There isn’t that grates me as much about iPad game apps as when my son asks for my password to buy coins, jewels or tools or whatever it is that will help him go to the next level, or unlock something. i don’t mind the occasional in-app purchase that will help him learn more, but game purchase prompts drive me crazy(ier).

This is why I love the Pay Once and Play function on iTunes. It’s not a new function – iTunes introduced it early in the year, but I’m only using it now. As its name suggests, in the Pay Once and Play category on iTunes, you will only find games that have no in-app purchases, at all. So you know that if a game like Threes! costs R39.99, you won’t pay more like that, and your child won’t hit a paywall during play.

This feature is not just for kids’ games.. there are lots of adult games too that take away the frustration, interruption and extra cost during your play.

PS: You can also restrict in-app purchases in the “Restrictions” section under iOS settings. This means that your kids for example won’t be able to physically pay for in-app purchases, but they’ll still be, unlike with “Pay Once and Play”, that has no in-app purchases at all.