How to Test In-App Purchases With License Testers

License testers vs closed testers

They’re separate lists:

• Closed testers can install your test track.
• License testers get test payment methods so purchases aren’t charged.

Add your closed testers to both if you want them to test purchases. License testers are set at the developer account level, in Play Console’s License testing settings.

What testers see

When a license tester buys something, Google Play offers test payment instruments. Google lists:

• Test instrument, always approves
• Test instrument, always declines
• Test card, always approves / always declines (for subscription renewals)
• Slow test card, approves or declines after a few minutes (pending purchases)
• Test card, approves then charges back

Google says license testers aren’t charged real money and taxes aren’t computed for test purchases.

Accelerated subscription renewals

Test subscriptions renew a maximum of six times, not counting free trials and introductory periods.

What to test

1. A successful one-time purchase and that it’s acknowledged (unacknowledged purchases are refunded).
2. A declined payment and the error message.
3. A pending purchase completing later.
4. Restore purchases after reinstalling.
5. Subscription upgrade, downgrade, cancel and renewal.
6. A chargeback, and that access is revoked.

Tips

• License testers can sideload debug builds if the package name matches the Play app, which is handy for development.
• Server-side verification should use the Google Play Developer API in testing too.
• Ask testers to confirm they saw “test card” wording, so nobody worries about real charges.

Frequently asked questions