Developing In-App Purchase Feature for Projects

In-app purchases in games and applications are not something new or unique. However, the way they are implemented can impact the monetization potential of digital products. Understanding this aspect, we developed a custom payment service algorithm for one of our clients.

Learn more about the details of the project from BuildApps!

Today, you won't find programs or games (except for OSS, and even then, not always) that don't have in-game marketplaces, premium systems, progress accelerators, and more. However, product owners often use external platforms and gateways to implement In-App Purchases, which can be expensive and inefficient.

At BuildApps, we understand business needs, so we developed our own internal transaction algorithm with receipts, multi-billing, and payment verification. This system is fully capable of working with a wide range of niches and types of digital solutions, including mobile games, streaming services, tools, and more.

The key value of this feature lies in its efficiency and reliability. Additionally, it includes the convenience of a payment mechanism that is fully integrated with system payment systems and interfaces.

Users simply need to select one or several items, such as packs of in-game currency, click the purchase button, and confirm the transaction with Google/Apple Pay using biometrics (or PIN).

The advantages of this feature for businesses are as follows:

• The ability to create an unlimited number of payment instructions.
• Variability in sales through an internal system integrated with platform tools.
• Higher profitability of monetization algorithms and lower maintenance costs.

These benefits are related to the specific characteristics of the solution as well as its technical aspects.

Among the many frameworks and semi-ready solutions, we chose MAUI as one of the most effective technologies for implementing payment algorithms. Its built-in toolkit allows for the creation of nearly native features using stock systems

Here’s what we used to build the feature:

• MAUI as the main platform for the feature.
• Plugin. In-App Billing as the key library for implementing the payment function.
• Store Kit for iOS and Billing Service for Android.
• Documentation for both platforms.
• Tools for testing functionality by emulating transactions.

We also encountered problems with the implementation of this project. Specifically, we faced several challenges, including:

• Different displays of receipts and purchase windows on platforms.
• Limited native documentation and its variations for each operating system.
• Parsing payment and verification codes through platform APIs.

However, in the end, we found intersections between the standard functionality of the framework and operating systems and successfully implemented the planned functionality.

The project was completed on time and handed over to the client for further deployment in the digital product. Consequently, we can state that the end customer gained the ability to:

• Conveniently use the payment tool in applications and games.
• Quickly pay for in-app purchases, such as statuses, currency, and access to features.
• Unlock additional services and product benefits.

As for the business, it improved conversion rates and gained the ability to customize billing algorithms, leading to increased profits.

Want to implement a similar project? Contact BuildApps!