The Shadowrocket app purchase and a service plan are billed separately. This guide is for people considering a purchase, unable to connect after buying, or moving to a new device. First check the App Store price and purchase account, then confirm your existing provider’s plan status, and finally restore the app and configuration separately to avoid mistaking a connection issue for a reason to buy the app again.
1. How much does Shadowrocket cost? Check the checkout screen
Shadowrocket is a closed-source commercial app sold as a one-time purchase. The US App Store price is about US$2.99. This is a reference for the US storefront, not a single price for every region. The storefront region, currency, and applicable taxes may affect the amount charged. Before buying, check the current App Store product page and the payment confirmation screen.
The App Store is the only place to get Shadowrocket. Check the name Shadowrocket, developer Shadow Launch Technology Limited, and app ID 932747118 rather than identifying the product by the nickname “Shadowrocket.” Check the App Store listing for system requirements and purchase availability. Don’t rely on prices or compatibility screenshots from old guides when deciding whether to buy.
- Verify the product details on our App Store verification page, then open the App Store.
- Check the currency, price, and compatibility shown in the current storefront to make sure your device meets the requirements.
- Review the system’s confirmation screen before paying. After purchase, keep the purchase record provided by Apple so you can verify the account later.
2. App purchase vs. service plan: two separate costs
The app purchase is not a service plan. Buying Shadowrocket gives you the right to use the app; it does not include a service provider’s server addresses, access credentials, data allowance, or plan validity period. This guide assumes you already have a provider and a subscription. Get subscription details directly from your provider.
| What to check | App purchase | Service provider plan |
|---|---|---|
| Who you pay | Purchase the app through the App Store | Managed by your existing service provider |
| What you get | The right to use the Shadowrocket app | Connection credentials and service allowance provided under your provider’s plan |
| Time or usage limits | One-time purchase; not charged by connection traffic | Check the validity period, data allowance, and device limits set by your provider |
| Where to check for issues | App Store purchase history and purchase account | Your provider account, plan status, and service notifications |
Bottom line: If the app opens but won’t connect, check the configuration and service status first
First, confirm that Home contains a usable connection entry. Then check the validity period and credentials provided by your service provider. Don’t buy the app again to address an expired plan or inactive subscription.
Here, “subscription” usually means the connection details update feed provided by a service provider—not a recurring App Store app subscription. Updating a subscription retrieves connection entries; it does not renew a service plan. If your provider account has expired, repeated updates won’t extend its service period.
3. Purchased but can’t connect? Check the account, configuration, and connection separately
Start by distinguishing between being unable to get the app and a connection failure within the app. For the first, check your App Store purchase account and storefront status. For the second, check the configuration, credentials, and network conditions. A successful payment confirms the app transaction; it doesn’t mean service connection details have been imported or verified.
- Check the app first: Make sure Shadowrocket opens normally. If the App Store still shows a price, check your purchase history before trying to pay again.
- Check your connection entries: Look for existing entries in Home. If the list is empty, import details in the format provided by your service provider. A single server entry and a subscription update link are different types of data.
- Check the configuration source: Rules in Config and a service provider’s connection subscription serve different purposes. Having a configuration file doesn’t necessarily mean you have valid connection credentials.
- Test the connection last: Select the correct entry, allow the VPN configuration when prompted by the system, then connect. Granting permission doesn’t guarantee the remote service is available, so check whether the connection works in practice.
When entering details manually, set Type to match the protocol provided by your service provider. Shadowsocks, VMess, VLESS, Trojan, Hysteria2, and WireGuard use different authentication methods and connection parameters; the same address and port don’t make them interchangeable. Check Address, Port, and fields such as the password, UUID, or key individually. Don’t guess based on commonly used ports.
4. Global Routing modes don’t change the one-time purchase price
Global Routing controls how traffic is handled; it doesn’t determine your app purchase rights. Switching between Proxy, Direct, Config, or Scene won’t add service allowance or extend a plan. When troubleshooting, change one setting at a time and record the result for the same destination before and after each change.
Config
RecommendedApplies strategies according to the rules in the current configuration. Whether traffic uses a proxy, connects directly, or is rejected depends on the matching rule and its strategy—not on a fixed geographic split.
Best for: Everyday use after confirming your rules and strategies are correct
Proxy
Routes intercepted traffic through the selected proxy strategy. Use it to compare results when troubleshooting rule-based routing. It can’t fix incorrect credentials or reactivate an expired service.
Best for: A temporary comparison when the connection entry is valid
Direct
Connects intercepted traffic directly to its destination. Use it to check direct access on your current network. This mode bypasses the selected proxy entry, so it can’t confirm that the entry works.
Best for: Checking whether a destination is directly reachable on your current network
Scene applies behavior according to configured scenarios. Check the scenario conditions and associated settings before using it. Settings → On Demand manages on-demand connection behavior; it isn’t a way to buy or renew a plan automatically. If you haven’t confirmed that the connection works, test it manually before checking automatic connection conditions.
- If a destination works in Proxy but not in Config, check the matching rule, rule order, and selected strategy.
- If both modes fail, check your provider’s service status, connection parameters, and current network. Don’t assume the rules are at fault.
- If a destination works in Direct, that only confirms it can be reached directly. It doesn’t mean other destinations or proxy connections will work.
5. Moving to a new iPhone or iPad: restore the app, then your configuration
Changing devices doesn’t necessarily mean you need to buy the app again. Sign in to the Apple account used for the purchase, find Shadowrocket in the App Store’s purchased apps, and follow the prompts to get it again. Menu names and locations can vary by system version; try opening your account from your App Store profile icon and looking for your purchased apps.
Restore in two steps: separate app access from connection settings
Original iPhone: Keep what you need to restore
- Confirm that Shadowrocket appears in your App Store purchase history.
- Check the account used for Media & Purchases; your iCloud sign-in alone doesn’t confirm it.
- Safely save your existing configuration and your provider’s subscription link. Don’t share credentials publicly.
New iPhone or iPad: Restore each separately
- In the App Store, find your purchased apps using the account used for the original purchase.
- Get the app by following the App Store prompts, and check device compatibility.
- Restore your configuration or reimport your existing subscription, then approve the VPN configuration again.
The app purchase record doesn’t include a service provider plan. Getting the app again doesn’t automatically restore connection entries, rules, or credentials.
iPhone and iPad are the primary devices. Compatibility and purchase availability on Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Vision are subject to the App Store listing. Even if you can get the app on another device, your service provider may limit the number of simultaneous connections. Check that limit with your existing provider; it isn’t determined by your app purchase.
- After getting the app on your new device, open Home and check whether your connection entries have been restored.
- Then open Config and check the selected configuration and Global Routing mode.
- Test the connection manually first, then check Settings → On Demand to avoid repeated automatic connection attempts with an unverified configuration.
6. Still seeing a price, or your plan has expired? Follow the right steps
If you’ve purchased the app before but the App Store still shows a price, your purchase history is the key evidence—not whether the app was installed on an old device. Make sure the account under Media & Purchases matches the purchase account, then check the app name and transaction status in your history. If you’ve changed storefront regions or accounts, first identify which account holds the purchase record, then follow the App Store prompts.
| What you see | Check first | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| The App Store shows a price, but you remember buying it | Purchase history, purchase account, and whether the transaction completed | Confirm which account made the purchase before troubleshooting how to get the app again |
| The app opens, but subscription updates fail | Link integrity, provider status, and current network | Ask your existing provider whether the subscription link is still valid |
| Connection entries are listed, but all connections fail | Plan validity, credentials, and protocol parameters | Check each item; don’t use another app purchase as a substitute for troubleshooting |
| The list is empty after moving to a new device | Whether the configuration was restored and the subscription reimported | Restore the connection details, then test manually |
Handle refund requests and billing disputes through Apple’s purchase records and support process. For a service provider plan’s validity, allowance, and renewal terms, contact your existing provider. Keeping both sets of records helps distinguish an app acquisition issue from a service outage and prevents repeating steps in the wrong place.
- Before buying: Check the product, price, currency, and device compatibility.
- After buying: Check your provider’s details, imported configuration, and connection results separately.
- When changing devices: Find your purchase record first, then restore the app, configuration, and permissions.