Hi guys,
Googled for this extensively, found so many conflicting answers.
I'm writing a free app to publish on the Google Play market. In the app, on the about page, I have a PayPal donate button that simply acts as a web link to the PayPal donate page for my merchant account. The donation will be STRICTLY voluntary, and will not unlock ANY new functionality. I've also emailed Google to ask them, but I don't expect a reply anytime soon. Any idea if we're allowed to do this? I know the Google Play T&C state that you cant charge for a free app by doing an in-app donate to a PayPal (or any other) payment gateway, but since this is a purely voluntary non-mandatory donation LINK, wouldn't it be okay?
I hate to bump a post, but I still need some info regarding this - anyone have any ideas?
Im pretty sure I've seen that in apps before, as long is its not required I think you're fine
--sent from my glacier.
I live in a country that can't register a google merchant account. I have some free ad-suported apps, but I want to make an ad-free pad version.
I see two ways:
- a paypal donation for ad removing (but I read that it isn't legal and my accoutn can be banned)
- a link in my application to my website to buy a Pro add-free version (not everyone will install an .apk from some website)
Any other legal way to recieve money from users for removing ads?
Don't mess with z google!
artouiros said:
I live in a country that can't register a google merchant account. I have some free ad-supported apps, but I want to make an ad-free pad version.
I see two ways:
- a paypal donation for ad removing (but I read that it isn't legal and my accoutn can be banned)
- a link in my application to my website to buy a Pro add-free version (not everyone will install an .apk from some website)
Any other legal way to recieve money from users for removing ads?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the google terms of service basically forbids you from monetizing a paid version without going through them. I wouldn't try to work around this problem. Don't mess with google. I have an account that is still banned from Ad Words because some friends (6 years ago) started clicking like crazy on all of the banners on my website. So, don't try to do anything subversive, it won't pay off.
So, your real problem is to get a google merchant account. That really sucks that your country isn't able to get one. Is there any person or company out there maybe that could be a go-between from another country that can have a merchant account? I really don't see any other safe solution. Good Luck anyway!
artouiros said:
I live in a country that can't register a google merchant account. I have some free ad-suported apps, but I want to make an ad-free pad version.
I see two ways:
- a paypal donation for ad removing (but I read that it isn't legal and my accoutn can be banned)
- a link in my application to my website to buy a Pro add-free version (not everyone will install an .apk from some website)
Any other legal way to recieve money from users for removing ads?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have some problem few months ago, however it's no longer a problem because few week later, i receive a notif with a good news that my country are supported so i can create a google merchant account.
But before, I also did some thinking on how to work around it, yet, can't find any way to do that which doesn't break google policy.
I can't suggest any way beside waiting and hoping that your country will soon supported by google (not useful enough, eh ?), who knows ?
Some idea come to mind though, if you ask someone from other country which supported by google, who kind enough to make a google merchant account for you, so you can access it Iater from your country when the account has already been made, I don't know if it works, anybody try something like this before ?
I'm in the midst of developing an app for android and iphone with inapp purchases. The apple store gives the developer 100 promo codes so users can download the app for free. I've been searching all over but haven't been able to find anything for google that does the same thing. Anyone know if this is possible for the google play store? I'd rather not have the user buy the app then have to refund it since I would be losing money that way.
I am sorry if this is in the wrong thread. I keep hearing about devs giving out promo codes for apps, games and in-app purchases. Where can I find these codes? I am not asking for hacks that supposed to give free google balance but about legit legal codes
They aren't giving away google play money. They give promo codes for the paid version of the apps they develop.
XenosRi said:
They aren't giving away google play money. They give promo codes for the paid version of the apps they develop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah. Are there any sites that publish them
No as the codes are normally given away in contests or to friends and people that tested the app.
EDIT-- This post is super old (but still works).
Another method (maybe better for your use case?) is the Aurora store. Please see the COMMENTS SECTION.
How To Download any app on the playstore, Without installing GMS, GAPPS, AMAZON, Or any other App Store
EVOZI:
https://apps.evozi.com/apk-downloader/
GOOGLE PLAY STORE:
Android Apps on Google Play
Enjoy millions of the latest Android apps, games, music, movies, TV, books, magazines & more. Anytime, anywhere, across your devices.
play.google.com
Simply paste the playstore link to evozi, of the app you want to download!
This is not warez, you Can Not Download Paid apps.
This site just caches and backs up all our favorite apps.
Rarely, if you're looking for something too obscure, it will not be able to locate it.
Have Fun
Google Play Store lets you download and install Android apps on an Android-powered phone or tablet or emulator if GMS Core already are installed thereon.
Sometimes evozi will say something about "you're being rate limited" and it won't work. I think this is bc they are getting too much traffic. I use Evozi in this example, as it is the cleanest (adless) experience, but do bare in mind you can always use other Mirrors~! sites like APKpure.com are mostly safe
any idea how does https://apps.evozi.com/apk-downloader/ work as am trying to automate some work and i dont want to depend on apk-downloader or any other mirror
@synackers sorry I just now had the time to research what I wanted to share. There's a "store" that has access to the playstore repositories, that is open source, and gives the user the freedom to choose to enable google features or not. This works on windows phones too and I would guess WSA too?
It is called the "aurora store" it's website is here:
auroraoss.com
This is still new to me so I can not explain it personally but the knowledge is available
This article explains a little about it and shows pictures
Maybe they have a github repo somewhere you can obtain the code you need to dl things
Hope it helps!
Hi Jeneh , to be honest am not interested in any open source apk mirroring available in internet
am seeking to understand how auroraoss or evozi actually works behind the screen ... how do they give you apk to be downloadable is also fetched from other mirror or do they have google developer and google offer any api to play store ..etc
more deep technical details is of my interest . i do appreciate your feedback
@synackers The Aurora Store is different from evozi or other sites like evozi, in that it actually accesses the repositories, ie the link to the android app in question.
For instance: to download the app "Termux" a call is made to get the app from com.termux and it goes on to install and build from there, the latest software.
When using evozi or apk mirror, they save actual hard copies of the apps to their servers to share to users, which could be any older version of the app.
Evozi regularly redownloads the more popular apps from the play store and they take requests. However there is No version choice available. The downloaded apks hash signatures will match the playstore app sigs for that app version.
Sites like apk mirror and others tend to keep all the older app versions and provide a choice which version to download. This is my only use case for these as they are more risky and you should vet the sigs on them.
Here is aurora's gitlab https://gitlab.com/AuroraOSS/AuroraStore
This link has all the code to be able to go through and find exactly what you need.
Some info on the code
"Aurora Store was originally based on Sergei Yeriomin's Yalp store. Aurora Store v4.0 is a rewrite of version 3 in Kotlin"
The developer of the store has made a page here on xda that maybe they would be willing to give better insight to a specific question you have in the installation process to provide the technicals.
Outside of Aurora, it may be beneficial to learn about PackageInstaller to be able to manually install and or uninstall apps with code. Or Package Manager, if you open that spoiler and select the "PM" option you can see all the code for using it.
Hi Jenneh ,
much appreciate your response and cooperation |
https://www.codevoila.com/post/77/how-to-install-or-uninstall-an-android-apk-file-programmatically this is definitely valuable and its crystal clear for me on how aurora works.. i had a glance at the code in github .
now my challenge or use case which i want to achieve is as following ;
1. need to take APK directly from play store ( i dont mind if google offer paid API which am not aware or seen )
this should be automated off android physical phone / or emulator
working in other project ^^ and stuck in this point
what i have noticed indeed evozi take package from playstore cause i checked an APK which recently was published and not available in any other mirror site
Aruroa still need mobile phone or emulator to work
Thanks again and appreciate your cooperation
With regards to thread's title "Download Any Apk Off The Playstore Without installing Google, AMAZON, or Any other APP Store" take note that you of course need an app store to get APKs from.​
Never make use of Aptoide: it's Large, Decentralized, Dangerous.
Aptoide is one of the most sophisticated app sources. The store works with a distributed network of different store providers and combines them on a unified platform. However, this poses significant security risks.
Truely not what am seeking , any mirror is not an enterprise grade options cause security risk is high so if there is any way to download directly apk from play store without the need for emulator or device would be much appreciated
The app store with least security risks is Google Play Store.
Apps from outside of the Google Play Store are also scan using Google Play protect on the device, it is a security risk to install apps outside of the Play Store but as long as you trust the app developer you should be fine.
well, what is the case if i need to automate a way for MDM solutions
IDK.
Probably MDM isn't not applicable if the managed devices differ in Android version and ARM architecture.