Google has added Venmo as a payment method on Google Play for app and game purchases.
The initiative will extend the range of ways users can pay for games, apps, add-ons, and other digital content. Furthermore, it gives Google Play users in the US the ability to use Venmo's wallet balance or linked payment methods, including bank accounts and cards, to complete purchases on the platform.
How the integration works
Users wishing to pay with Venmo can link their account by navigating to payment methods within their Google account settings. Once linked, Venmo can be used not only for one-off purchases but also for subscription payments and for tipping creators within content-based apps, according to Google.
Venmo joins an existing list of payment options on Google Play, which already includes PayPal and Cash App, alongside card payments from American Express, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and JCB in the US. The move adds another wallet-based alternative to traditional card payments for the platform's user base.
In addition, Google has also tested alternative payment approaches outside the US. In 2019, the company piloted a system allowing users in certain markets to pay for digital purchases using cash at nearby retail locations, an approach aimed at reaching consumers without ready access to cards or digital wallets.
Market context
The addition of Venmo comes against a backdrop of continued growth in consumer spending on mobile apps and games. According to a report from analytics firm Sensor Tower, combined user spend across iOS and the Play Store reached over USD 167 billion in in-app purchases in 2025, an increase of 10.6% year-on-year.
This continued rise in in-app spending underscores the scale of the market in which Google Play operates, and highlights the relevance of offering a broader set of payment options to reduce friction at checkout. Wallet-based payment methods such as Venmo, PayPal, and Cash App have become increasingly common alternatives to card payments for digital purchases, reflecting broader shifts in consumer payment preferences across app ecosystems.
Through the process of adding Venmo, Google Play aligns itself with a trend toward payment flexibility already visible among competing platforms and digital storefronts, where wallet integrations are used to support subscription models, in-app tipping, and recurring purchases. The change does not alter existing payment options already available to Google Play users, but adds an additional choice for those who prefer to transact through Venmo's ecosystem.
Google did not provide a specific timeline for expanding Venmo availability beyond the US, nor details on transaction fees associated with the new payment method.
