In-App Purchase Setup for Google Play

Use this skill when you need to set up monetization for your Android app.

Two APIs: Legacy vs New Monetization

Google Play has two APIs for one-time products:

Prefer the new monetization API (gplay onetimeproducts) for new products. It supports purchase options, better regional pricing control, and is the actively developed API.

Use the legacy API (gplay iap) only for managing existing legacy products.

Never mix the two APIs for the same product. A product created via gplay iap create cannot be managed via gplay onetimeproducts and vice versa.

Critical: Product IDs Are Permanent

Google Play permanently reserves product IDs after deletion. If you create premium_unlock and later delete it, the ID premium_unlock can never be reused — not even with a different API. Choose product IDs carefully.

This means:

• Do NOT create a "test" product with a good ID and then delete it
• Do NOT create via the legacy API and then try to recreate via the new API
• If you burn an ID, you must choose a new one (e.g., premium_unlock_v2)

One-Time Products (New Monetization API)

List products

gplay onetimeproducts list --package com.example.app

Create product

--regions-version is required — the create command uses PATCH with allowMissing=true internally:

gplay onetimeproducts create \
  --package com.example.app \
  --product-id premium_unlock \
  --json @product.json \
  --regions-version "2025/03"

product.json (new monetization format)

{
  "productId": "premium_unlock",
  "listings": [
    { "languageCode": "en-US", "title": "Premium Unlock", "description": "Unlock all premium features" },
    { "languageCode": "es-ES", "title": "Desbloqueo Premium", "description": "Desbloquea todas las funciones premium" }
  ],
  "purchaseOptions": [
    {
      "buyOption": { "legacyCompatible": true },
      "newRegionsConfig": {
        "availability": "AVAILABLE",
        "usdPrice": { "currencyCode": "USD", "units": "9", "nanos": 990000000 },
        "eurPrice": { "currencyCode": "EUR", "units": "9", "nanos": 990000000 }
      },
      "regionalPricingAndAvailabilityConfigs": [
        { "regionCode": "US", "availability": "AVAILABLE", "price": { "currencyCode": "USD", "units": "9", "nanos": 990000000 } },
        { "regionCode": "GB", "availability": "AVAILABLE", "price": { "currencyCode": "GBP", "units": "7", "nanos": 990000000 } },
        { "regionCode": "IN", "availability": "AVAILABLE", "price": { "currencyCode": "INR", "units": "249", "nanos": 990000000 } }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Activate the purchase option

New products start in DRAFT state. You must activate before users can purchase:

gplay purchase-options batch-update-states \
  --package com.example.app \
  --product-id premium_unlock \
  --json '{"requests":[{"activatePurchaseOptionRequest":{"packageName":"com.example.app","productId":"premium_unlock","purchaseOptionId":"default"}}]}'

Update product

gplay onetimeproducts patch \
  --package com.example.app \
  --product-id premium_unlock \
  --json @product-updated.json \
  --regions-version "2025/03" \
  --update-mask "purchaseOptions"

Get product

gplay onetimeproducts get --package com.example.app --product-id premium_unlock

Delete product

gplay onetimeproducts delete \
  --package com.example.app \
  --product-id premium_unlock \
  --confirm

Batch operations

# Get multiple products
gplay onetimeproducts batch-get \
  --package com.example.app \
  --product-ids "premium_unlock,coins_100"

# Update multiple products (regionsVersion goes inside JSON)
gplay onetimeproducts batch-update \
  --package com.example.app \
  --json @products-batch.json

Legacy In-App Products (IAP)

Use only for managing existing legacy products.

List products

gplay iap list --package com.example.app

Create product

gplay iap create \
  --package com.example.app \
  --sku premium_upgrade \
  --json @product.json

product.json (legacy format)

{
  "sku": "premium_upgrade",
  "status": "active",
  "purchaseType": "managedUser",
  "defaultPrice": {
    "priceMicros": "990000",
    "currency": "USD"
  },
  "prices": {
    "US": { "priceMicros": "990000", "currency": "USD" },
    "GB": { "priceMicros": "799000", "currency": "GBP" }
  },
  "listings": {
    "en-US": { "title": "Premium Upgrade", "description": "Unlock all premium features" },
    "es-ES": { "title": "Actualización Premium", "description": "Desbloquea todas las funciones premium" }
  }
}

Update / Batch / Delete

# Update
gplay iap update --package com.example.app --sku premium_upgrade --json @product-updated.json

# Batch update
gplay iap batch-update --package com.example.app --json @products.json

# Batch get
gplay iap batch-get --package com.example.app --skus "premium,coins_100,coins_500"

# Delete (permanent — ID cannot be reused)
gplay iap delete --package com.example.app --sku premium_upgrade --confirm

Subscriptions

List subscriptions

gplay subscriptions list --package com.example.app

Create subscription

gplay subscriptions create \
  --package com.example.app \
  --json @subscription.json

subscription.json

Subscriptions use the units/nanos/currencyCode price format:

{
  "productId": "premium_monthly",
  "basePlans": [
    {
      "basePlanId": "monthly",
      "state": "ACTIVE",
      "regionalConfigs": [
        {
          "regionCode": "US",
          "newSubscriberAvailability": true,
          "price": { "currencyCode": "USD", "units": "4", "nanos": 990000000 }
        }
      ],
      "autoRenewingBasePlanType": {
        "billingPeriodDuration": "P1M"
      }
    },
    {
      "basePlanId": "yearly",
      "state": "ACTIVE",
      "regionalConfigs": [
        {
          "regionCode": "US",
          "newSubscriberAvailability": true,
          "price": { "currencyCode": "USD", "units": "49", "nanos": 990000000 }
        }
      ],
      "autoRenewingBasePlanType": {
        "billingPeriodDuration": "P1Y"
      }
    }
  ],
  "listings": [
    { "languageCode": "en-US", "title": "Premium Subscription", "description": "Get all premium features" }
  ]
}

Base Plans

Base plans define the billing period and price for subscriptions.

Activate base plan

gplay baseplans activate \
  --package com.example.app \
  --product-id premium_monthly \
  --base-plan monthly

Deactivate base plan

gplay baseplans deactivate \
  --package com.example.app \
  --product-id premium_monthly \
  --base-plan monthly

Migrate prices

gplay baseplans migrate-prices \
  --package com.example.app \
  --product-id premium_monthly \
  --base-plan monthly \
  --json @migration.json

Subscription Offers

Offers provide discounts, free trials, or introductory pricing.

List offers

gplay offers list \
  --package com.example.app \
  --product-id premium_monthly \
  --base-plan monthly

Create offer

gplay offers create \
  --package com.example.app \
  --product-id premium_monthly \
  --base-plan monthly \
  --json @offer.json

offer.json (Free trial)

{
  "offerId": "trial_7day",
  "state": "ACTIVE",
  "phases": [
    {
      "duration": "P7D",
      "pricingType": "FREE_TRIAL"
    }
  ],
  "regionalConfigs": [
    {
      "regionCode": "US"
    }
  ]
}

offer.json (Introductory price)

{
  "offerId": "intro_50_off",
  "state": "ACTIVE",
  "phases": [
    {
      "duration": "P1M",
      "pricingType": "SINGLE_PAYMENT",
      "price": {
        "priceMicros": "2490000",
        "currency": "USD"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Activate/Deactivate offer

# Activate
gplay offers activate \
  --package com.example.app \
  --product-id premium_monthly \
  --base-plan monthly \
  --offer-id trial_7day

# Deactivate
gplay offers deactivate \
  --package com.example.app \
  --product-id premium_monthly \
  --base-plan monthly \
  --offer-id trial_7day

OTP Purchase Option Offers

Manage offers on one-time product purchase options:

# List offers
gplay otp-offers list --package com.example.app --product-id premium_unlock --purchase-option-id default

# Activate offer
gplay otp-offers activate --package com.example.app --product-id premium_unlock --purchase-option-id default --offer-id promo_50off

# Deactivate offer
gplay otp-offers deactivate --package com.example.app --product-id premium_unlock --purchase-option-id default --offer-id promo_50off

Regional Pricing

Convert prices

gplay pricing convert \
  --package com.example.app \
  --json @price-request.json

price-request.json

{
  "basePriceMicros": "4990000",
  "baseCurrency": "USD",
  "targetCurrencies": ["GBP", "EUR", "JPY"]
}

Common Monetization Patterns

Pattern 1: New One-Time Product (recommended)

# 1. Create product
gplay onetimeproducts create \
  --package com.example.app \
  --product-id premium_unlock \
  --json @premium.json \
  --regions-version "2025/03"

# 2. Activate purchase option
gplay purchase-options batch-update-states \
  --package com.example.app \
  --product-id premium_unlock \
  --json '{"requests":[{"activatePurchaseOptionRequest":{"packageName":"com.example.app","productId":"premium_unlock","purchaseOptionId":"default"}}]}'

# 3. Verify
gplay onetimeproducts get --package com.example.app --product-id premium_unlock

Pattern 2: Subscription with Free Trial

# 1. Create subscription
gplay subscriptions create \
  --package com.example.app \
  --json @sub.json

# 2. Create free trial offer
gplay offers create \
  --package com.example.app \
  --product-id premium \
  --base-plan monthly \
  --json @trial.json

Pattern 3: Multi-Tier Subscription

{
  "productId": "premium",
  "basePlans": [
    {
      "basePlanId": "basic_monthly",
      "regionalConfigs": [{ "regionCode": "US", "newSubscriberAvailability": true, "price": { "currencyCode": "USD", "units": "2", "nanos": 990000000 } }],
      "autoRenewingBasePlanType": { "billingPeriodDuration": "P1M" }
    },
    {
      "basePlanId": "premium_monthly",
      "regionalConfigs": [{ "regionCode": "US", "newSubscriberAvailability": true, "price": { "currencyCode": "USD", "units": "4", "nanos": 990000000 } }],
      "autoRenewingBasePlanType": { "billingPeriodDuration": "P1M" }
    },
    {
      "basePlanId": "premium_yearly",
      "regionalConfigs": [{ "regionCode": "US", "newSubscriberAvailability": true, "price": { "currencyCode": "USD", "units": "49", "nanos": 990000000 } }],
      "autoRenewingBasePlanType": { "billingPeriodDuration": "P1Y" }
    }
  ]
}

Testing

Use test purchases

In your app code, use test product IDs:

• android.test.purchased
• android.test.canceled
• android.test.refunded
• android.test.item_unavailable

License testing

Add test accounts in Play Console: Settings → License Testing → Add license testers

Best Practices

1. Use clear product IDs - e.g., premium_monthly, not prod_001. IDs are permanent and cannot be reused after deletion.
2. Prefer the new monetization API - Use gplay onetimeproducts for new products, not gplay iap.
3. Localize descriptions - Provide listings for all supported languages.
4. Set up regional pricing - Use PPP pricing (see gplay-ppp-pricing skill) instead of same price everywhere.
5. Activate after creation - New OTP products start in DRAFT. Use gplay purchase-options batch-update-states to activate.
6. Discover commands - Run gplay --help to see all command groups. Purchase option management is under gplay purchase-options, not under gplay onetimeproducts.
7. Test thoroughly - Use test accounts and test product IDs.
8. Monitor conversions - Track which products/offers perform best.
9. Update prices carefully - Price changes affect existing subscribers.

Billing Periods

• P1W - 1 week
• P1M - 1 month
• P3M - 3 months
• P6M - 6 months
• P1Y - 1 year