Can we use Google pay as secondary method in Android Application?

Question

Can we use Google pay as secondary Payment method in Android Application? Our Application have other payment method like as PayPal and One more thing our App provide digital services only and Google have changed their payment policies that you must integrate Google pay in Application till September 2021 otherwise application support will be remove from google play. Currently I am using another payment method in application. Please suggest me either I can set google pay as secondary payment method or not if yes then please help me and provide me solution.

Google policies link

Answer 1

Disclaimer

I don't have any special insights into the Google Play policies. This answer is based on publicly available documentation. That is, the policy document that you've provided.

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The policy document you reference is about using Google Play's billing system (not Google Pay). As stated in the policy, the requirement to use Google Play's billing system depends on the type of goods sold:

2. Play-distributed apps must use Google Play's billing system as the method of payment if they require or accept payment for access to features or services, including any app functionality, digital content or goods.

   a. Examples of app features or services requiring use of Google Play's billing system include, but are not limited to, in-app purchases of:

   • Items (such as virtual currencies, extra lives, additional playtime, add-on items, characters and avatars);
   • subscription services (such as fitness, game, dating, education, music, video, and other content subscription services);
   • app functionality or content (such as an ad-free version of an app or new features not available in the free version); and
   • cloud software and services (such as data storage services, business productivity software, and financial management software).

Since you've stated that "our App provide digital services only", I believe that the following means that Google Play's billing system cannot be a secondary payment method, but must be only payment option.

From the policy:

3. Apps other than those described in 2(b) may not lead users to a payment method other than Google Play's billing system. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, leading users to other payment methods via:

   • An app’s listing in Google Play;
   • In-app promotions related to purchasable content;
   • In-app webviews, buttons, links, messaging, advertisements or other calls to action; and
   • In-app user interface flows, including account creation or sign-up flows, that lead users from an app to a payment method other than Google Play's billing system as part of those flows.

I know it's probably not the answer you wanted, but that's what I can gather.