Role: in‑app subscription infrastructure · Merchant of record: Apple / Google · Fee: free tier, then a percentage of tracked revenue above a threshold.
For in‑app digital goods, the app stores are the mandatory merchant of record — they collect and remit tax. RevenueCat sits on top, giving you one cross‑platform view of who is entitled to what, so you don't rebuild receipt validation for each store.
Where it fits the routing picture
In the merchant‑of‑record model, in‑app purchases are their own channel: you can't route them to Stripe or Paddle. RevenueCat is the tool for managing that channel's entitlements. Paywend handles the same idea for web — and can unify store, direct and MoR entitlements in one place.
Strengths
Cross‑platform (iOS + Android) entitlements; strong analytics; generous free tier; avoids building receipt validation yourself.
Watch‑outs
Only for in‑app purchases; the stores still take their 15–30% and are the merchant of record; not a fit for web checkout.
Best for
Mobile apps with subscriptions that need reliable, cross‑store entitlement management and analytics.