In-App purchases and subscriptions

Choose a collection method

1. Make sure the AppMetrica SDK is connected and activated. Determine which payments come through the stores and which through your system.
2. For automatic purchase collection, StoreKit on iOS and Google Play Billing on Android are used. Enable the corresponding SDK setting: revenueAutoTrackingEnabled on iOS or withRevenueAutoTrackingEnabled on Android.
3. For manual sending, transfer In-App Revenue using your platform's SDK. Instructions: Android, iOS, Flutter, React Native, Unity.
4. If information comes from the server, use loading In-App Revenue via the Post API. This method is suitable for your own payment system and your own subscription logic.
5. For subscriptions, separately configure receiving statuses using the Google Play and App Store instructions below. An automatically received first purchase doesn't mean that all renewals and cancellations are already tracked.

Transfer via the Post API

1. Get a Post API key in Settings → Main. Use different keys for the test and production environments.
2. Prepare the event parameters according to the method description. Check the specific features and limitations.
3. Send the event via /logs/v1/import/revenue or a CSV batch via /logs/v1/import/revenue.csv. Historical events can only be loaded for the last 14 days.
4. Check the API response and the appearance of the event in the report. Fix authorization and required parameter errors before resending.

Purchase validation

Validation confirms the fact of payment and helps identify purchases from hacked apps. Add the required keys in the Revenue settings and transfer information for validation according to the SDK documentation of the selected platform.

With validation enabled, the revenue metrics include purchases that passed the check, as well as purchases sent without parameters for verification. For purchases that didn't pass the check, separate metrics "Invalid revenue" and "Users with invalid revenue" are used. Therefore, the presence of a purchase in regular revenue by itself doesn't mean it was verified.

Testing and duplicates

For test events, use a separate API key; when sending via the SDK — a reporter. In AppMetrica, you can't separate test events from working ones if they've already been sent to one main API key. Android reporter, iOS reporter.

Check the product, amount, currency, and number of purchases. If manual and automatic collection are enabled simultaneously, check for the absence of double counting and the selection of sources in Settings → Revenue. This setting changes the display, including past periods, but doesn't stop event collection.

Connect a service account and a Google notification channel so that AppMetrica can receive subscription changes. You'll need access to Google Cloud, Google Play Console, and the app settings in AppMetrica.

Create a service account

1. Open or create a project in Google Cloud.
2. Find Service accounts, click Create service account, and set the account name.
3. Assign the Basic → Editor role according to the current AppMetrica instructions.
4. In the Actions → Manage keys menu, select Add key → Create new key, type JSON. Save the key file for uploading to AppMetrica.

Grant access to the app

1. Open Users and permissions in Google Play Console and click Invite new users.
2. Specify the email of the created service account.
3. On the Account permissions tab, enable: View app information and download bulk reports (read-only); View financial data, orders, and cancellation survey responses; Manage orders and subscriptions.
4. On the App permissions tab, select the required app via Add app, then Invite user → Send Invite.
5. In AppMetrica, open Settings → Revenue → Google Play subscription tracking and validation and upload the service account JSON file.

Connect change notifications

A Cloud Pub/Sub topic is a channel through which Google sends messages about subscription changes. In AppMetrica, choose the appropriate option.

• Create a new topic. Suitable if other services don't yet receive notifications. Copy the name of the created topic and paste it into Google Play Console → Monetization setup → Topic name.
• Use an existing topic. If it's already configured for another service, copy the name from Google Play Console → Monetization setup → Topic name into the Revenue settings in AppMetrica. You can't specify two topics for an app in Google Play Console at the same time.
• Don't use a topic. Not recommended: AppMetrica will check statuses once a day, data may be delayed up to 24 hours, and some events will be unavailable.

Make sure the topic exists and Google can publish notifications to it. Check the permissions according to the Google documentation. Save the settings and enable tracking in AppMetrica.

If a Pub/Sub error occurs

The error PERMISSION_DENIED: Cloud Pub/Sub API has not been used in project before or it is disabled means that the Pub/Sub API isn't enabled in the project. Follow the link from the error message, click Enable, then return to AppMetrica and click Save and enable tracking again.

Check the result

Run a Google Play test scenario and check the required status changes in the report. Verify not only the first purchase but also the renewal, cancellation, and expiration of the subscription. Take into account the selected method of receiving notifications.

To check statuses, AppMetrica uses the App Store Shared Secret, and to receive changes — App Store Server Notifications. You'll need access to App Store Connect and the app settings in AppMetrica.

Add a Shared Secret

Shared Secret is an app key that AppMetrica uses to verify a purchase and subscription status.

1. In App Store Connect, open Apps and select the app.
2. Go to Features → Subscriptions.
3. In the App-Specific Shared Secret section, click Manage, create and copy the key.
4. In AppMetrica, open Settings → Revenue and paste the key into the App Store Shared Secret field.

Connect server notifications

1. Copy the notification address from Settings → Revenue in AppMetrica: https://apple.inapp.appmetrica.yandex.net.
2. In App Store Connect, select the app and open General → App Information.
3. In the App Store Server Notifications block, next to Production Server URL, click Edit.
4. Paste the AppMetrica address, select Version 2 Notifications, and click Save.

If server notifications aren't connected, information may arrive with a delay of up to 24 hours, and some events will be unavailable. Take this into account if notifications are already directed to another service.

Check the result

Run a store test scenario and make sure the required events arrive in AppMetrica. Distinguish between canceling auto-renewal and the end of paid access. Check the amounts, currency, product, and the absence of double counting of payment.

If subscriptions don't go through Google Play or App Store, or you track subscriptions yourself, use loading In-App Revenue via the Post API. This method is suitable for your own payment system and your own subscription logic.

Specify the event type in the required revenue_event_type field. For example, pass subscription_started when taking out a subscription without an introductory offer, subscription_renewed — on renewal, cancellation — on cancellation.

Revenue events loaded via the Post API don't pass validation and are always considered valid.