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An Ionic 5 app I built for a client uses Paypal for subscription, and Google rejected it because it doesn't use Google Play's billing system. Does it mean that Paypal is no longer accepted as a payment option on Android apps? The client really wants to use Paypal.

Obi
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2 Answers2

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If creating subscriptions for any sort of digital product rather than a physical good, the Google App Store's terms essentially require using the Google App Store payment system.

You can create an Android App to sell digital things that does not use the App Store payment system, but you can't distribute that app via the App Store.

Some services like Spotify or Netflix have worked around this by directing new subscribers to a direct web-based (not app-based) portal to sign up for a subscription.

Preston PHX
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  • What Spotify/Netflix does it's not a workaround. Google cannot charge external Services for providing/streaming THEIR contents, so the payment can be directly done on their websites. I think the Author of this question choosed PayPal due to less charges (4% vs 30%) and it is not allowed by Google Terms. I tried 6/7 years ago to do the same and Google suspended my App for that reason. So I moved to a different "showcase" different from Google Play Store. – emandt May 10 '21 at 07:41
  • There are requirements. You have to be offering a subscription to something that is also available outside the app, or something like that. But it is in fact a workaround. – Preston PHX May 10 '21 at 07:46
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This is what Google says about InApp billing. Blog

Starting August 2, 2021, all new apps must use Billing Library version 3 or newer. By November 1, 2021, all updates to existing apps must use Billing Library version 3 or newer.

If you are distributing your app through the google play store, you must use Google Play Billing Library. It does not depend upon the framework you use. It applies to Native development, Ionic, Flutter, React Native, Xamarin etc. No other payment methods like Stripe, Paypal etc are accepted. The main problem here is that Google will take 30% of the total amount say it for one time or subscription. If you are keen on integrating Paypal you must distribute your app through ApkMonk, F-droid etc, or make payment options available only through your web app like Spotify, Netflix etc.

mad_lad
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  • Yes, for digital goods. Apps selling physical goods still can (and probably should) use payment providers such as PayPal. And for fixed price subscriptions that give full access to a service, there is the workaround of using a web-based direct payment external to the app that things like Spotify and Netflix use to avoid Google/Apple's 30% cut – Preston PHX May 10 '21 at 05:30
  • Thanks, I saw the blog too. Just wanted to confirm, 'cos I was surprised that something as popular as Paypal wasn't allowed as a payment option on Android (for digital goods, anyway). – Obi May 10 '21 at 14:23
  • The App Stores do accept PayPal as a payment method. It's just Google/Apple want their 30%, it's how they maintain the App Store's business model. – Preston PHX May 10 '21 at 15:50
  • Some countries impose their tax over this 30%, which becomes around 35% of the total amount. This is a significant loss for small developers. Apple & Google stated that they will make 30% to 15% for developers having less 1 million USD annually revenue. – mad_lad May 10 '21 at 17:08