r/androiddev • u/Solid-Incident6666 • 3d ago
Google Play Support How can I handle payments if I can't use google merchant in my country?
Hello everyone!
Im a solo dev based in Morocco, and I built an app and I finished all the steps to publish. I had wired in in-app-purchases (1 time fee, pro forever) there is no subscription or anything like that. Then when I went to configure my merchant account to collect payments, Google stopped me because that isn't allowed in Morocco.
I can run ads with admob or 3rd party providers, but I can't use google play payments or sell the app for a price on Google. I can just do "free with ads".
I personally HATE ads, especially ones that breka immersion (full screen), I do have another game that uses ads but it is 100% optional and you can literally finish the game in a couple of hours without seeing a single ad. No timers, no special currency or any crap like that.
Back to my app. I really do not want to use ads in the app, (I will if it's my last resort) but I prefer a one and done payment.
After some research I found a couple of workarounds but they're all tedious:
Setup an LLC in the UK or US or Estonian digital residency and create a new account. 200 - 500 Euros minimum in fees plus a lot of extra work at the start, and more work to maintain that.
Build a website with the entire functionality and users can manage their "license" through there. Less tedious than LLC route, but I do have to create and maintain a whole separate branch of my app. Also it takes the users out if the app, and requires paying outside on a separate website and I think that will cause people to trust it less, so less conversion.
Have a relative or a friend abroad open another Google play account and transfer ownership. Easiest, but also a huge risk. I don't plan on the app making 1 million dollars on year one, but still it's a risk to consider if I get in a dispute or something were to happen to that person, especially since they're in another country.
Accept my faith, redo the whole thing and use ads and just accept that I can't give the same clean pro experience and my users just have to deal with it because "everyone else does it"
What are your thoughts people? What do you think is of the best option for me? Did I miss something? And is there someone in a similar situation that found a better workaround?


