Frequently Asked Questions

This page provides general information and FAQ about Google Pay API.

About Google Pay API

Google Pay enables effortless checkouts for your app and website. With the Google Pay API, your customers can use the cards saved to their Google Accounts for seamless checkout within your apps and sites.

How to get support

Register with the Google Pay & Wallet Console and select Contact support. We can help you troubleshoot your integrations. Additionally, reference our Android troubleshooting guide and Web troubleshooting guide to self-debug your integration.

Supported features

The Google Pay API has several supported features.

Supported forms of payment

The Google Pay API may return cards or network tokens.

Recurring billing and subscriptions

Support for recurring billing is tied to the payment method returned in the Google Pay API response. Both tokenized cards and cards on file can be used for recurring billing. To process recurring billing, the merchant doesn't have to call our API at a cadence. Rather, the payment credential is stored on the merchant side for recurring payments. The merchant uses their payment gateway APIs to manage recurring billing.

Google Pay supports recurring payments if the following statements are true:

  • Merchants comply with network rules, such as merchant-initiated transactions.
  • Terms of payment are disclosed and accepted by the user within the merchant's buyflow.

We also support recurring billing with variable amounts. For example, monthly phone bills for mobile carriers are supported. To get more information, merchants must contact their payment gateway representative.

Auto-reload or "top-up"

To process an auto-reload charge for the same cost, the merchant doesn't have to call our API each time. The payment credential is stored on the merchant side and reused. To get more information, merchants must contact their payment gateway representative.

Chargebacks

Merchants can handle transaction reversals for cancellations, reimbursements, or disputes in the manner that they handle chargebacks for other forms of payment. To get more information, merchants must contact their processors representative.

Donation collection

Approved nonprofit organizations (NPOs) can integrate the Google Pay API to collect donations, if, and only if, they provide documentation to prove, certify, and validate their nonprofit status. For example, US NPOs must provide valid 501(c)3 status proof from the IRS in order to qualify.

Terms and Policies

Google Pay API Terms of Service

All merchants must agree to and adhere to the Google Pay API Terms of Service.

Google Pay API Acceptable Use Policy

All merchants must agree to and adhere to the Google Pay API Acceptable Use Policy.

Gambling Policy

Our policy on gambling is defined in our Google Pay API Acceptable Use Policy.

Our policy on gambling may change from time to time. All submissions are subject to review and approval.

We accept gambling integrations from companies based in the following countries:

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Czechia
  • France
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Netherlands
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • United Kingdom

At a later stage, we might choose to expand support beyond the current level.

Gaining production access to the Google Pay API for gambling integrations requires completing a series of prerequisites:

  • If you have an Android-only gambling integration based in one of the countries mentioned earlier, you must adhere to Google Play's gambling policy and onboard with Google Play's vetting process first. We can then evaluate your Android-only integration for production access to the Google Pay API.
  • If you have a Web-only gambling integration based in one of the countries mentioned earlier, you must submit an authorized license to prove your eligibility to provide gambling services in-country during your onboarding process with the Google Pay API. We can then evaluate your Web-only integration for production access to the Google Pay API.
  • If you have an Android and Web gambling integration in one of the countries mentioned earlier, you must adhere to Google Play's gambling policy and onboard with Google Play's vetting process first. We can then evaluate your Android and Web integrations for production access to the Google Pay API.

Countries with specific conditions or restrictions

Gambling integrations are allowed for the listed countries if they meet the following criteria:

Country Android integration eligibility Web integration eligibility
Bulgaria Yes, with restrictions:
  • Apps that redirect to a website are eligible.
  • Apps that don't redirect to a website are prohibited.
Yes
Cyprus Yes, with restrictions:
  • The state lottery is eligible.
  • OPAP Cyprus Limited is eligible.
  • Online casinos are prohibited.
  • Slot machines are prohibited.
  • Horse racing betting is prohibited.
  • Dog racing betting is prohibited.
  • Spread betting is prohibited.
  • Betting exchanges are prohibited.
Yes, with restrictions:
  • The state lottery is eligible.
  • OPAP Cyprus Limited is eligible.
  • Online casinos are prohibited.
  • Slot machines are prohibited.
  • Horse racing betting is prohibited.
  • Dog racing betting is prohibited.
  • Spread betting is prohibited.
  • Betting exchanges are prohibited.
Finland Yes, with restrictions:
  • Veikkaus Oy is eligible.
Yes, with restrictions:
  • Veikkaus Oy is eligible.
Kazakhstan Yes, with restrictions:
  • Lotteries are eligible.
  • Sports betting is eligible.
  • Totalizators are eligible.
  • Online casinos are prohibited.
  • Electronic casinos are prohibited.
Yes, with restrictions:
  • Lotteries are eligible.
  • Sports betting is eligible.
  • Totalizators are eligible.
  • Online casinos are prohibited.
  • Electronic casinos are prohibited.
Poland No Yes, with restrictions:
  • Licensed gambling providers are eligible.
South Africa Yes, with restrictions:
  • Online sports betting is eligible.
Yes, with restrictions:
  • Online sports betting is eligible.

If you expand the Google Pay API into a country that you were not previously approved for, contact us to gain approval for the expansion. Please note that you will need to provide an authorized gambling license for each country in which you plan to offer gambling-related services. We do not allow the Google Pay API to be used for gambling services where they are aimed / addressed to individuals who are underage or are otherwise forbidden from gambling according to local laws.

Healthcare Policy

Our policy on Healthcare is defined in the Google Pay API Acceptable Use Policy.

Be prepared to share a relevant license when onboarding to validate your Healthcare use case. All submissions are subject to review and approval.

Financial Services Policy

Our policy on Financial Services is defined in the Google Pay API Acceptable Use Policy.

Be prepared to share a relevant license when onboarding to validate your Financial Services use case. All submissions are subject to review and approval.

General FAQ

Following FAQ applies to merchants:

I use a major PSP to manage all risk and Strong Customer Authentication. What should I know about GPay?

The Google Pay API returns payment methods in a signed and encrypted payload. The returned payment methods consist of either PAN or tokenized cards made of device PAN (DPAN) and cryptograms.

Tokenized card payloads are processed without additional step-up or challenge.

Card payloads that consist of PAN require 3D Secure through an in-house or a PSP-provided solution.

If your PSP manages all the risk and SCA logic, make sure that your Google Pay API integration includes the following properties:

  • merchantInfo.merchantName (Android, Web): The merchant name is rendered in the payment sheet.
  • transactionInfo.countryCode (Android, Web): This indicates where the transaction processes. You must specify the acquirer bank country.
  • transactionInfo.totalPrice (Android, Web): The total monetary value of the transaction with an optional decimal precision of two decimal places.
How do I get a Google merchant ID?
You can get a Google merchant ID after Google approves your website. To initiate the process, sign in to Google Pay & Wallet Console and create a Google Pay API integration. You need to provide a list of fully qualified domains along with subdomains, which help you to call the Google Pay API.
How can merchants promote Google Pay acceptance in their apps and sites to their users?
To highlight support for Google Pay, make sure to use the assets available in our Android and Web brand guidelines.
If you have an Android integration, you can note in the Play Store description that you now support Google Pay. For web integrations, you can directly add a description to the merchant website.
Can ecommerce platforms support Google Pay?
Yes, Google Pay API supports onboarding ecommerce platforms. Payment processor, gateway, or ecommerce platform partners that host a checkout page on behalf of their merchants can use Google Pay's hosted checkout feature.
Which payment providers support Google Pay?
To find a list of processors that support Google Pay, see our Google Pay processors list.
What countries and regions are supported for Google Pay?
Take a look at our list of supported countries that use Google Pay for payments online or in apps.
What countries and regions are supported for Google Pay tokens (CRYPTOGRAM_3DS)?
See our Find supported payment methods for in-store and contactless purchases page for a list of countries and the banks in each that support Google Pay tokens (CRYPTOGRAM_3DS). Both supported and unsupported cards are listed.
What's the difference between Google Play In-app Billing and the Google Pay API?
Google Play developers that sell digital goods and services on Android apps must use Google Play In-app Billing, as specified in the Play Developer Policy Center. Examples of In-app Billing include virtual game products, app features or content, and cloud software products. See the Google Play Billing overview page to learn more about In-app Billing.
When used in apps, the Google Pay API is only available for physical products and services.
Does Google Pay charge any fees?
Google Pay doesn't additionally charge users, merchants, and developers additional fees to use the Google Pay API for payments. Merchants, specifically, continue to pay processing fees to their payment processor.
What does Google do to validate credentials and prevent fraud?
All cards added to Google go through a verification authorization to validate card details, which include the card verification code (CVC). Google also runs a proprietary risk engine based on instrument data, Google Account profiles, purchase history, locations, and device information. Merchants, however, must continue to use their current fraud and risk assessment tools with Google Pay transactions.
Does the Google Pay API integration work in WebViews?
Yes. Follow the Using Android WebView guide to implement the Google Pay API in WebViews.
My processor isn't listed. Can I still integrate with Google Pay?
Google Pay is continually building partnerships with ecommerce platforms and payment processors. If you can't find your processor at g.co/pay/processors, you can submit a request. You're notified when your processor becomes available.
How do I enable Google Pay if I already have a payment processor or payments platform provider?
Google Pay works with a variety of payment service providers and e-commerce platform providers. Each offers specific, tailored documentation to help you get started along with our main tutorial for easy onboarding.
How do I offer Google Pay at scale to my merchants, if I am a support payment processor?
Supported payment processors can implement our hosted checkout solution for web integrations. Hosted checkout lets your clients offer Google Pay to their customers and skip individual onboarding with Google Pay.

To start, you must first onboard as a supported payment processor. To integrate the hosted checkout solution, contact your Google technical point of contact who helped you to onboard.

How can Google Pay accommodate different shipping options and different prices to my users if I offer shipping in my checkout flow?
For web integrations, you require a shipping address, and display different shipping options and pricing within the PaymentDataRequest object, PaymentOptions object, and the PaymentDataCallbacks object. For an example situation, refer to the Dynamic price update demo.

For Android integrations, you require a shipping address within the PaymentDataRequest object.

How do I receive the money from purchases made with Google Pay?
The Google Pay API facilitates transactions by passing payment information from users to your payment service provider. It isn't in the money flow and is designed to sit on top of your existing payment infrastructure.
How can I know the status of my integration submission and if I need to make any changes after your review process?
After you submit your Google Pay API integration for review, you receive an email with the results. If your integration follows our Acceptable Use Policy and brand guidelines, it gets approved and shows status as Active in the Google Pay & Wallet Console. If it needs changes, the status shows Needs More Info, and the email provides the detail of what needs to be fixed before you resubmit. For any questions about your submission, you can contact support directly from Google Pay & Wallet Console.
How can I troubleshoot what's wrong with my Google Pay API integration if I see an error message?
For common error codes and resolutions, check our troubleshooting guides for Android and web. If you have additional questions, contact support through the Google Pay & Wallet Console.
How can I customize my Google Pay API integration to restrict cards?
All customizations for cards are available in the CardParameters object for both Android and web. For example, you can choose which card networks you want to allow, and which card issuer countries you want to allow.
What is the Google Pay API?
The Google Pay API lets your customers pay with the press of a button with payment methods saved to their Google Account. The API provides simple checkout to millions of users with hundreds of millions of saved cards. It offers increased security, with customer payment data end-to-end encrypted from Google's servers to your payment processor. It's an easy integration process that works with your existing payments processing stack and can be implemented with a few lines of code.
How are the Google Pay API and Google Wallet API related?
The Google Pay API and Google Wallet API are two separate APIs. The Google Pay API lets your customers use Google Pay as a payment method on your website or Android app. The Google Wallet API lets developers create and manage digital passes for a variety of use cases. For example, loyalty cards, tickets, access passes, health records, and other customizable items. To learn more about the Google Wallet API, please visit the Google Wallet API developer documentation.