Why does the App Store require a method of payment for a free download?

I wasn’t to down load a from the App Store it is a free download but it wants me to put method of payment and I have a card but has no money and y’all are full of **** y’all take money anyways


[Re-Titled By Moderator]

iPhone 12, iOS 18

Posted on Mar 9, 2025 10:16 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 9, 2025 10:25 PM

Apple does not require a method of payment for downloading free apps.


If you have a method of payment set up in your account, it might ask to confirm it, even if you try to download a free app.


To fix this, remove your payment method from your apple account.


Open Settings > Tap your name on the top > Payment & Shipping

Remove your Payment Method


You can download a free app. When it asks for payment method, just choose "None"



3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 9, 2025 10:25 PM in response to sheorie

Apple does not require a method of payment for downloading free apps.


If you have a method of payment set up in your account, it might ask to confirm it, even if you try to download a free app.


To fix this, remove your payment method from your apple account.


Open Settings > Tap your name on the top > Payment & Shipping

Remove your Payment Method


You can download a free app. When it asks for payment method, just choose "None"



Mar 9, 2025 10:42 PM in response to r4lf

r4lf wrote:

Apple does not require a method of payment for downloading free apps.
If you have a method of payment set up in your account, it might ask to confirm it, even if you try to download a free app.
To fix this, remove your payment method from your apple account.
Open Settings > Tap your name on the top > Payment & Shipping
Remove your Payment Method
You can download a free app. When it asks for payment method, just choose "None"

Nope. Not entirely true. If you are asked to verify your payment method, you will be required to have one. See the Support Article here:


You might need to have a valid payment method on file, even if the app that you want to download is free.

If you can’t download or update apps on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

Mar 9, 2025 10:29 PM in response to sheorie

You don't pay a penny to download a free app. Developers offer the app to download for free so you have a chance to try it out, but you will also most likely see that they include in-app purchases that will use that payment method if you choose one of those.


Developers don't spend their own time and money to create the apps and continue to offer updates without any way for them to recoup the money they have spent. They are not doing all the work simply to give it away to anyone that wants it. If the Developers did not make any money by users choosing these in-app purchases, you would not have any apps to download in the first place.


The payment method also must match the region that is set on your device for verification you are using the correct App Store. Some users had changed the region on their device to download apps and use services that is not available in their own region, so this prevents that from happening.

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Why does the App Store require a method of payment for a free download?

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