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Distributing Paid Apps
Hey everyone,
Google removed the option to distribute paid apps some time ago.
We loved that feature to roll out paid apps like ZoiPer Pro and many more.
Are there any plans to get this awesome feature back?
I already asked about it at the Android Enterprise Global Partner Summit 2022:
Do you have any updates for us?
Hey PC-SPEZIALIST,
Just wanted to come back to you on this.
At the moment there doesn't appear to be any plans for supporting paid apps in Managed Google Play, however we have raised a Feature Request on your behalf that this functionality may be implemented in the future.
The ongoing discussion is pointing in the right direction by using Managed Configuration to manage the licenses of the app, could be via push of certificates or user login in the app, this would not inflict Play Store policies.I also see you got a similar response from the Play community. Sorry this isn't better news for you, but hopefully this provides a bit more clarity.
I wish you the best with this and do keep us posted how you get on if you can.
Thanks,
Lizzie
Hello PC-SPEZIALIST,
Thanks for starting this conversation.
Good question, I haven't heard that anything has changed on this I'm afraid.
As I understand it, when this was available pre-2019, it was only available in the US and we are finding that some app developers are creating their own commercial models. If I hear anything has changed on this I will come back to you here in the community.
jasonbayton, I know you responded to a similar question a few years ago in the previous Help Community about this, not sure if you have anything to add here?
Thank you,
Lizzie
Distributing paid apps was available in Germany too.
I recommended setting license information using a managed configuration (see https://developer.android.com/work/managed-configurations) to ZoiPer.
The field would be invisible in the app for the end user.
Example:
Do you know if that would be compliant with the Google Play Store rules?
ZoiPer is afraid of getting banned if they include this option.
Yup what organisations find works in lieu of this frustrating lack of basic functionality is working with the app developers directly.
- The app developer can provide you with a custom application version (and unique package name) after the commercials are worked out, with no additional requirements
- The app developer can implement a licensing system and permit license input through managed config to unlock functionality automatically
- The developer can make available a custom version of the app through their Google Play Console targeted to your enterprise (organisation) ID, and allow you to import it as a normal application, once commercials are worked out.
The only enterprise-first feature in the above is managed config, but a little light reading should have the developers up to speed pretty quick.
Good luck 🙂
Do you know if the option with the managed configuration would be compliant with the Google Play Store rules, Lizzie and jasonbayton?
ZoiPer is really afraid of getting banned if they include this option.
I have this document on my mind.
Play-distributed apps requiring or accepting payment for access to in-app features or services, including any app functionality, digital content or goods (collectively “in-app purchases”), must use Google Play’s billing system [...]
Lizzie hey, can you run this use case internally and just give PC-SPEZIALIST some peace of mind please?
Yes, we would really appreciate this, Lizzie.
Thanks PC-SPEZIALIST. I'll have a look into this to see if we can get more clarity, however I wonder have you also posted this question in the Google Play Community? As they might be able to provide some more information.
Lizzie
I just posted about distributing paid apps or using a managed configuration to upgrade a free app with premium features there too. Thanks for the tip, Lizzie. 👍
Hey PC-SPEZIALIST,
Just wanted to come back to you on this.
At the moment there doesn't appear to be any plans for supporting paid apps in Managed Google Play, however we have raised a Feature Request on your behalf that this functionality may be implemented in the future.
The ongoing discussion is pointing in the right direction by using Managed Configuration to manage the licenses of the app, could be via push of certificates or user login in the app, this would not inflict Play Store policies.I also see you got a similar response from the Play community. Sorry this isn't better news for you, but hopefully this provides a bit more clarity.
I wish you the best with this and do keep us posted how you get on if you can.
Thanks,
Lizzie
Thank you for the clarification, Lizzie. 👍
You're right—Google’s removal of the paid app distribution feature has been a challenge for many organizations relying on apps like Zoiper Pro. Unfortunately, there haven’t been any official updates or announcements about bringing this feature back.
For now, alternatives include using private app distribution via Google Play or managing app licenses through third-party solutions.
If you hear anything from Google or have insights from the Summit, feel free to share—we’re all eager for updates!
