Definition
What a consumable is
A consumable is a type of in-app purchase that a user buys, uses up, and can buy again. Coins, gems, credits, extra lives, and one-time boosts are all consumables. It contrasts with a non-consumable, bought once and owned forever like a lifetime unlock, and with an auto-renewable subscription, which bills on a recurring schedule. Both the App Store and Google Play treat consumables as their own product type.
Where consumables fit
Consumables suit apps where usage varies a lot from user to user: a light user buys a small pack occasionally, a heavy user buys often. That is why they are a common leg of a hybrid model, paired with a subscription so committed users pay recurring while occasional users pay per use. About one in ten apps offer subscriptions plus consumables, and the pattern is strongest in games.
Why localization still applies
A consumable priced flat in US dollars is just as mispriced abroad as a subscription would be. A coin pack that costs a fair amount in the US can be far out of reach in a lower-income market at the converted price, so localized pricing set to local purchasing power applies to consumables exactly as it does to subscriptions and one-time unlocks.
Examples
Example
A photo app sells credit packs for AI edits: 50 credits, 200 credits, 500 credits, each a consumable the user burns through and rebuys. A subscriber gets a monthly allowance instead. Priced flat in dollars, the smallest pack is impulse-cheap in the US and expensive in India; localizing each pack's price to the market keeps them affordable everywhere.
Frequently asked
What is a consumable in-app purchase?
A consumable is an in-app purchase that gets used up and can be bought again, such as coins, credits, or extra lives. It differs from a non-consumable, which is bought once and kept forever, and from a subscription, which renews on a schedule.
What is the difference between a consumable and a non-consumable?
A consumable is depleted with use and repurchasable, like a pack of credits. A non-consumable is a one-time purchase the user owns permanently, like a lifetime unlock or removing ads. The stores treat them as separate product types.
Do consumables need localized pricing?
Yes. A consumable priced flat in US dollars is too expensive in lower-income markets once converted, just like a subscription. Pricing each pack to local purchasing power keeps consumables affordable across countries and improves how many users buy them.
Further reading
- Subscription vs One-Time vs Hybrid: What Each Does to Your App RevenueSubscription, one-time, or both? A 2026 look at what each model does to your revenue over time, with the churn, reactivation, and commission math.
- How to Price an App: Models, Billing Periods, and the NumberHow to price an app in 2026: choosing a model, weekly vs monthly vs annual vs lifetime, how much to charge, and localizing it per country.