App Store release for iOS/iPadOS, funded by optional donations or a low-cost paid download

[Charlie284]

Summary

I would like to suggest an official iOS/iPadOS App Store release for Fladder, supported in a simple way that helps cover the Apple Developer Program fee and ongoing store related costs.

The goal here is not heavy monetization. It is just to make official App Store distribution possible in a sustainable way. A few possible models could work:
• optional donations
• a one time low cost paid app
• a small “supporter” purchase model to help offset publishing costs

This would make Fladder easier to install, easier to recommend, and easier for iPhone and iPad users to keep updated.

Fladder is already a cross platform Jellyfin frontend built with Flutter, so having an official iOS App Store option feels like a natural extension of that cross platform goal.

Basic Example

A useful comparison is Conduit, an open source mobile client for Open WebUI. Its repository explicitly tells users they can install it from the App Store or Google Play, which shows how an open source companion app to a self hosted service can still have official mobile store distribution. 

What I am suggesting for Fladder is something similar in spirit:
• keep the project open source
• provide an official App Store build for convenience
• use optional donations or a small purchase price to help support Apple account fees and release maintenance

This could lower friction for iOS users and make the app more approachable for less technical users.

Drawbacks

There are some real drawbacks and impacts:
• Publishing on the App Store creates an ongoing annual cost because of Apple’s developer fee.
• App Store distribution adds maintenance overhead, including store submission, compliance work, testing, and handling review requirements.
• Even a very small paid price may be unpopular with users who prefer every distribution method to remain fully free.
• Once money is involved, even in a small way, users may expect faster support, more frequent updates, or stronger guarantees.
• Store policies could also affect how some features or release workflows are handled.

Unresolved questions

No response

Implementation

• I would like to implement this myself!

[PartyDonut]

Hi thanks for the clear and well thought out message 😄 .

I have been thinking about the options as well. And while I would love for the donations to work out it's probably not going to cover the costs. Which is also not the point but still that would have been great.

So my conclusion was similar to yours. Either a upfront fee for iOS, but keep the .ipa release free for everyone. Another option would be to have the app be free but have certain features locked behind a "slightly" bigger single purchase or a low monthly fee.

Both seem like pretty common options. Just slightly doubtful about which road I want to take.

[Charlie284]

That makes a lot of sense, and I think the cleanest option would probably be an upfront App Store fee while keeping the .ipa free for everyone.

That way, the project still stays accessible, but the App Store version can help cover the Apple developer cost and the extra overhead that comes with maintaining it there. To me, that feels a lot more straightforward than locking features behind a purchase or doing a subscription.

Also, I would be willing to help with that side of things. I could publish it on the App Store and handle that route if that would be useful.

[PartyDonut]

Thanks for the offer, would probably be better for the developer account to be managed by me I think.

But yes a single time payment would be the most straightforward option. Only thing left to thin about is the price itself.

[Dylan96]

I think it should be 0.99 or 1.99... there’s too much competition

[eremdgrl]

Just to add, I would like to suggest an official release on a sideloader like altstore for users in the EU and Japan. I think this would be beneficial for the time being to at least get more recognition for this marvelous app. I honestly think this is probably the most polished client for self hosted media servers and the uniformity across platforms is commendable. I think the release on sideloader platforms would also serve a litmus test for the number of downloads to figure out if a subscription or small upfront fee for the app would be feasible for a full release on the iOS app store.