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I've heard that Apple pays the developers in lump sums (I forget how often) for their app downloads. My question is does Google work the same way with Android? If not, how do they operate their payment system?

Kind of a side question as well, but how do Apple and Google get you the money from other countries? Do they automatically convert it for you and take a cut for swapping the currency or is that your job?

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    I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it is about the business arrangement for third party companies.
    – user40980
    May 11, 2015 at 2:25
  • if they don't pool the payments in one lump sum, you'd end up paying more in credit card transaction fees than the value of most micropayments.
    – jwenting
    May 11, 2015 at 13:43

2 Answers 2

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After a bit of researching, I found this:

Payments for successfully processed orders are sent for disbursal to your account within two business days. However, the actual payout for your Google Checkout account will be initiated as per the applicable payout schedule for your account. Once the payout is disbursed to the bank account you have verified, depending on the region, your bank will make those funds available to you as defined by their policies. To learn more about your bank's turnaround time for electronically deposited funds, please contact your banks' representative.

If I'm reading this correctly, it seems that your Google Checkout account is credited with purchases (70% of the application's Market cost) within two days, but your bank account is actually credited based on "the applicable payout schedule for your account." What that is, I do not know. Maybe an actual Android developer can shed some light on that. But it appears that, like Apple, you get "lump sums" (probably once a month or so, but I'm not sure).

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I currently get paid by Google every week day (Monday - Friday), assuming I've actually earned some money. It takes >24 hours for a new order to be charged to the customer's card, so that money is not paid immediately. Once Google sends the payment it takes 3 days on average until it appears in the bank. There is no minimum threshold for payment. If I've only earned £1, Google will send me £1.

Recent changes to the terms and conditions suggest that from the end of January payments will only be made once a month. Currently, when a user buys one of my apps I will have their money within 5 days. Under the new scheme it could take over 6 weeks.

I am based in the UK. Discussion with other developers indicates that some of them are already being paid monthly, even if they are in Europe and getting paid by Google's UK entity.

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