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In-App Purchase (IAP)
In-App Purchase (Android)

In-App Purchase

An In-App Purchase (or IAP) allows developers to charge users for specific functionality or content while using an app. Implementing IAPs is particularly compelling for several reasons:

It’s an extra way to earn money, in addition to simply selling the app for a fee upfront. Some users are willing to spend much more on extra content or features.

An app can be offered for free, which makes it a no-brainer download for most people. Free apps will typically get many more downloads than paid apps. If users enjoy the app, they can purchase more content or functionality later.

You can display advertisements to the user in a free app with an option to remove them by purchasing an IAP.

Following the initial release of an app, new paid content can be added to the same app instead of having to develop a brand-new app to earn more money.

You can use Google Play to sell the following types of products:

1. One-Time Products: A One-Time Product is a product that users can purchase with a single, non-recurring charge to the user's form of payment. Examples of one-time products include additional game levels, premium loot boxes, and media files. One-time products are either consumable or non-consumable.

2. Consumable Product: A Consumable Product is one that a user consumes to receive in-game content. For example, a user might purchase an in-game currency product such as a stack of coins. When the user consumes the product, your app then dispenses a fixed number of coins to the user, and the purchased stack of coins is no longer available. Consumable products can be purchased multiple times.

3. Non-Consumable Product: A Non-Consumable Product is a product that is purchased once and provides a permanent benefit. Once purchased, these products are permanently associated with the user's Google account. Examples of non-consumable products include premium upgrades and level packs.

4. Subscription: A Subscription is a set of benefits that users can access during a stated period. You can have multiple subscriptions within the same app, either to represent entirely different benefits (for example, a streaming video app could have separate “news” and “sports” subscriptions), or different tiers of a single set of benefits (for example, a cloud storage app could have 100 GB, 1 TB, and 10 TB subscriptions).

Users gain access (or entitlement) to a subscription by purchasing a base plan or offer, either in your app or on Google Play. Make sure that you have set up your Android app on the Google Play Store.

Integrating in-app purchases into your Android app can unlock new revenue streams and enhance user engagement. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can seamlessly implement in-app purchases and provide users with a smooth purchasing experience.

In-App Purchase (IAP)In-App Purchase (iOS)