Mobile games sell in-app purchases outside the app store through their own web store. The game shows a button or link, the player opens the store in a browser, signs in with a token the game issued, pays by card or wallet, and the game's server credits the account from a signed webhook. The purchase never touches Apple's or Google's billing, so the app-store cut (15% to 30%) is replaced by the web store's fee and, in some countries, a smaller platform fee on linked purchases. Whether the game may show that link at all depends on the country. The table below is from Apple's and Google's own pages, checked October 25–28, 2026.
1. The mechanics, in one pass
| Step | What happens | Who provides it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The link | The game shows "Buy on the web" with a deep link or QR to its store. Placement and wording follow the storefront's rules (see §2). | Your game; the deep links guide |
| 2. Identity | The game mints a short-lived player token so the store knows who is buying without a password. | Your server SDK (player tokens) |
| 3. The store | A web page that looks like the game: packs, bonuses, offers, local prices, memberships. | The web store provider |
| 4. Checkout | Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay and local methods, with 3DS where required. | The provider's checkout and payment rails |
| 5. Fulfilment | A signed webhook tells your server what was paid; your server credits the account, idempotently. | Provider webhook + your game backend (webhooks) |
| 6. Back in the game | The balance updates; the app shows a receipt or a "delivered" state. | Your game |
On Appside the whole chain is three integration steps (token, store, webhook), with the store drafted from your App Store or Google Play link. See the live demo.
2. Where you may show the link, and what the platform charges (checked October 25–28, 2026)
| Country | iOS: may the game link out? | iOS: platform fee on linked purchases | Android: may the game link out? | Android: fee on linked purchases |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes, on the US storefront, since the court order of April 30, 2025 | None as of Oct 28, 2026 (Apple has proposed 15% / 30%; not in force) | Yes, through Google's external content links program | 20% standard (15% Level Up) on purchases within 24 hours of the link; no 5% billing fee |
| European Union / EEA | Yes, under the DMA terms | 15% (10% reduced) on sales within 7 days of the link tap, from Oct 1, 2026 | Yes, EEA external-offers programs | Per Google's EEA terms |
| Japan | Yes, under the smartphone act | 15% (10% reduced) on sales within 7 days of the tap, plus payment processing if Apple processes | Yes, Google's new model from Sep 30, 2026 | 20% + 5% (new installs) or 25% + 5% (existing) on the new model |
| United Kingdom | No UK link program on Apple's pages we checked | 30% / 15% in-app | Yes, Google's new model | "20% for external web links" on existing installs, standard tier |
| South Korea | Yes, with a Korea-only binary and a pre-approved local provider (KCP, Inicis, Toss, NICE) | 26% | Alternative billing under Korea's rules | Per Google's Korea terms |
| Everywhere else | No (the old 3.1.1 rules) | 30% / 15% in-app | Google's standard terms | Per country |
The full table with the quotes and links is on the country rules page; the iOS link checklist and the Google Play program guide cover the two platforms step by step.
3. What it costs, on a $9.99 pack (existing install, standard tier)
| Route | Fees | Publisher keeps |
|---|---|---|
| Google Play billing (25% + 5%) | $3.00 | $6.99 |
| App Store billing (30%) | $3.00 | $6.99 |
| US web store via Google's link program (20%) + Appside 3.9% | $2.39 | $7.60 |
| US web store on iOS (no Apple fee as of Oct 28, 2026) + Appside 3.9% | $0.39 | $9.60 |
| US web store on iOS + a provider at 5% flat (Stash's published fee) | $0.50 | $9.49 |
| US web store on iOS + a provider at "4–5%" (Appcharge's blog, March 2026) | $0.40–0.50 | $9.49–9.59 |
Payment processing and tax sit on top of the provider fee unless the provider bundles them (Stash's calculator describes a 10% all-in figure that includes payments, tax, FX, chargebacks and refunds). The cost breakdown adds all five lines for a monthly example.
4. Real-world examples
- Supercell Store (store.supercell.com): Supercell sells offers for Clash of Clans, Brawl Stars and its other games on its own site; players sign in with their Supercell ID and the items land in the game. It is the reference case most publishers point to.
- The Mobile Game Web Store Index: our index of the top-grossing mobile games records, per game and with a source per row, which ones run a web store and on which provider, re-checked on a schedule.
- Starward: the demo game in the Appside docs sells packs and a Star Pass membership on its web store; the first pass was sold on October 28, 2026 (subscriptions).
5. How players reach the store
| Channel | What works | Where it is allowed |
|---|---|---|
| In-game link or button | "Buy on the web, +25% on your first purchase" with a deep link | US (iOS and Android programs), EU, Japan, Brazil, Korea under each storefront's rules (§2) |
| Email and push | Web-only offers to opted-in players | Everywhere; no platform fee because the purchase was not linked from the app |
| Social, streams, QR codes | A code or QR that opens the store signed in | Everywhere |
| Loyalty and VIP | Bonus currency and member-only packs on the web | Everywhere; the loyalty guide has the mechanics |
The hard part is the first purchase: players are used to one tap in the app. The first-purchase offer and the conversion checklist cover what moves it.
6. The three decisions before you build
- Which countries first. The US (iOS and Android), the EU and Japan have working link programs; the rest of the world still needs the store reached from outside the app (email, social, a QR on a stream).
- Who handles tax. A merchant-of-record provider bundles it at a higher rate; Appside leaves it with the publisher (tax engine or accountant, guide) at 3.9%.
- Who owns the player relationship. Signed tokens and webhooks keep identity and fulfilment on your servers; a hosted store with its own accounts does not.
7. Try it before the first sales call
Create your store free: paste your App Store or Google Play link, get a store draft in your look, run a test purchase from the demo game, and see the signed webhook arrive. Test mode, no card; 3.9% per successful payment when you go live.