Google Play to Add Usage-Based Subscription Billing for AI Apps

In a blog post cited by Android Authority, Google said it is testing and rolling out several new subscription options, including usage-based billing. The new system targets services such as generative AI apps, where costs can vary. Android Authority reported that the options will also support team subscriptions, mixed subscription and one-time purchases, and cross-app bundles.

Google is also testing smarter grace periods, cancellation discounts, cheaper-plan offers, and Play Store winback deals, the report said. Those features address parts of the subscription lifecycle beyond the initial purchase, including failed payments and efforts to retain users or bring back those who have cancelled.

The subscription changes follow a broader shift in Google Play's billing approach earlier this year, when Google opened the door wider to alternative billing systems and external web payments, giving Android users more choice over how they pay. Google is now turning its attention to subscriptions that still run through Google Play itself.

Android Authority said the new billing options could make AI apps, bundles, and failed payments work very differently for users. The report described usage-based billing as aimed at services with variable costs, such as generative AI apps, and as one part of a wider set of subscription tools.

Editor's Summary Google Play is adding usage-based subscription billing for AI and other variable-cost services, along with team subscriptions, mixed purchases, and cross-app bundles. It is also testing smarter grace periods, cancellation discounts, cheaper-plan offers, and winback deals. The changes expand Google Play's subscription options after the company widened support for alternative billing and external payments earlier this year.