Advertisement
Engadget
Why you can trust us

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products.

Apple is shutting down iTunes allowance for kids

The feature will stop working on May 25th.

After May 25th, you'll have to come up with an alternative arrangement for your kids' iTunes purchases. Apple is killing iTunes allowance that day and even already stopped allowing new users to sign up for the feature on April 13th. iTunes allowance automatically replenishes kids' balance every month with a set amount, from $10 to $50. That way, they wouldn't have to have access to your credit card details, which could lead to debts, headache and the need to drink something stronger than beer.

In the letter the company sent out to users and posted by MacRumors, Apple suggests using Family Sharing instead. Sharing gives up to six family members access to each other's purchases. There's also Ask to Buy, which kids can use to send you a request whenever they want to get something from the App Store. While the feature itself will no longer be available, any allowance money left over will still be available for use. After that, well, you can use either option above or just buy your kids some iTunes gift cards.