Cross-Platform Subscriptions: One Account, Every Device

By Tactiq AI · 2026-05-05 · 6 min read · Cross-Platform

A football fan analyzing fixtures on a phone in the morning and on a Mac in the afternoon does not want to think about which subscription applies to which device. A subscription bought for the analysis itself, not for a specific platform, is the cleanest model.

Tactiq's cross-platform subscription delivers that. One Apple ID, one billing relationship, entitlement that follows you across iOS and Mac. The math is simpler than it sounds, but it has a few specific rules worth understanding, especially around the Mac-only Base tier and the iOS Free tier's relationship to Mac access.

This article walks through the model, what each tier gives you on each platform, and the edge cases worth knowing.

The core mechanic

Tactiq's iOS app and Mac app are both registered with Apple under the same developer account. When you sign in on either platform with your Apple ID, the platform checks Apple's StoreKit for any active Tactiq subscriptions associated with that Apple ID. If a subscription exists, the entitlement is applied to whichever platform you are signed in on.

This means: you can subscribe to Premium on iOS, then download Tactiq for Desktop on your Mac, sign in with the same Apple ID, and Premium is active on Mac immediately. No separate purchase, no second billing, no migration step.

The mechanism is symmetric. You can subscribe to Basic on Mac, sign in on iOS with the same Apple ID, and Basic is active on iOS.

The pricing matrix

Tactiq's tier pricing matrix as of v1.1.6:

| Tier | iOS / Android | macOS | |------|---------------|-------| | Free | $0 (ad-supported) | Not available | | Base | Not available | $4.99 / month (no ads) | | Basic | $8.99 / month | $8.99 / month | | Premium | $15.99 / month | $15.99 / month |

Two important notes from the matrix:

The Free tier exists only on iOS and Android. It is ad-supported and capped at 8 analyses per day. There is no Free tier on Mac because the Mac app is positioned for users who have already chosen the platform deliberately.

The Base tier ($4.99/month) exists only on Mac. It is the lowest-priced way to use the Mac app. Base gives ad-free access on Mac with the same 8-analyses-per-day cap as iOS Free. Crucially, a Base subscriber also gets free (ad-supported) access on iOS via the cross-platform mechanic. Buying Base on Mac is functionally equivalent to buying ad-free access on Mac plus iOS Free access.

Cross-platform entitlement, by tier

The entitlement transfer rules:

Premium subscribers (iOS or Mac). Premium on both platforms. Same 32 analyses per day, same Match Simulator, same Tactical Briefing, same calibration tracker. The only platform difference is the workflow (see the Mac vs iOS article).

Basic subscribers (iOS or Mac). Basic on both platforms. Same 16 analyses per day, same expanded data layers, same featured-league access. Workflow differences only.

Mac Base subscribers. Ad-free Mac at 8 analyses per day, plus iOS as Free (ad-supported, 8 analyses per day). The Mac Base subscriber is a Mac user who wanted ad-free Mac access; the iOS access is a bonus, not the primary value.

iOS Free users. No Mac access. iOS Free is exclusive to iOS. To open Tactiq for Desktop on Mac, the user must subscribe to Base, Basic, or Premium on Mac. The transfer rule is one-way: paid Mac access bestows free iOS access, but free iOS access does not bestow Mac access.

The Android exception

Android subscriptions are managed via Google Play Billing, not Apple StoreKit. This creates a structural separation: Android entitlement does not transfer to Mac, and Mac entitlement does not transfer to Android.

Cross-platform users with both an iOS device (Apple ID) and an Android device (Google account) can have:

Separate iOS and Android subscriptions if they want full functionality on both. This is two billing relationships.
iOS subscription only, ad-supported Android usage. The Android side is functionally Free tier.
Android subscription only, ad-supported iOS usage. The iOS side is functionally Free tier.

The cleanest path for users who genuinely use both is the first option: one subscription per ecosystem. The Apple subscription covers iOS and Mac; the Google subscription covers Android.

Managing the subscription

The subscription is managed through Apple's standard subscription management, accessible from Settings on iOS or System Settings on Mac. There is no separate Tactiq subscription portal; everything routes through Apple.

To upgrade, downgrade, or cancel:

Open Apple ID settings on iOS or Mac.
Tap Subscriptions.
Find Tactiq.
Choose the action (upgrade, downgrade, cancel).

Changes propagate to both platforms immediately when made through Apple. Cancelling cancels the subscription on both iOS and Mac (since they are the same subscription). Upgrading from Basic to Premium upgrades both. Downgrading similarly.

Apple's standard refund policies apply. Tactiq does not handle refunds or billing disputes; those go through Apple's customer service.

Two practical workflows

Two workflows are common among Premium users with both iOS and Mac:

Workflow A: phone-first, Mac as a bonus. User starts with iOS Premium for the matchday companion experience. After several months, downloads Tactiq for Desktop on Mac to use during weekend analysis sessions. The same Premium subscription covers both. No additional cost.

Workflow B: Mac-first, iOS as a companion. User starts with Mac Premium for the multi-fixture analysis workflow. Adds iOS later for live-score checking and quick analyze-now during the day. Same subscription covers both.

Either workflow works. The cross-platform mechanic is designed so the user does not have to plan for it; whichever platform they install first, the second platform inherits the entitlement.

When the model is not cross-platform

A user might prefer to keep platforms separate (e.g., one user prefers Mac for analysis, another household member prefers iOS for live scores). Family Sharing is the path for this case. Apple Family Sharing allows a subscription bought by one Apple ID to be shared with up to five other Apple IDs in the family group.

Family Sharing is configured at the Apple level, not the Tactiq level. Tactiq does not have a separate family-tier or shared-account mechanism; it inherits whatever Apple's Family Sharing does for in-app subscriptions.

Putting it together

For most Premium users, the cross-platform mechanic is invisible: subscribe once, use everywhere. The complexity above only surfaces in three situations: choosing whether to start with Mac Base or iOS Free; deciding whether to add Android with a separate subscription; or configuring Family Sharing across multiple Apple IDs.

In all three situations, the rule of thumb is: pay once for the analysis itself. The platform you read it on is a workflow choice, not a billing one.

Tactiq's cross-platform subscription model applies on iOS, Mac, and (separately) Android. The same probability engine, the same simulator, the same calibration tracker, follows the user wherever they sign in.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does cross-platform subscription work?

One Apple ID covers Tactiq on both iOS and macOS. Subscribe on either platform, and the entitlement transfers automatically when you sign in on the other. Premium on iOS = Premium on Mac. Basic on Mac = Basic on iOS. Apple handles the billing centrally.

Is there a tier that exists on Mac but not on iOS?

Yes. Mac has a Base tier ($4.99 per month) that is not available on iOS. Mac users who want ad-free access without Basic or Premium can subscribe to Base. The Base tier on Mac also gives free (ad-supported) access on iOS via the same Apple ID.

Does iOS Free give me Mac access?

No. iOS Free is the ad-supported tier on iOS only. To use Tactiq on Mac, you need to subscribe to Base, Basic, or Premium. Once you have any Mac subscription, the matching iOS entitlement is automatic.

What about Android?

Android subscriptions match iOS pricing (Free, Basic $8.99, Premium $15.99). Android entitlement is managed via Google Play and does not currently transfer to Mac, since Mac uses Apple ID. Android users on iOS via the same email can have separate Android and iOS subscriptions.

Can I cancel one platform's subscription without affecting the other?

When the subscription is shared via Apple ID, cancelling on iOS or Mac cancels the unified subscription (since they are the same subscription). To downgrade only one platform, you would need to cancel and re-subscribe at the lower tier.

How long does the entitlement transfer take?

Typically immediate when you sign in on the second platform. The entitlement is checked against your Apple ID at sign-in. If you do not see the upgraded tier on the second platform within a few minutes, restart the app.