Charging within Android applications.
WHAT THE RULES REQUIRE
Digital goods and services consumed within the application must generally use the platform's billing.
WHAT IS GENERALLY EXEMPT
Physical goods and services delivered outside the application.
WHY THAT DISTINCTION MATTERS COMMERCIALLY
It determines whether you may use your own payment provider, and the commission you pay.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH BEFORE BUILDING
Which category your product falls into, and what the current rules permit.
WHY CURRENTLY
The rules change, and have been subject to regulatory intervention in several markets.
WHAT TO IMPLEMENT
Server-side verification of every purchase.
WHY
Client-side verification is trivially bypassed.
WHAT TO HANDLE
Purchases interrupted partway Purchases completed but not acknowledged Restoring previous purchases Refunds and cancellations
WHAT HAPPENS IF A PURCHASE IS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED
It is refunded automatically after a period.
WHAT TO CONSIDER LOCALLY
Which payment methods your users actually have available Price sensitivity, and whether local pricing is configured
WHAT TO NEVER DO
Direct users to an external payment route in ways the rules prohibit.
WHY
It results in removal.
