Distributing Paid Apps

[PC-SPEZIALIST]

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?

[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

[PC-SPEZIALIST]

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. 

[jasonbayton]

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 🙂

[PC-SPEZIALIST]

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. 

[jeremy]

You can use managed configuration without any risk for your play store listing. It’s compliant with the Play Store rules and used by several developers already. 

Managed configuration will be the best way for you to offer your app for your customers using Android enterprise. 

[PC-SPEZIALIST]

That sounds really promising.

Can you tell some companies going that way?

[jeremy]

You have slack for example who offers a Slack for EMM app for customer who wants to pre configure and add some restrictions. 

[PC-SPEZIALIST]

Do you have an example where the app is paid (e.g. ZoiPer Pro)?

All apps from Slack are free.

[jeremy]

the app will have to be free on the play store. Then you will manage the license in your own with your client. 

you can for example provide them a licence key to input in your app manually or with a managed configuration. 

once this is done you check the license key server side to authorize or not the device to use the app based on your license agreement with the client. 

The app will have to be free on the play store you cannot distribute paid apps to enterprises on the play store. 

[PC-SPEZIALIST]

Thanks for claryfing.

Do you know where it is written that this procedere is allowed?

[jeremy]

Which procedure exactly?

To have your app require a license to use?

any apps requiring an account does that like slack, TeamViewer, notion, Dropbox, Monday ….

[PC-SPEZIALIST]

Those apps are free to download though. Upgrading is possible on their website or via in-app-purchase. 

For ZoiPer, the app is paid once and there is no user account in the backend.

So the baseline is a bit different. That's why it would be great if @Lizzie or someone from the team could clarify.

[Moombas]

Hi,

i can tell you another example: Nine Work:

And we run this for years now.

[PC-SPEZIALIST]

Thanks, @Moombas. That's a nice example. 👍

Do you have an example where the app is not "free" on Google Play but "paid"?

[Moombas]

No, sorry. But "free" is hard to say.

What I mean: It can be "free to download and install" but when you start the app you may not able to use it without entering a license key. So, in final the app isn't free.

Nine Work behaves like that as far as i remember,

[PC-SPEZIALIST]

Ah, I see. Thanks for sharing. 👍

[PC-SPEZIALIST]

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 [...]

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[jasonbayton]

@Lizzie hey, can you run this use case internally and just give @PC-SPEZIALIST some peace of mind please?

[PC-SPEZIALIST]

Yes, we would really appreciate this, @Lizzie. 

[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

[PC-SPEZIALIST]

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. 👍

[Lizzie · Accepted solution]

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

[PC-SPEZIALIST]

Thank you for the clarification, @Lizzie. 👍