How we verify deals
Every published deal is checked for availability, price, platform and how to activate it before we present it as active.
1. Discovering a potential deal
The first step is finding an app whose price has changed, or a premium option that is temporarily available at no charge. The source can be an App Store price change, a public announcement from the developer or another reliable trace showing that a promotion exists. A social media post or an unverified screenshot alone is not enough for us to mark a deal as confirmed.
2. Checking the app and the official App Store page
We verify the identity of the app, the developer, supported devices and the official App Store URL. The goal is that a reader can always go to the original Apple page rather than an intermediary download link. When the public price is available we compare the regular and current price and record whether the promotion is paid-to-free.
3. A separate check of Serbia and the United States
The App Store is regional. Price, currency and the availability of an app or in-app purchase can differ between Serbia, the US and other countries, so we follow the Serbian and American storefronts specifically. If a promotion can only be confirmed in one region, it should not be presented as a universal offer for every reader.
Even when a deal has been verified, the reader's own Apple ID region remains the deciding factor. If Apple shows a price above zero on your device, do not confirm the purchase.
4. Paid-to-free checks
For a paid-to-free promotion we check whether the app itself, which normally has a price, is currently available for zero. This is the simpler type of promotion because Apple often shows the price publicly on the App Store page. On the AppDrop deal page we try to show the previous price, the current price, platforms and the time of the last check.
5. Lifetime checks
Lifetime deals call for extra caution. The base app is often free while the permanent premium unlock is an in-app purchase. The public App Store page does not always show the current price of that specific lifetime package, so we rely on the published terms of the promotion and clear activation steps.
For these deals we stress the most important rule: before you confirm, the Apple dialog must clearly show zero. A free installation of the app is not proof that the lifetime package is free. Active lifetime deals are listed on the Lifetime page.
6. Time of the last check
Promotions can last days, hours, or end without notice, so the time of the last check is valuable. It shows how fresh the information you are looking at is. We do not use it as a guarantee of a future price, only as a transparent record of when the status was confirmed.
7. Community signal and re-checks
Reader reports can help us learn quickly that a deal is still active or has just ended. A community signal is not a substitute for verification; it is a reason to look at the status again. If several readers report a problem, that deal gets priority for a new check.
8. Expired deals and corrections
When we confirm that a deal is no longer free, we remove it from the active list and keep it as expired where that is useful for the price history. If we find a wrong price, platform or other material detail, we update the record. Our rules for corrections and content selection are described in the Editorial policy.
The most important limitation
AppDrop is an informational service, not an Apple store. We cannot control when a developer ends a promotion, nor replace the price shown on your Apple account. That is why the last step is always the same: check the final price in the Apple interface immediately before you confirm.
Frequently asked questions
Can AppDrop guarantee the price is still zero?
No. We can show when we last checked it, but Apple or the developer can change the price afterwards.
Why do you check Serbia and the US?
Because prices and availability differ by region. Serbia is our primary local storefront, while many promotions appear in the US first.
What should I do if I see a wrong price?
Do not confirm the purchase. You can report the problem through the contact page and we will check the status again.