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.
