In App Purchase - Android Setup

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:

1. 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 a lot more on extra content or features.

2. 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, then they can purchase more content or functionality later.

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

4. 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.

   • 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 product is no longer available. Consumable products can be purchased multiple times.

   • 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.

2. Subscription: A subscription is a set of benefits that users can access during a stated time 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 Google PlayStore.

To integrate the in-app-purchase for your android app you can just follow the steps below

Add products in play console

1. Steps for adding one-time purchases

   • Go to the App Dashboard and inside the "Monetise" section you’ll find options for adding "In-app products".

     
   • Tap on In-app products and then click on create product. Fill the details and we will need this product id later.

     
   • Set price and then apply prices.

     

     

     

     You’ve successfully added a one time product.

2. Steps for adding subscriptions

   • Go to the App Dashboard and inside the "Monetise" section you’ll find options for adding "Subscriptions".

     
   • Then click on create subscription and fill details, we will need this product id later.

     
   • Then find base plans and offers by scrolling a bit. You can add multiple base plans.

     
   • Fill in the relevant details

     
   • Set price and select countries

     
   • Click on set price and then after entering amount tap on update

     
   • Then click on "Save" and then "Activate" the plan.

   • You have successfully added your one base plan. You can have multiple base plans in a single subscription. You can add offers to each base plan by clicking on add offer.

Now you are ready to integrate IAP in your app. Click here to know how to integrate it into your website.