Win Back Refunds Add-On

The Win back refund requests add-on lets Apphud respond to App Store refund requests on your behalf. When Apple processes a refund request, it asks the developer for consumption data (how long the user has used the app, how often, etc.). Apphud sends that data automatically, helping Apple make better-informed refund decisions. Customers using this feature typically save up to 70% of monthly refund losses.

Find it in the left sidebar under Growth tools → Rules — featured at the top of the page as Win back refund requests.

Requirements

To use Win back refund requests, ensure all three prerequisites are met:

App Store Server Notifications V2 are enabled. Activate Server Notifications V2 in your Apple Developer account and configure them within Apphud. See Server Notifications. Without V2, Apphud can't react to refund requests.
App Privacy Policy is updated. Your app's Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions, or similar document must disclose consumption data collection and its purpose before enabling this feature. See Apple's App Privacy Details for guidance.
User Consent for Data Sharing is obtained. Comply with Apple's requirements by securing valid user consent for sharing consumption data before enabling. As the app developer, you are responsible for obtaining this consent — see the FAQ entry How can I obtain user consent for data sharing? below.
The organization is on a paid plan (Pro or above). On the Free plan the Rules section isn't available, so the add-on can't be enabled there. Enabling also requires accepting the add-on's commercial terms — it's a paid add-on billed on the Won Back Value (see Commission and billing).

Enable the add-on

If your organization hasn't accepted the add-on terms before, the Learn more button on the featured card opens the Win back refunds rule modal. The modal explains the feature and asks you to agree to the commercial terms.

Terms

By enabling the add-on you agree that:

Apphud will respond to each refund request received from Apple Server Notifications V2.
If Apple declines a refund request, Apphud will record it as "saved" revenue.
Apphud will calculate the total value from declined refund requests as "Won Back Value".
Apphud will charge a 7% commission at the end of each billing period on the Won Back Value — the total amount of refund requests Apple declines.
This is a paid add-on — your current subscription will be upgraded with this additional service.
You can view the Won Back Value in the Refund Requests Report and on the Plan and billing page.
You can disable this add-on at any time from the Plan and billing page.
You can enable this add-on later from the iOS app settings if you skip now.

Click Enable now to activate.

Configure the rule

Once enabled, click the ✏️ pencil icon on the featured card to open the configuration page.

Breadcrumb: Rules > Win back refunds. Top-right buttons: Cancel + Save.

General settings

Configure feature enabling and your preference for refund requests.

Automatically send consumption information to Apple — toggle. ON = Apphud responds to refund requests; OFF = no response is sent.
Refund preference * — what recommendation Apphud sends with the consumption data:
- Auto (default) — Apphud picks the recommendation based on usage patterns.
- Undeclared — no preference attached; Apple decides without a hint.
- Always approve — recommend approving the refund.
- Always decline — recommend declining the refund.
- No preference — explicit "no preference" signal.

Triggers

Specify when the rule should be performed.

Perform the rule if — fixed at Refund requested. Cannot be changed; the rule reacts to the refund_requested event automatically.

How the response works

When Apple sends a CONSUMPTION_REQUEST notification for a refund request:

Apphud verifies the rule is enabled and Server Notifications V2 is wired up.
Apphud assembles consumption data: subscription history, usage patterns, account age, lifetime spend, etc.
Apphud submits the data with your selected Refund preference to Apple.
Apple makes its decision and sends the outcome via Server Notifications.
Apphud logs the outcome and updates the Won Back Value if the refund was declined.

The end-user sees the standard App Store refund flow with no Apphud involvement — only Apple's decision is visible to them.

Events and Reporting

Refund events are logged in real-time, giving you immediate visibility into user refund requests and Apple's decision outcomes.

When Win back refunds is enabled, refund requests declined by Apple are marked with the "Managed by Apphud" reason — indicating that Apphud's automatic consumption data sharing influenced the outcome.

A dedicated Refund Requests Report is available only for apps with Win back refunds enabled. It aggregates refund data to help you track:

The count and monetary value of refund requests.
Approval and decline rates for submitted refunds.
Average processing time for Apple to resolve refund requests.
Median time from purchase to refund request.

You can also see the impact of Win back refunds on your overall Refund Rate and refund volume using standard Apphud charts.

Commission and billing

The Won Back Value is the cumulative amount of refund requests Apple declined while the add-on was active.
At the end of each billing period, Apphud charges 7% commission on the Won Back Value.
You can see the current Won Back Value at any time on Plan and billing and in the Refund Requests Report.

Disable

To stop responding to refund requests, open the rule from the Win back refund requests card on the Rules page, toggle Automatically send consumption information to Apple OFF in General settings, and click Save. Apphud immediately stops sending consumption data for new refund requests.

Once disabled:

The configuration is preserved — flip the toggle back ON anytime to resume.
Any Won Back Value already recorded stays in your billing history and the Refund Requests Report.

Cancel the paid add-on (organization-wide)

The toggle above only stops sending consumption data for one app. To end the Win Back Refunds add-on for the entire organization — and stop its usage fee — make adjustments on Plan and billing.

Key benefits

Automated refund handling — eliminates manual responses, faster and more efficient refund resolution, protected from human errors.
Time efficiency — frees your team to focus on core business tasks without interruptions from refund management.
Revenue protection — prevents unnecessary refunds from slipping through, safeguarding monthly recurring revenue.
Mitigation of refund abuse — identifies and addresses patterns of refund abuse so requests are legitimate.
Enhanced customer experience — timely and professional responses to refund requests improve user satisfaction.

Win back refunds also opens retention opportunities — instead of just declining a refund, you can set up Apphud Rules to offer incentives like discounted products or other win-back offers.

FAQ

What if my app isn't configured with Server Notifications V2?

The refund flow uses Apple's V2 notification format. Without V2 configured in your Apple Developer account and Apphud, the CONSUMPTION_REQUEST notification never reaches Apphud, so no consumption data can be sent. Configure SN V2 first — see Server Notifications. Reach out to Apphud Support if you need assistance.

Can I use this feature for Google Play refunds?

No. Win back refund requests supports only Apple refund events. Google Play doesn't offer an analogous consumption-data API — refund decisions there are made on Google's policy plus user-provided information only.

How can I obtain user consent for data sharing?

Through an opt-in or opt-out approach:

In-app consent prompt that explains data usage and requires explicit user action (opt-in). If a user ignores or denies the request, treat them as not consented.
Data-sharing clause in your Terms of Service stating that users consent by accepting the terms, with a clear opt-out procedure. After opt-out, treat the user as not consented.

Example clause (opt-out approach):

If we receive a refund request for an in-app purchase from an end user, we reserve the right to provide Apple with information regarding the user's in-app purchase consumption. This includes the following data: app usage time, anonymous account identifier, the total amount spent, and the total amount refunded.

You can additionally set up a Rule in Apphud to notify a user once they submit a refund request that their consumption information will be shared with Apple per your Terms of Service. See Apple's official documentation for details.

Will using this feature impact my app's performance?

No. The feature operates server-side and does not affect your app's performance or user experience.

What user data does Apphud share with Apple?

Apphud shares information as required by Apple's guidelines: an anonymized user ID, confirmation of user consent for data sharing, current user status, duration of app usage, level of purchase usage, total spending and refunds by the user, app usage time, whether the user had a trial, and other details.

Can I customize the data sent to Apple during a refund request?

No. Apphud automatically compiles and sends the consumption data based on the user's interaction with the in-app purchase. This ensures Apple receives accurate and comprehensive information to assess the refund.

What's the difference between Auto and No preference?

Auto — Apphud analyses the user's usage patterns and submits a preference (approve / decline) based on what's most likely beneficial for both sides.
No preference — Apphud submits the consumption data but explicitly tells Apple "we have no preference". Apple decides purely from the consumption data and Apple's own logic.

Can I change my Refund preference mid-billing-cycle?

Yes. The change applies to refund requests received from the moment you Save. Requests already processed in this cycle keep the preference they were submitted with.

Will the user see that I'm responding?

No. The Apphud response to Apple happens server-side. The user sees only the standard App Store refund flow and Apple's final decision.

Why don't I see refunds that Apple declined reflected in MRR?

Declined refunds mean Apple kept the user's payment — your revenue is unchanged from where it was before the refund request. The "saved" amount shows on the Won Back Value, not as a separate MRR event.

How can I deactivate Win back refunds for an app?

See Disable. Short version: toggle Automatically send consumption information to Apple OFF in the rule's General settings, then save.