Don't pay for AI through the App Store
Updated 2026-10-16.
If you subscribe to an AI assistant inside the iPhone or iPad app, you often pay more than on the provider's own website, because App Store fees are frequently passed on to buyers. Sign up on the website instead, and the same account works in the app.
Website prices to compare against
These are the official prices on each provider's website. Compare them with the price shown in your App Store subscription (Settings → your name → Subscriptions on iPhone).
| Provider | Plan | Monthly billing USD · CAD | Annual billing per month, or per year where that's all the provider lists USD · CAD | Models | Limits | Best for | Sources & checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI | ChatGPT Go Cheapest paid | US$8.00No official CAD price | No annual option listed | GPT-6 Luna (no GPT-6.1 Sol/Astra) | More messages/uploads/images/voice; 54K Instant / 256K reasoning context; limited deep research & Codex; may include ads | Budget users | USD: learn.chatgpt.com CAD: – |
| OpenAI | ChatGPT Plus | US$20.00No official CAD price | No annual option listed | GPT-6.1 Sol, GPT-6 Astra, GPT-6 Sol, GPT-6 Luna, GPT-5.6 Sol/Terra/Luna, GPT-5 Thinking Mini | Expanded messages/uploads/deep research/Codex; 54K Instant / 256K reasoning context | Most power users | USD: learn.chatgpt.com CAD: – |
| Anthropic | Claude Pro Cheapest paid | US$20.00CA$28.00 | US$17.00CA$24.00 CA$280.00/yr | Opus, Sonnet, Haiku; Fable via usage credits | ≥5x Free per 5h session + weekly limits; context up to 1M (varies) | Writers, coders | USD: claude.com CAD: claude.ai |
| Anthropic | Claude Max 5x | US$100.00CA$140.00 | No annual option listed | Fable, Opus, Sonnet, Haiku | 5x Pro per 5h; Fable at 50% of weekly limits; priority access | Daily heavy users | USD: claude.com CAD: claude.ai |
| Anthropic | Claude Max 20x | US$200.00CA$280.00 | No annual option listed | Fable, Opus, Sonnet, Haiku | 20x Pro per 5h; Fable at 50% of weekly limits | All-day agentic coding | USD: claude.com CAD: claude.ai |
| Google AI Plus Cheapest paid | US$4.99CA$6.99 | No annual option listed | Includes Gemini 4 Argon; 2x access to Gemini | 2x Free limits (5h refresh, weekly cap); 200 Flow credits/mo; 3,000 Flow Music credits | Budget + storage | USD: one.google.com CAD: one.google.com | |
| Google AI Pro | US$19.99CA$26.99 | No annual option listed | Gemini 4 Argon, Pro model, Flash | 4x Free limits; 1M context; 1,000 Flow credits; US$10/mo Cloud credits | Google users | USD: one.google.com CAD: one.google.com | |
| Google AI Ultra 5x | US$99.99CA$139.99 | No annual option listed | Gemini 4 Argon, highest Pro/Flash | 5x Pro limits; 10,000 Flow credits; US$40/mo Cloud credits | Creators | USD: one.google.com CAD: one.google.com | |
| Google AI Ultra 20x | US$199.99CA$279.99 | No annual option listed | Gemini 4 Argon, highest | 20x Pro limits; 25,000 Flow credits; US$100/mo Cloud credits | Power users | USD: one.google.com CAD: one.google.com | |
| Microsoft | Microsoft 365 Personal Cheapest paid | US$9.99CA$11.50 | US$99.99/yrCA$115.00/yr | Microsoft-selected models | AI credits + feature limits; 1 user, 1 TB | Office users | USD: microsoft.com CAD: microsoft.com |
| Microsoft | Microsoft 365 Family | US$12.99CA$14.50 | US$129.99/yrCA$145.00/yr | Microsoft-selected models | AI credits (owner only); 1-6 people, 2 TB shared | Families | USD: microsoft.com CAD: microsoft.com |
| Microsoft | Microsoft 365 Premium | US$19.99CA$27.00 | US$199.99/yrCA$270.00/yr | Microsoft-selected models | Extensive Copilot usage; limited agentic research; owner-only AI; 1-6 people, 2 TB shared | Office power users | USD: microsoft.com CAD: microsoft.com |
| Microsoft | Microsoft 365 Pro | US$99.99CA$135.00 | No annual option listed | Microsoft-selected models (LLM choice not stated) | Highest Copilot/agent usage; 5 TB shared; owner-only AI; monthly billing only | Heavy Copilot users | USD: microsoft.com CAD: microsoft.com |
Why app prices are often higher
Apple and Google take a fee on in-app subscriptions, and many providers set a higher in-app price to cover it. It isn't always the case, which is why we only quote website prices in our tables and suggest checking both.
Does my account still work in the app?
Yes. Your subscription belongs to your account, not the app store. Sign in to the app with the same account you used on the website.
How to switch from the App Store to the website
- Cancel the in-app subscription in your Apple account (or Google Play) subscriptions. Anthropic, for example, says App Store subscribers must cancel there, not in Claude's settings (claude.com).
- Let the paid period run out. Your plan stays active until the end of the period you've paid for.
- Subscribe on the provider's website (for example claude.ai or chatgpt.com) with the same account.
Annual billing
Some plans offer a cheaper annual option on the web: Claude Pro (US$17 a month billed annually; CA$280 a year, about CA$24 a month, on claude.ai) and Microsoft 365 Personal, Family and Premium (yearly prices on microsoft.com). See the annual column on the plans page.
Refunds
If you paid through the App Store, refunds are handled by Apple, not the AI provider (per Anthropic's FAQ).