Without making much noise, Google quietly expanded its “User Choice Billing” pilot program to more developers of non-gaming Android apps in the EEA region, India, Japan, Indonesia, and Australia.
App developers in these regions can set up their own billing method to collect user payments, aside the Google Play’s standard means. Though the Google fees are reduced by 4% in the native billing option, developers have to solve any issues with the users regarding the payments.
Alternative Payment Methods in Google Play
After a lot of pressure from several developers and governments, Google decided to let developers add their own billing method to the Play Store. Starting with Spotify in March this year, after a ruling from the South Korean government, Google is now expanding this program to more countries.
Although, it’s limited to non-game apps only. Starting September 1st this year, app developers in the European Economic Area (EEA), India, Japan, Indonesia, and Australia can participate in Google’s User Choice Billing program, that’d let them add an alternative billing option to their Android apps.
Users can choose to pay either through the developer-set billing option or Google’s regular Play Store billing option. Currently, Google charges 15% of all the transactions made through its billing system, while some developers qualify for a 30% revenue cut.
And the developers who charge through their own means now can pay 4% less to Google. Although, they should also address the customer issues raised in the transactions made through their billing system.
There’s no word on this program coming to the US or being expanded to include the game apps. Google just says that “we expect the pilot details to continue to evolve as we learn more and receive additional feedback”.
