I'm currently appealing a similar rejection of an auto-renewing subscription app. Here's the rejection:
We found that the Purchasability Type for one or more of your In-App Purchase products was inappropriately set, which is not in compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines.
Your In-App Purchase is currently an Auto-Renewable Subscription. However, it would be more appropriate to use the Non-Renewing Subscription In-App Purchase type. Auto-Renewable Subscriptions are intended for periodical apps, such as magazines and newspapers. Non-Renewing Subscriptions should be used for products that are not appropriate for Auto-Renewable Subscriptions.
Nothing in Apple's documentation hints that Auto-Renewable Subscriptions are more appropriate for one class of app than for another, so I was hoping that my reviewer was acting on some subjective, high-level guideline that I could argue on. However, it's beginning to look as if there is a specific, unwritten policy against non-periodical apps.
Apple would do a big favor to developers by being a bit more open and transparent with the regulations.In your case this will probably be the relevant guideline that they may cite.
> 11.9 Apps containing "rental" content or services that expire after a limited time will be rejected
It seems that Apple's review team has interpreted SaaS to fall under this guideline.
We found that the Purchasability Type for one or more of your In-App Purchase products was inappropriately set, which is not in compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines.
Your In-App Purchase is currently an Auto-Renewable Subscription. However, it would be more appropriate to use the Non-Renewing Subscription In-App Purchase type. Auto-Renewable Subscriptions are intended for periodical apps, such as magazines and newspapers. Non-Renewing Subscriptions should be used for products that are not appropriate for Auto-Renewable Subscriptions.
Nothing in Apple's documentation hints that Auto-Renewable Subscriptions are more appropriate for one class of app than for another, so I was hoping that my reviewer was acting on some subjective, high-level guideline that I could argue on. However, it's beginning to look as if there is a specific, unwritten policy against non-periodical apps.