Last year, we began exploring expanded billing options on Google Play with our user choice billing pilot, which allows eligible developers to offer an additional billing system alongside Google Play’s billing system for their users in select markets. This pilot allows us to gather insights from developers and users on complexities involved in supporting user choice billing in markets across the world.
As our pilot continues to expand and evolve, we’ve begun offering developers several programmes to enable an alternative billing system and put the choice in the hands of the users. Each programme has specific eligibility criteria based on regional requirements. The below provides a guide to determine which programme(s) you may enrol in based on the location where you want to offer user choice billing.
Illustrative example of the user experience for user choice billing
Explore our user choice billing programme(s)
Explore the programmes below, which vary based on regional availability and requirements. You may enrol your app in more than one programme. If a region has multiple programme options, your app can only be enrolled in one programme per region at a time. Your app may switch between programmes if needed, however it must be resubmitted through a new declaration form.
User choice billing – Over 35 eligible countries, including the European Economic Area (EEA)For developers interested in offering user choice billing to users in the following locations:
Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, South Africa, United States or EEA (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Cyprus, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain or Sweden)
Pilot summary:
- App eligibility:
- An app or game across any form factors offering user choice billing to users in the EEA; or
- A non-gaming mobile or tablet app with users in all other locations listed above.
- Service fee: reduced by 4% for transactions where users pay with an alternative billing system.
- Alternative billing APIs ready: yes, participating developers can automate transaction reporting by following the integration guide.
Get the full details about eligibility, requirements, and how to get started by visiting the pilot page.
Important note: Developers with users in the European Economic Area also have the option to offer an alternative billing system without user choice. This means, participating eligible developers can offer a standalone alternative billing system without also offering Google Play’s billing system. The requirements for this EEA programme vary from the user choice billing pilot. Get the full details by visiting the EEA programme page.
For developers interested in offering user choice billing to users in South Korea.
Programme summary:
- App eligibility: gaming and non-gaming mobile or tablet apps with users in South Korea.
- Service fees: reduced by 4% for transactions where users pay with an alternative billing system.
- Alternative billing APIs ready: yes, participating developers can automate transaction reporting and invoicing by following the integration guide.
Get the full details about eligibility, requirements and how to get started by visiting the programme page for user choice billing in South Korea.
For developers interested in offering user choice billing to users in India.
Programme summary:
- App eligibility: gaming and non-gaming mobile or tablet apps with users in India.
- Service fees: reduced by 4% for transactions where users pay with an alternative billing system.
- Alternative billing APIs ready: yes, participating developers can automate transaction reporting and invoicing by following the integration guide.
Get the full details about eligibility, requirements and how to get started by visiting the programme page for user choice billing in India.
What to expect when onboarding
Onboarding to any of the user choice billing programmes requires you to agree to the Terms of Service for the applicable programme(s), provide verifiable developer and app information, and provide relevant information to complete your onboarding. More detail is provided below.
Step 1: Review the requirements
Review the requirements for each programme on the relevant programme page to determine if your app(s) meets the eligibility criteria
Step 2: Submit the declaration form
Each programme requires the submission of a declaration form to provide relevant information and accept the applicable Terms of Service.
Step 3: Account creation and confirmation
After your declaration form submission is reviewed, our onboarding team will send you an email regarding next steps.
- If you need to create a payment profile you will need to supply relevant business documentation
- If you already have an eligible payment profile or after your profile has been created you’ll be notified of next steps
Step 4: Enrol your app(s)
You will need to identify the apps and countries in which you will offer user choice billing. You can do this via an enrolment form which our onboarding team will share with you.
Step 5: Onboarding completion and programme participation
Once we've confirmed that your app is eligible for the given programme and you've completed all applicable enrolment steps, you will receive an email from Google Play confirming that your onboarding is complete. This email will also contain instructions on how to implement the APIs and abide by programme requirements.
Alternative billing API migration deadline
Alternative billing APIs are required for offering an alternative billing system to users in any eligible market by the migration deadline ('Manual sunset date'). To get started, follow the programme page to learn more about integrating with alternative billing APIs and migration requirements.
| User choice billing for users in: | APIs available | Manual sunset date |
|---|---|---|
| South Korea | 6 April 2023 | 2 August 2023 |
| India | 14 November 2023 | 13 March 2024 |
| European Economic Area, AU, BR, ID, JP, ZA, US | 14 November 2023 | 13 March 2024 |
| Alternative billing only (i.e. without user choice) for users in: |
APIs available | Manual sunset date |
|---|---|---|
| European Economic Area | 14 November 2023 | 13 March 2024 |