Apple has removed the popular food-logging app Cal AI from the App Store, signaling that the tech giant remains vigilant in enforcing its strict payment and design guidelines. The app, recently acquired by MyFitnessPal, was pulled last week due to multiple policy violations, including the circumvention of Apple’s mandatory in-app purchase (IAP) flow and the use of deceptive billing tactics.
Stricter Enforcement Despite Legal Shifts
The removal sparked widespread speculation on social media, with many users questioning if Apple was punishing the startup—founded by two high school students who scaled it to a reported $50 million in ARR before acquisition—for bypassing its commission system. While recent court rulings following the Epic Games lawsuit have forced Apple to allow developers to link to external payment methods, the company maintains that this does not grant a free pass to ignore its core policies.
Apple clarified that, in most scenarios, developers must continue to offer the official Apple IAP option alongside any external payment links. “Reader” apps are the primary exception, a category into which the calorie-counting Cal AI does not fall.
Key Violations Behind the Removal
According to Apple, the rejection was based on three distinct areas of non-compliance with its App Review Guidelines:
- Bypassing IAP (Guideline 3.1.1): Cal AI implemented an embedded third-party payment flow (Stripe) that completely replaced Apple’s native checkout, failing to provide the required IAP alternative.
- Deceptive Billing (Guideline 3.1.2c): The app’s paywall was flagged for misleading consumers. It prominently displayed a weekly price while obscuring the actual total billing amount and hid automatic subscription renewal details behind a free-trial toggle.
- Manipulative Tactics (Guideline 5.6): The app violated the Developer Code of Conduct by bombarding users with secondary subscription prompts after an initial rejection and utilizing design patterns that led to widespread user accusations of “scam” behavior in public reviews.
The Path Forward for Cal AI
Following the enforcement action, the developers behind Cal AI moved to address these issues, satisfying Apple’s requirements to have the app reinstated in the store. Despite the quick resolution, the incident serves as a stark warning to developers: Apple’s review team is actively monitoring how third-party payment integrations are implemented.
Even for high-performing apps—Cal AI currently holds the No. 4 spot on the App Store’s Health & Fitness charts—Apple is willing to prioritize its platform integrity and revenue-sharing model over the popularity of a single service. MyFitnessPal and the Cal AI team have not provided comments regarding the enforcement action.