Subscriptions are a great way to grow your business and generate a strong and reliable cash flow. If you have access to a fantastic ACH merchant account you also have the ability to take those subscription payments with ease.
The other good news is that Google has openly confirmed that it intends to make it easier for customers to make an upfront payment for a subscription service before you download an app. This means that you could give your customers the opportunity to sign up to a trial before a regular subscription starts at a later date.
The simple answer to the question of whether you are allowed to sell subscriptions on Google Play is yes, but there are rules and technical requirements that you have to adhere to.
Here’s what you need to know.
Understanding how subscriptions work on Google Play
A good starting point would be to have a clear understanding of how the subscription model works on this platform.
In a nutshell, Google Play is happy to allow developers to sell recurring subscriptions directly within Android apps that are being distributed through the Play Store. It doesn’t set any specific restrictions when it comes to the duration or frequency of these subscriptions. That means t`hey can be weekly, monthly, annual, or even custom durations.
Presently, you are required to use Google Play Billing as the mandatory option for selling digital content or services on a subscription basis. Crucially, although Google handles cancellations, renewals, and refunds, users can use a card or Google Pay linked account. They take a service fee for providing this service.
Rules of engagement
As you would expect, there are certain parameters and things that you can and can’t do when selling subscriptions on Google Play.
You are able to sell free trials and offer an introductory price to attract new customers. You can also change your prices by notifying the customer in advance, and you have the ability to pause or cancel subscriptions as required. There is also the ability to sell multiple subscription tiers for greater flexibility.
The present rules do not permit you to link users to an external website within the app where they can subscribe outside of Google Play. It is also not currently possible to use a third-party payment processor for in-app subscriptions. In addition, there are strict rules that are designed to prevent a scenario where it is more difficult for a subscriber to cancel than it needs to be.
Finding a solution that works for your business
Ultimately, there are ways to sell subscriptions outside of the app if that’s the way you want to do it.
It is acceptable to sell subscriptions using your own website and payment system. It is only when you are operating inside the app that Google Play’s rules of engagement come into force and have to be followed to the letter.
It is also perfectly feasible to create a hybrid solution that uses both options to maximize subscription numbers. To address the original question, yes, you can sell subscriptions on Google Play, you just need to know how to do it in a way that keeps within the rules.
