I know this topic has been discussed many times in many forms, but, I still would like to get the latest opinion.
I have an App and I would like to sell it. But, many people may not buy it without trying it. So, I want users to experience it for some time (trial period) before purchasing it. Free features and unlocking reset of the features by purchase is too complicated for my case (but the problem is same) and "ads" are not relevant for me. >From my research, there is no direct support from Google Play Store for this - An app to be free for "trial period" and must be purchased to continue using it. And, prevent users from being in trial period perpetually by 'clear data' or 'uninstall/reinstall' or other tricks. There are multiple workarounds. 1. Free app with in app-purchase of license. App will stop functioning after "trial period" 2. Two versions of app (one free-trial and other paid-licensed) 3. Free app with license app (free app will stop functioning after trial period if license app is not present) For me, option 1 sounds the simplest and clean. I would record the installation time and prompt user after trial period to purchase the license. Only problem is how to prevent some 'clever' users to be in trial period for ever (by clear data/uninstall, reinstall). Only solution seems to be to have my own server, which makes me nervous, since I am not very comfortable with server set up. App on start-up will verify the license (in-app purchase). If not present, check with my server to query the 'trial period' left for this user/device/app combination. Server will check its DB and return the trial period left. If no entry found in DB, it will record the user (google ID) and device ID (IMEI) and current time as the start of the trial and return the full trial period. The Application will set an alarm to trigger after the trial period if any left. After trial period, it will prompt user to purchase the license and will not function unless license is purchased. Is all this (server) worth (few?) rogue users? Note that the same problem exists for other options. - Wonder why "free-trial" is supported for subscriptions and not for purchasing the app. - Why not allow apps/developers to specify the 'refund' period? (with a max limit, say, 2 weeks) - I am not certain, but I think in-app purchased license will survive 'clear data'/uninstall/reinstall, etc. Will a user who purchased the license will be able to use the app even after 'clear data/factory reset/uninstall/reinstall' - but only on this device? - I am thinking of using "App Engine" for my server. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thank you. Following are the search terms I used/found while researching (may be useful to some): Android implement free trial with an option to purchase Unlocking trial application by in-app billing Trial/Free & Full Version VS. Free App + In-app billing? Android how to publish an app with limited trial period Creating an Android trial application that expires after a fixed time period How to make an Android application work only for some trial period Creating A time Bound Trial Version Of an Android App http://stackoverflow.com/tags/trialware/hot -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
