Payments on Google Play

Whether your app needs Play billing is the same decision you make for the App Store, under different rules. Here's where things stand as of August 2026.

#The baseline rule

If you sell digital goods or subscriptions inside the app, Google requires Play billing. The cuts: 15% on your first $1M each year (30% past that), and 15% on auto-renewing subscriptions from day one.

Physical goods, services consumed outside the app, and person-to-person payments are exempt.

One thing to know up front: Ruby Native doesn't integrate Play billing yet. In-app purchases are StoreKit-only today, so purchases inside your Android app aren't supported; for most apps, the companion path below is the answer.

#The companion app path

Play allows apps where users consume content or services they already pay for elsewhere, as long as the app doesn't steer them to buy outside Play. In practice it's the same shape as Apple's companion path: sign-ups and billing live on your website, the app serves existing customers, and nothing in the app mentions upgrading or pricing.

#The US carve-out

Since late 2025, US apps can enroll in Google's external links program and send users to web checkout, and a separate reduced-fee model is live in the US, UK, and EEA. Google published fees for the links program (around 10% on subscriptions) that start applying October 1, 2026. Like Apple's version, it only applies to some users, so treat it as something to watch rather than build on.

#What to do

• You sell nothing digital, or only to businesses on the web: ship the companion path. No purchases, no upgrade CTAs, nothing to build.
• You want purchases inside the Android app: that needs Play billing, which Ruby Native doesn't support yet. If that's a blocker, reply to any of my emails and let me know.
• You're not sure: ship the companion path first. Adding purchases later is a normal update.

This area changes quarter to quarter. Check the current Play payments policy at submission time.