Subscription across different app stores

Arc App Support
1

Hey there, congrats on launching Arc 4! I downloaded it and tried to get my subscription to shift over and it’s not working. Both apps are up-to-date. I have a suspicion though. Two years ago I moved to Germany from Canada, and so the old Arc app was downloaded with my Canadian Apple ID, while I just downloaded the new one on my German Apple ID. If this is the issue then the obvious solution would be for me to delete the new app, switch my login on the app store to the Canadian Apple ID, and try again. Except I’ve already downloaded years’ worth of data into the new app and have been updating things in there for a couple of days now. So I’m curious, is the any solution to this besides what I just described? My free trial for the new app is about to run out!

Thanks!

Salvo

1 Like
2

Hi @salvo!

The good news is that the backup/export and import systems in the new app are extremely reliable, and much faster than in the old app. So you could do a complete export before deleting, then import from that after reinstalling.

It’d still take tens of minutes, or over an hour at the outside, but it’s entirely hands off, no attention required. Can just leave it doing its thing (probably best to have the phone plugged in to power, just in case it runs out along the way).

For your solution to the stores problem, yeah your interpretation sounds very plausible. I’ve had the same problem with a bunch of apps myself over the years (I’ve periodically switched between New Zealand and Thailand App Store accounts). It’s a hassle, but the temporary store switch always fixes it.

Though the thing I’m curious about is… if it’s an ongoing subscription, will the app keep getting told about renewals? I’m suspecting not. I suspect what’ll happen is it gets awareness of the current month/year cycle then nothing after that. So you’d have to repeat the process every month/year. Frustrating!

In which case I think the ultimate solution might be to do this store switch trick once, then cancel the old subscription, then once it’s just about to expire start a new subscription in the new app, in the country store that you want it in going forward.

Oh final thought! You’ll definitely want to cancel the free trial you’ve got first, so that that doesn’t accidentally start charging you. No sense in paying twice!

Ok and now another final thought. I might be overly pessimistic on the new app not seeing updates to the old subscription each month/year. The RevenueCat middleware system does get told about subscription updates directly from the App Store, and it should have your account all linked up regardless of which store you’re currently on. So in principle it should actually be fine, no extra fuss required.

Though I think ultimately the tidiest outcome would be to start a new sub in the new app, once the old one expires. But yeah, it’s possible that won’t actually be necessary. In principle. Heh.

3

Hey Matt, I just tried using the export function on the new app and the progress bar makes it to 13% and then just closes and returns to the app, after only a minute or two. I’m not sure if it’s actually exporting anything. I think I’ll just accept losing the little bit of edits I’ve done in the new app, delete it, and reinstall it using my Canadian Apple ID, knowing that the old version of arc is still on my phone and therefore the history is all there. Thanks and sorry for the very narrow use case I’ve created! :joy:

1 Like
4

Oh that’s not good! I definitely want to look into that. The import/export/backup system should be rock solid at this point. But that sounds like it’s exiting early, failing to complete an export. Definitely not acceptable.

Would you be able to grab the log file from that app session and send it to me? (matt@bigpaua.com would do).

Though if you’ve already deleted and reinstalled then no worries. But if the app’s still installed, that log file should have clues, so I’ll definitely be keen to have a read of it! They’re accessible from Settings view → Debug logs (down the bottom), then the share button from the matching log file.

Oh! On the original plan of deleting and reinstalling… I’m wondering if we’re thinking up unnecessary steps there. If I’m understanding the App Store dynamics right, you probably don’t need to delete the app at all.

You should be able to just sign out of one App Store account, into the other, then all installed apps will see that change fine. Once you’ve done that you should be able to tap the restore purchases button inside the app, and it should then pick up your lifetime fine.

Yeah definitely try that first. Because if that works you get to avoid the whole fuss of deleting, reinstalling, doing a slow migration again.

5

Ah, I pulled the trigger before seeing your replies here! I deleted the app, reinstalled with my Canadian Apple ID, and everything worked as expected. My subscription moved, it pulled the whole database from the old app, and things seem fine now. I take it it’s too late for me to grab that log file regarding the interrupted export eh? Sorry about that!

1 Like
6

Haha. Yeah will be too late on the log file, but no worries :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: I’m glad it all went smooth!