How selling digital goods on Android works
Digital products consumed inside an Android app — subscriptions, premium unlocks, in-app currency, ad removal — must generally be sold through Google Play's billing system. Google handles the transaction and takes a service fee, and you integrate the Play Billing Library to offer and grant purchases.
There are a few purchase types, and picking the right one matters: one-time products, consumable products you can buy repeatedly, and subscriptions with their own renewal, upgrade, and cancellation rules. We map your monetization to the right product types so it behaves the way you and your users expect.
- One-time purchases, consumables, and subscriptions — modeled to fit your offer
- Subscription plans, base plans, offers, free trials, and intro pricing
- Play Billing Library integration with a clean purchase and restore flow
- Purchase restoration across a user's devices and reinstalls
- Handling of upgrades, downgrades, cancellations, and refunds
Getting it verified and compliant
The single most important technical detail: purchases must be verified on your server, not trusted from the app. Client-only checks are a common way apps get their paid features unlocked for free. We verify purchases server-side against Google Play so entitlements are granted only for genuine transactions.
We also keep you inside Google's policies. With limited exceptions, digital goods must use Play Billing rather than an outside payment method, and subscriptions have specific disclosure requirements. Getting these right avoids rejections and keeps your revenue flowing.
- Server-side purchase verification and entitlement — no trusting the client
- Real-time developer notifications to keep subscription status in sync
- Grace periods, account hold, and renewal handling for subscriptions
- Compliance with Play's payments policy and subscription disclosures
- Testing with license testers and sandbox purchases before launch
More on android apps
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to use Google Play Billing, or can I use Stripe?
For digital goods and subscriptions used inside the app, Google generally requires Play Billing, and Google takes a service fee on those sales. External processors like Stripe are for physical goods and services. We'll confirm which category your product falls into so you use the compliant system.
Why does purchase verification need a server?
Because a purchase confirmed only on the device can be spoofed, which lets people unlock paid features without paying. Verifying with Google Play from your server ensures entitlements are granted only for real transactions. It's the difference between a hobby integration and a production-grade one.
How much does Google take?
Google charges a service fee on Play Billing sales, and the rate depends on the product type and current Play program terms — subscriptions and smaller developers can qualify for reduced rates. Those terms are set by Google. We'll point you to the current rates for your situation during scoping.