Apple 3.1.1 — B2B grant codes, three options

Three ways to keep B2B grant codes after Apple 3.1.1

The situation Apple rejected v1.0.155 under 3.1.1 because SHOT lets users redeem membership codes in-app to unlock paid features. The B2B model — clubs sign real-world contracts, SHOT mints codes, clubs distribute them — is non-negotiable. What are the actual options, and which one preserves the contract economics?

01Apple Offer Codes (100% off)

Generate Apple-issued codes tied to a free-tier IAP. User redeems through Apple's system sheet.

Flow: Apple Offer Codes — SHOT generates codes in ASC, exports CSV, club distributes per-user codes, member redeems through Apple's native sheet, RC webhook fires, premium unlocks.

Pro

Con

Apple-sanctioned — zero 3.1.1 risk

150k codes per app per quarter (hard cap)

Apple takes 0% on 100%-off redemptions

Code format is Apple-generated 16-char alphanumeric — ugly to share

Native iOS redemption UX

One code = one user. No multi-use "CLUB-XYZ-2026" model

No web detour for iOS users

Tied to a subscription IAP — renewal semantics, not durable grants

Works without any code on your backend

iOS-only. Android + web users need a different path anyway

—

Designed for marketing promos, not B2B contracts. No bulk-revoke for churned partner

Apple risk: zero B2B fit: poor Cap: 150k/quarter Cross-platform: iOS only Code lifecycle: Apple-owned

02Web-only redemption (your own codes)

Keep SHOT's membership_codes. Redeem on web. iOS just reads the entitlement.

Flow: Web-only redemption — Club signs B2B contract, SHOT admin mints code, club distributes via own channel, member redeems on shotclubhouse.com/redeem, user_memberships row written, iOS app reads entitlement and unlocks premium. No iOS redeem UI.

Pro

Con

Already built — schema, admin UI, RPC, redemption logic all exist

User makes one web trip to redeem

Multi-use codes match B2B reality (1 code, N seats)

No iOS-native "enter code" UX

SHOT controls full lifecycle — mint, revoke, extend, audit

Codes are SHOT-format strings, not Apple-blessed

Same flow works on web / iOS / Android — one truth source

—

B2B economics intact: bill club out-of-band, no Apple cut

—

Fix ships as a one-PR iOS-surface gate (1 day)

—

Apple risk: zero B2B fit: strong Cap: none Cross-platform: web + iOS + Android Code lifecycle: SHOT-owned

03Apple Volume Purchase (VPP)

Enterprise channel via Apple Business Manager. Clubs buy IAP seats at scale, distribute through MDM.

Flow: Apple Volume Purchase Program — SHOT enrolls in Apple Business Manager, club also enrolls, club buys 50 memberships through Apple, Apple bills the club directly (blocker), Apple issues redemption codes or MDM tokens, club distributes, member redeems on iOS. Apple owns the transaction.

Pro

Con

Apple-sanctioned enterprise channel

Wrong shape — VPP is for "company buys app for employees", not "club hands free passes to members"

Volume discount on bulk purchases

Club must pay Apple via Business Manager — kills your "bill outside Apple" B2B economics

Centralized seat management for the buyer

Apple still takes their cut on the bulk purchase

Apple owns invoicing for the buyer

Members may need Business-Manager-enrolled Apple IDs (or accept friction)

—

iOS-only. Android/web users still need a different B2B path

—

Heavy onboarding: DUNS, Business Manager enrollment, VPP agreement, payment instrument per club

Apple risk: zero B2B fit: enterprise-shaped Cap: none Cross-platform: iOS only Setup cost: high (weeks)

Dimension	01 · Apple Offer Codes	02 · Web-only redemption	03 · VPP
Solves Apple 3.1.1	Yes	Yes	Yes
Keep B2B contract economics (bill club outside Apple)	Partial — Apple controls codes but no rev cut on free	Yes — full control, no Apple involvement	No — Apple owns the transaction
Multi-use bulk codes (one CLUB-XYZ for 50 members)	No — one code per user	Yes — max_redemptions=N	No — one license per member
Cross-platform parity (web / iOS / Android)	iOS only	All three	iOS only (+ Android via separate VPP-equivalent)
Code lifecycle control (extend, revoke, audit)	Apple-mediated	SHOT-owned, in your DB	Apple Business Manager
Quarterly issuance cap	150,000	Unlimited	Unlimited
Eng cost to ship	~1 week (offer code IAP, RC mapping, UI)	~1 day (iOS gate + /redeem route)	Weeks (DUNS, Business Manager, payment routing)
Fits "UN grant / charity partnership" use case	Awkward — feels like marketing promo	Native — durable, club-named codes	No — VPP is enterprise procurement

Dimension

01 · Apple Offer Codes

02 · Web-only redemption

03 · VPP

Solves Apple 3.1.1

Yes

Keep B2B contract economics
(bill club outside Apple)

Partial — Apple controls codes but no rev cut on free

Yes — full control, no Apple involvement

No — Apple owns the transaction

Multi-use bulk codes
(one CLUB-XYZ for 50 members)

No — one code per user

Yes — max_redemptions=N

No — one license per member

Cross-platform parity
(web / iOS / Android)

iOS only

All three

iOS only (+ Android via separate VPP-equivalent)

Code lifecycle control
(extend, revoke, audit)

Apple-mediated

SHOT-owned, in your DB

Apple Business Manager

Quarterly issuance cap

150,000

Unlimited

Eng cost to ship

~1 week (offer code IAP, RC mapping, UI)

~1 day (iOS gate + /redeem route)

Weeks (DUNS, Business Manager, payment routing)

Fits "UN grant / charity partnership" use case

Awkward — feels like marketing promo

Native — durable, club-named codes

No — VPP is enterprise procurement

Recommendation

Ship Approach 02 — web-only redemption. The membership-code infrastructure already exists: membership_codes table, admin UI, redemption RPC, RC webhook integration. Apple's rejection is about the iOS UI surface, not the codes themselves. Hide the redeem and guest-pass buttons on isNativePlatform, extract /redeem into a standalone web route, and the rejection is gone in one PR.

Why not Offer Codes for B2B grants:

One code = one user. Your model is one club code = many member redemptions.

Apple sized them for marketing campaigns (150k/quarter cap, single-use semantics).

Lifecycle is Apple's — you can't revoke a churned club partner from your dashboard.

iOS-only. You'd still need a parallel system for Android and web users.

Tied to a subscription IAP — long-term grant semantics are awkward.

Why not VPP: It's an enterprise procurement channel — clubs would have to pay Apple directly through Apple Business Manager, killing the "we bill the club outside Apple" contract economics that make grants viable.

Where Offer Codes do shine: Keep them in your back pocket for consumer promos that genuinely need an Apple-native flow — "50% off the first month" growth experiments, App Store Connect press codes, holiday discounts. Wrong tool for B2B partnerships, right tool for individual promotional discounts.

Concrete next step: One PR gating PaywallOptions.tsx:360 on !isNativePlatform, plus a standalone /redeem route. Notes to Reviewer: "Membership codes redeemed on shotclubhouse.com/redeem; iOS app reads entitlement from server, no in-app code redemption."