Third party billing api in my google play app

Question

I am making an android app to serve my progressive webapp content using webviews. I want to host my android app on the Google Play store. My webapp uses Stripe as the billing api to accept payments, start free trials, and apply discounts. However, after reading the Google Play terms of service, I am confused by the section here.

My webapp offers subscription based content. In other words, users purchase my subscriptions in order to access restricted content. My content definitely meets the requirements in Google Play's terms of service. On billing though, I'd really prefer to use Stripe as that's what I've been using up until now. The terms of service states on in app purchases that I must use Google's billing api as the only payment method for selling subscriptions.

I am confused for two reasons. The first is on this section of Google Play's documentation, they suggest using multiple billing methods in an app as a good practice, but this contradicts their terms of service. So then am I allowed to use Stripe on my android after all? The second is that I'm looking at other android apps on Google Play, such as Spotify. Spotify does not seem to use Google Play's billing api for purchasing subscriptions. So I'm trying to understand what makes Spotify exempt from this requirement.

I had two theories for why Spotify is exempt. The first is because they offer their content through multiple mediums. Website, Windows and macOS applications, iOS app, etc. Does this fact exempt Spotify due to this statement: "Payment is for digital content that may be consumed outside of the app itself (e.g. songs that can be played on other music players)". If so then my app falls under this category as well since a subscriber would be able to access my content on my website and iOS app in addition to my android app correct? My second theory was because I read here that Spotify carries out the in app billing process through an external Spotify webview. If this is the case, then my app would be accepted by Google Play if I do the same and handle the billing by serving an external webview?

So my question is given everything I've touched on above, would my android wrapped progressive webapp be accepted by the Google Play store?

Thanks in advance.

Hoar

I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it is about Policies on App stores rather than programming meta.#272665 – Westonwestover

Yeah that's fair. I know it's off topic, but Google has been completely unresponsive to my questions. I was hoping someone from this community would have greater insight. I guess I have no choice but to trust my instinct and go ahead and launch my app anyway. – Hoar

Non-official advice: (1) The fact your app is a progressive web app is irrelevant. If it is served in the Google Play Store is the only thing that matters, not the technology used to build it. (2) The section you refer to recommending different forms of payment is not Google Play's documentation, but Android developer documentation. Android and Google Play are independent entities. And the example given is for a store selling physical goods. So no conflict. (3) The webview is irrelevant. It is clearly the exemption for outside of app content – Westonwestover

I see, I see. Thank you for that non-official advice Nick. You unofficially answered all of my questions. I now have a much clearer idea of android app deployment to Google Play moving forward. – Hoar

How did this age? @Hoar – Horizon

Answer 1

Short answer: If you are planning to rely purely on Google Play or some other marketplace to grow your business / userbase then build your app to use their payment system. If people visit your website from the web, tell them to download it from whatever marketplace.

Long answer: If you do some exploring you will notice there is no option to manage payments from some mobile apps only login / signup (free account). If you want to upgrade you are either redirected to a browser OR forced to use their online web app (because you end up googl-ing out of frustration). BUT Google is saying as of September 2021 there will be 0 links allowed to non-Google payment services for any app that is not exempt (physical goods / services). So unless Netflix is using big money loopholes to qualify as one of the exempt businesses they would need to remove the link to "manage subscription" in their account settings sometime September 2021 - or implement Google's payment system for their APK submitted to Google play store.

My advice: Keep it simple!!! Unless you are working with a budget or team, managing all of this on your own, and in production will be overwhelming, especially if you end up scaling. If you want to make a Google Play game or app then build it with Google in mind. Use Google Oauth, Google Adsense (free accounts), and use Google's payment system to upgrade users. As you grow, hire people to help you expand and maintain your project on new marketplaces.

Dott