new "family". Same issue. Spend hours on customer service chat..again no resolution.

If there is an "unpaid balance" can't the purchase be cancelled? Obviously the charge didn't process so just cancel the purchase - an response about why that billing issue pops up was maybe I have a unpaid balance from an app purchase that didn't go through. But even so this shouldn't matter as son is no longer under my "family"

We update the software as other said that could fix issue. Did that to iOS 17.4.1 - nothing. Issue still exists.

Other answers were check subscriptions - did had a free trial of apple tv, cancelled it. - issue still exist. Again should matter as he is no longer in family group.

This is getting to be ridiculous I don't have apple products never bought them, using an iPad from work...since I always need have a dang code sent somewhere. I am not impressed with Apple and don't understand appeal.

A 10 year old boy, whose mother bought him an apple phone for some reason what's to play Roblox on his phone...how can this be an issue going on 2 months.

A billion dollar company exploiting 3rd world counties for labor, rare earth metals, and disposal of toxic batteries REALLY needs the $2.12 a year I would shell out of a year for a 99 cent app plus tax.

Well aware this is a 1st world problem. I have a roof over my head, a reasonable expectation of safety, food, and access to clean water. I'm am fine and the luxury that is Apple is far from a necessity.

Ok it’s so nice to hear other people are having the same issue I am. I’ve got the same payment problem with the free apps as well. But Apple has been taking random amounts out of 2 of my cards for the last 8 months, maybe longer. The crazy thing is….I wasn’t even using an iPhone nor did I have an Apple device. I owned one 2 years ago. I have another iPhone now and I can’t download any free apps because my payment declines because I’ve locked my cards.. The total Apple has taken out of two debit cards is $253.73

the only subscription i have is for apple one that is paid through my phone bill with verizon.