I've been going through a design for an app I wish to be making soon. My app will rely on user generated content. Is it possible to have users add an item to this in-app marketplace and recieve payments when other users buy from them directly using Google Wallet or PayPal? Is there a recommended way of implementing this type of feature?
Thanks in advance!
I am not aware of any recommended way to do this, however, doing this your app will likely not be allowed to be uploaded to the Google Play Store.
This would be against Google's Terms of Service as a developers apps is not allowed to make money through other means and other purchases that are made within the app have to go via the Google Play.
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I am making an android app to serve my progressive webapp content using webviews. I want to host my android app on the Google Play store. My webapp uses Stripe as the billing api to accept payments, start free trials, and apply discounts. However, after reading the Google Play terms of service, I am confused by the section here.
My webapp offers subscription based content. In other words, users purchase my subscriptions in order to access restricted content. My content definitely meets the requirements in Google Play's terms of service. On billing though, I'd really prefer to use Stripe as that's what I've been using up until now. The terms of service states on in app purchases that I must use Google's billing api as the only payment method for selling subscriptions.
I am confused for two reasons. The first is on this section of Google Play's documentation, they suggest using multiple billing methods in an app as a good practice, but this contradicts their terms of service. So then am I allowed to use Stripe on my android after all? The second is that I'm looking at other android apps on Google Play, such as Spotify. Spotify does not seem to use Google Play's billing api for purchasing subscriptions. So I'm trying to understand what makes Spotify exempt from this requirement.
I had two theories for why Spotify is exempt. The first is because they offer their content through multiple mediums. Website, Windows and macOS applications, iOS app, etc. Does this fact exempt Spotify due to this statement: "Payment is for digital content that may be consumed outside of the app itself (e.g. songs that can be played on other music players)". If so then my app falls under this category as well since a subscriber would be able to access my content on my website and iOS app in addition to my android app correct? My second theory was because I read here that Spotify carries out the in app billing process through an external Spotify webview. If this is the case, then my app would be accepted by Google Play if I do the same and handle the billing by serving an external webview?
So my question is given everything I've touched on above, would my android wrapped progressive webapp be accepted by the Google Play store?
Thanks in advance.
Short answer: If you are planning to rely purely on Google Play or some other marketplace to grow your business / userbase then build your app to use their payment system. If people visit your website from the web, tell them to download it from whatever marketplace.
Long answer: If you do some exploring you will notice there is no option to manage payments from some mobile apps only login / signup (free account). If you want to upgrade you are either redirected to a browser OR forced to use their online web app (because you end up googl-ing out of frustration). BUT Google is saying as of September 2021 there will be 0 links allowed to non-Google payment services for any app that is not exempt (physical goods / services). So unless Netflix is using big money loopholes to qualify as one of the exempt businesses they would need to remove the link to "manage subscription" in their account settings sometime September 2021 - or implement Google's payment system for their APK submitted to Google play store.
My advice: Keep it simple!!! Unless you are working with a budget or team, managing all of this on your own, and in production will be overwhelming, especially if you end up scaling. If you want to make a Google Play game or app then build it with Google in mind. Use Google Oauth, Google Adsense (free accounts), and use Google's payment system to upgrade users. As you grow, hire people to help you expand and maintain your project on new marketplaces.
We want to implement the following pricing model for an app in app store and play store.
App users gets 'x' months of free trial. Post trial app user cannot access a particular feature in the app, unless they subscribe to the yearly fee 'y'. They can access other features of the app.
Is this possible?
if not, what is the closest that can be done?
Yes, It's possible.
If you publish your app in google play store, you can use in-app purchase and set up item on google play console. I don't know about apple store, but I think it's the same.
If you want to implement that independent with google play store or app store. I think you should implement on the server side, or you can try Firebase & Firebase App Config for your app.
I'm not trying that before, but I think Firebase can solve your problem in simple way.
I am building a website for a client that is promoting an App on Kickstarter. As one of the rewards this client wants to reward sponsors with in-app purchases. I have searched Apple and posted on other forums but I can't find out if this is possible and if it is possible, how it is done.
Thanks.
You need to implement a promo-code dialog inside your app to do that, then send promo-codes to your Kickstarter users.
I don't think It's possible.
Here's the only Google documentation I could find.
You could make the app free for a short period until all backers have their copy and then raise the price but non backers will be able to download it too.
It would be possible however to use the alpha/beta functionality in the Google Play store to release the app to backers who have joined specific circles setup by you. I don't know if Google would have a problem with you using it like this.
It might be possible to distribute the app outside of the Play Store but I suspect that will become a big support problem as users struggle to get the app installed and keep it up to date.
For iOS part we haven't this functionality with Store Kit. This framework was created to securely process payments from users. You don't need to work with payments. Just deliver some product or an extra functionality to user with promo code. Implement a dialogue in your app where user can enter his code, send this code to your server, check it and give an access for user, if code was right. That's all you need. After making the product available, your app needs to make a persistent record of the "purchase" like you do with normal in-app purchases.
Would an app that requires users to purchase a non-digital product/service to get a login to the app be allowed on the Appstore (iPhone and Android)? If not what would be the correct method for distribution of private app?
There are plenty of apps in the app store that require something external. Nest app, for example, is probably pretty useless without a Nest thermostat. I think the app should just need to behave nicely if you don't have the external thing, the ticket in your case.
At least for Android (Google Play) there should be no problem if you don't force your users in app to purchase something outside of Google Wallet (e.g. in app purchases with PayPal etc., but I guess for buying tickets it's okay - if it is not done inside the app).
Here are their terms for more details: Google Play Terms
An other way would be more open markets like Bazaar (Android) or host it on your own server.
For private apps you can distribute your app under an Enterprise developer account. see here. but you have to pay more ($299/year)
I have an app that I want to market on google Play. Initially I want to charge a fixed price for the app.
I'm used to marketing apps on the Windows Phone Marketplace where a user simply has to pay to get the app - no "licensing" is necessary because the user can't get the app without paying for it.
I read the material about Google Play licensing and it seems to imply that unless I use the LVL, users can get ahold of my app for free. Is that right? On the other hand, if Google Play won't let them have the app without paying, why do I need to use licensing?
As the docs say, this is really to
verify that the current user did in fact pay for the application on Google Play
This is to combat piracy. Google Play won't give them the app without paying, but they might obtain the app from another source without paying and install it manually. This provides a runtime check.