Android Question Custom in-app billings

[LucaMs]

After the last events:
https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/the-100-000-downloads-club.49346/page-5#post-602306

https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/admob-income-dropped-over-the-last-four-weeks.92634/

I trust Google less and less.

Does Google allow to sell "virtual items" by proposing that buyers pay directly to your PayPal account?

I suppose the answer is no, but you never know

 

[asales]

I think the answer is really "no":

"Developers charging for apps and downloads from Google Play must use Google Play’s payment system."
https://play.google.com/about/monetization-ads/?hl=en

 

[LucaMs]

I think the answer is really "no":

"Developers charging for apps and downloads from Google Play must use Google Play’s payment system."
https://play.google.com/about/monetization-ads/?hl=en

This could be an additional reason to publish your apps elsewhere, just on your own site, for example.

 

[ocalle]

Hi
I consulted friendly companies that sell software and they told me that they put a free application in playtore, then on their website using a valid certificate they sell the activation of the license on a monthly basis, so that customers pay very little but always, in exchange for them they receive everything new in their application

 

[LucaMs]

Hi
I consulted friendly companies that sell software and they told me that they put a free application in playtore, then on their website using a valid certificate they sell the activation of the license on a monthly basis, so that customers pay very little but always, in exchange for them they receive everything new in their application

Does Google know it? We don't know... if Google knows

 

[hatzisn]

@LucaMs ocalle is right. I do the same thing in my application Be Safe. When you first load it it requires an activation code which I sell to my customers through my site. If Google was checking the applications it should have found out that I do this and would have warned me about that or remove my application. Sei un fan del movimento cinque stelle?

 

[LucaMs]

Sei un fan del movimento cinque stelle?

Sì, ma ogni giorno di meno
Yes, but every day less.

 

[AHilton]

All of the apps we've created do this, too. Both one-time payment and recurring (subscription) payment scenarios. Never a problem.

 

[ocalle]

The European Union should regulate playstore so that google does not monopolize the applications, as it has the luxury of exposing services such as Firebase that later do not work in the middle of a project. The applications and services of Google to my understanding are highly unpredictable, greater than Microsoft and its operating systems updables to diarior (By faults of course)
This is my thought, when making an application I think about its portability and who will give me a stable service. Having a server very close to it.

 

[AHilton]

ocalle, I agree with much of what you said and would extend that to most every company out there. Which is why we, if at all possible, handle services that support our products in-house. We host our own servers and services (databases, communications, notifications, authentication, cloud storage, payments, backups, and so much more) for nearly everything ourselves. It may take a little bit of explaining *why* we do that to some of the clients, but mostly they appreciate it.

Still, there are times when we do have to partner with outside companies for those services but we do it very carefully and are constantly looking how to bring that back into the fold. It takes effort, money and attention, but it's always been worth it.

 

[LucaMs]

However, the first answer, by @asales, confirms what I thought: you can not sell in-app "objects" "bypassing" Google.


You could be charged directly by your users if you published your app on your site.

One could object:
"But who knows your site?"

This is true but... who will find your app on the Market among the millions of those published?

 

[AHilton]

LucaMs, of course you can. It may go against Google Play policies, though. But, it certainly has been working to not have to go through Google Plays' payment system. For small developers it is probably worth it to just pay your 1/3 app cost and then whatever the fee for in-app purchases just not to have to support the workaround methods.

We also host downloads and updates of some of our clients' apps (android and otherwise that we develop for them) from our websites as well as offering some on Google Play. We do the exact same thing regarding purchases for both hosting methods. It all depends on the developers' (and clients) needs. The point being … things as they stand today are flexible enough to be able to do this. That may become more restrictive in the future so we'll keep an eye on that.