After Google stopped supporting payments for Russian developers, many decided that selling digital goods through Google Play was no longer possible. In reality, this is not entirely true. The opportunities have indeed significantly decreased, but there are several working models that mobile app developers use today. Each of them has its own advantages, limitations, and legal nuances.

Registering a Foreign Company

The most reliable and long-term option is to completely move commercial activities outside of Russia. To do this, developers register a company in another country, open a bank account, and create a new Google Play developer account under the foreign legal entity.

In practice, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, the UAE, the UK, or the USA are most often considered. After registering the company and opening an account, payments for Google Play purchases begin to be credited to this foreign account. From Google's perspective, this scheme is completely legal and complies with the platform's rules, since the seller becomes a foreign company.

This option requires certain costs for business registration, accounting support, and banking services, but it allows you to use Google Play in-app purchases without restrictions and build an international product that does not depend on Russian limitations.

Selling Through Your Own Website

In recent years, Google has gradually relaxed requirements for alternative payment methods. In some countries, developers can use external payment systems or direct users to their own website to complete a purchase. Specific opportunities depend on the user's region and the rules applicable to that country.

This model is especially convenient for services that already have their own website and accept payments through Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy, or other international payment systems. In this case, the mobile app becomes a convenient client for the service, and the purchase itself is completed outside of Google Play.

It is important to understand that this method does not eliminate the need for a working international payment infrastructure. If the developer still uses a Russian scheme for receiving payments, the problem remains. Therefore, selling through a website is most often used in conjunction with a foreign company or a foreign payment operator.

Free App and License on the Website

Another popular model is to completely abandon the sale of digital goods within the app. The user downloads the app for free, goes through authorization, and then the app checks for a paid license on the developer's server.

Payment in this case is made exclusively through the website. After a successful purchase, the user's account receives the necessary level of access, and the app automatically unlocks paid features after login. This approach has long been used by many SaaS services, educational platforms, and corporate applications.

The main advantage of this model is that the purchase logic is completely separated from the mobile client. The app becomes just a way to access an already purchased service. This simplifies moving users between platforms and reduces dependence on app store policies. At the same time, it is necessary to carefully monitor the current Google Play requirements so that the app's interaction with an external payment system complies with the current publishing rules.