How do Google Play store app subscriptions work?

[airborne]

Bought an Elevate 1 years subscription today and you have to add a debit/credit card to buy a sub, thing is I don't want a card connected to my account, just feels risky, I'd rather stick to buying Play store vouchers from Pnp etc as I need more store credit.

So the question is can I delete the card from "Payment methods" under my store profile and not affect the current app subscription? What will happen once I delete the payment method?

And if I use the "cancel subscription" option will that cancel the subscription once the year is up or will that take immediate effect with no pro-rata refund?

 

[Bryn]

Have you tried deleting your card? I doubt it would work, but you may as well check.

Storing your credit card details with Google Wallet is pretty safe. Same as Paypal.

 

[airborne]

Looks like you can cancel the sub and it'll carry on running till its done:

https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/2476088?topic=1046717&ctx=topic&hl=en-GB&rd=1

Cancel a subscription

Go to payments.google.com.
Along the left side of your screen, select Bills and accounts.
Select the subscription you want to cancel > Cancel subscription.

Important: Uninstalling an app will not automatically stop your subscription. You must cancel your subscription to end your subscription. If you uninstall the app without canceling your subscription, you will still be charged.

Canceling a subscription will not retroactively refund subscription payments, and previously charged subscription fees cannot be pro-rated based on cancellation date. For example, if you purchased a one-year subscription on Jan. 1 for $10 and decide to cancel your subscription on July 1, you will have access to the subscription until Dec. 31 and will be charged the full $10, but you will not be charged another yearly subscription of $10 the following Jan. 1.

If you cancel a subscription and decide to subscribe again later, you will be charged the current price.

Also if you remove the payment method/card it'll auto cancel the subscription when it tries to renew:

Subscription renewals

On your subscription renewal date, we'll charge the same payment method you used to purchase the subscription. If the card is declined, we'll cancel your subscription and email you.

If a subscription price increases, Google will notify you. If you don't want to pay the increased price, you can cancel your subscription before the end of the subscription term. Any subscriptions that aren't available anymore won't be auto-renewed.

 

[CranialBlaze]

You can't remove a card that is linked to an active subscription and you cannot have an active subscription on an account without a card.

 

[satanboy]

Write to Google. I sent them a request on a Sunday last month and they replied and fixed my problem within a hour!

 

[pinball wizard]

So the question is can I delete the card from "Payment methods" under my store profile and not affect the current app subscription? What will happen once I delete the payment method?

Yes. Log in on a pc and go to your payment methods. all current and historic cards are shown. delete and add at will.
Current app subscription has been addressed.
Once you delete a payment method, current subscriptions will continue, future new payments will not be processed.

 

[SauRoNZA]

If you can't trust Google with your card details...then rather take a scissor to it and stop using it altogether.

People really are too paranoid about this stuff.

It's the BANK's money! If it gets defrauded it's a phone call away and a few days later it gets reversed. It was never your money to begin with so nothing to worry about.

If you want the benefits of digital subscription services...you need to add your card. Tit for tat.

 

[Park@82]

Use a virtual credit card instead and top it up as needed? http://www.vcpay.co.za

 

[CranialBlaze]

Yes. Log in on a pc and go to your payment methods. all current and historic cards are shown. delete and add at will.
Current app subscription has been addressed.
Once you delete a payment method, current subscriptions will continue, future new payments will not be processed.

You cannot remove a card linked to an active subscription.

 

[airborne]

You cannot remove a card linked to an active subscription.

You sure about that? Google seems to imply that you can and when the next sub payment fails due to that then the sub is automatically cancelled.

 

[CranialBlaze]

You sure about that? Google seems to imply that you can and when the next sub payment fails due to that then the sub is automatically cancelled.

Yep, I did this 2 weeks ago, tried to remove my other card and it would not let me as it was linked to an active subscription, oddly enough it was a free monthly sub to a digital magazine.
The subscription will fail if the card linked to it expires, or the payment itself fails.

You can link the card, start the sub, cancel the sub and then remove the card, but as long as the sub is in an active state, that card is stuck.

 

[airborne]

Cool, thanks for the clarification.

 

[cpu.]

Use a virtual credit card instead and top it up as needed? http://www.vcpay.co.za

Unless it changed recently, Google don't allow virtual credit cards.

 

[Park@82]

Unless it changed recently, Google don't allow virtual credit cards.

Can one use a Google play gift card?

 

[airborne]

Can one use a Google play gift card?

Not for subscriptions.

 

[airborne]

Unless it changed recently, Google don't allow virtual credit cards.

How would they know though?

 

[SauRoNZA]

How would they know though?

Because they own the system?

Seriously it's not that hard to figure out where the money came from.

Prepaid = 1 don't allow subscription.
Prepaid = 0 do allow subscription

*****

Oh I see you replied to a different quote.

Same logic applies. They simply check based on the card number where it originates from.

 

[airborne]

*****

Oh I see you replied to a different quote.

Same logic applies. They simply check based on the card number where it originates from.

Is that a fact though?
Vc Pay isn't an issuing bank, they probably piggy back on another banks credit card system?

Just like a Woolies credit card is actually a rebranded Absa card(or so I have been told)

 

[CranialBlaze]

Is that a fact though?
Vc Pay isn't an issuing bank, they probably piggy back on another banks credit card system?

Just like a Woolies credit card is actually a rebranded Absa card(or so I have been told)

Yes, but they would identify as not being a bank, there are specific sequences to check cards as well as verification systems in place.

I can personalyl however confirm that GP happily took my Netteller+ Virtual UK card. VC cards may work differently, but there should be no reason it would not work.