Why do the majority of distribution platforms lack support for in-app purchases?

[titanius]

CrazyGames, gamedistribution, Y8, ... none of them support in-app purchases. Is there a specific reason for this? Which platforms support IAP?

[b10b]

What do you want your IAP service to do?  Just collect money and issue a token?  If so, because we're talking "web games", that's just regular "e-commerce" not "IAP"!  There's no vendor walled-garden here.  PayPal will work, there's no need to share your revenue with anyone else.  Don't like PayPal?  How about Google Pay, Stripe, or any of the other dozens of payment processors?  If you want your payment platform to also provide an audience, community, achievements etc then try Kongregate or FB IG and share some of your revenue for the value they add.

On 11/2/2019 at 1:42 PM, titanius said:

CrazyGames, gamedistribution, Y8, ... none of them support in-app purchases. Is there a specific reason for this? Which platforms support IAP?

Maybe because they're in the business of high-volume-churn associated with low-value eCPM?  Rather than the high-quality, high-retention user-experience needed for successful premium purchases?  Different horses for different courses.

[Vlados]

GameArter.com supports IAP (in a bit optimized way for web (b10b is right in many things)).  Using of PayPal does not need to be optimal due to tax regulations.

[Nico Ray]

On 11/7/2019 at 7:30 PM, b10b said:

What do you want your IAP service to do?  Just collect money and issue a token?  If so, because we're talking "web games", that's just regular "e-commerce" not "IAP"!  There's no vendor walled-garden here.  PayPal will work, there's no need to share your revenue with anyone else.  Don't like PayPal?  How about Google Pay, Stripe, or any of the other dozens of payment processors?  If you want your payment platform to also provide an audience, community, achievements etc then try Kongregate or FB IG and share some of your revenue for the value they add.

Maybe because they're in the business of high-volume-churn associated with low-value eCPM?  Rather than the high-quality, high-retention user-experience needed for successful premium purchases?  Different horses for different courses.

It’s crazy how so many distribution platforms still struggle with proper in-app purchase support. You’d think by now, with how dominant digital commerce has become, this would be a standard feature across the board. But instead, developers have to jump through hoops just to implement a payment system that actually works seamlessly for users. Whether it’s restrictive policies, high transaction fees, or just poor integration options, it feels like platforms are making it harder than it needs to be. If they really want to encourage growth, they should be prioritizing flexible, developer-friendly solutions instead of limiting them. The same frustrations apply to e-commerce in general. Shopping online should be smooth and convenient, but sometimes, companies miss the mark when it comes to user experience. I’ve seen mixed reviews about FabFitFun, with some people loving their subscription boxes while others struggle with billing issues and customer support. It just goes to show that no matter the industry—whether it’s gaming, beauty, or general e-commerce—businesses that prioritize seamless transactions and customer satisfaction will always come out on top.

Edited 17 hours ago by Nico Ray