Checkout for casual mobile games: The new possibilities

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Checkout for casual mobile games: The new possibilities

July 7, 2025•3 min

Policy changes have unlocked native-feeling payments for most fast-paced IAP economies. Casual games have always stood to benefit from out-of-app purchases. But one thing held them back: friction. These games thrive on speed with fast rounds, quick losses, and trigger-driven purchases. Forcing players to exit the game and complete a multi-step browser checkout broke the flow and killed conversion. Now, that’s changed. Thanks to Apple’s April 2025 policy update, developers can finally offer seamless web-based checkouts from inside their iOS apps while keeping more revenue by avoiding platform fees.

What didn’t work before?

Casual game monetization is all about timing. Players are prompted to spend at key moments: right after losing a level, when they’ve run out of energy, or when they’re close to winning and want to double their reward. These are quick, high-intent actions that often happen within five seconds of the trigger. But until now, completing a purchase through a webshop meant forcing players to exit the game, open an external browser, go through a multi-step checkout process, and then return to the game manually. The user journey was too broken up and the friction not only broke the flow, it impacted conversions.

What’s changed? In-app redirection to the web

As of April 2025, Apple now allows developers to include links to external checkouts directly within their iOS apps, provided those links open in Safari and players are informed that they’re leaving the app before the purchase takes place. This marks a significant shift in how mobile games, especially casual titles, can handle in-app purchases. This means in practice that you can now connect specific in-game triggers, like running out of lives or reaching a bonus moment, directly to a web-based checkout. Players tap a button, get redirected to Safari, complete their payment, and return to the game — all without feeling like they ever left. Meanwhile, developers still benefit from a direct-to-consumer model: better margins, more control over pricing and offers, and access to localized or alternative payment methods. Monetize without disruption With this update, you can finally monetize the exact moments when players are most ready to spend—right after a loss, just before a win, or when they want to speed up progress. Previously, these opportunities were often lost due to the friction of a multi-step external flow. Now, you can present a timely offer, link directly to a fast checkout, and keep players in the experience.

Xsolla Web Shop can help you leverage this update

Our Xsolla Web Shop solution makes the transition feel smooth and familiar:

The player taps a “Buy with Xsolla Pay” button from within the game, optionally guided by a bonus for purchasing online.
A web checkout opens in Safari, styled to match your game’s branding for a consistent experience.
The player completes the transaction using fast, localized payment methods like Apple Pay.
After payment, they’re automatically redirected back to the game.

This results in a native-feeling flow that delivers what players want, when they want it, without any platform commissions. Additionally, you don’t need to rebuild your economy or overhaul your UX. With Xsolla, your existing in-game catalog syncs automatically to your Web Shop. Player authentication is handled securely through DeepLink, and return behavior can be configured to match your game’s flow. LiveOps campaigns and marketing initiatives continue as-is. Next steps With Apple’s latest iOS update opening new doors for external payments, there’s never been a better time to launch your Web Shop. If you’re ready to see how Xsolla Web Shop can help you monetize your casual game with less friction and more revenue, schedule a meeting with our experts to learn more or get started today.