Monetization: Subscriptions policy

Subscriptions: Unclear Pricing or Missing Cancellation Disclosure

Medium RiskEasyTypical Fix: 1-2 days0 Reports

Also known as:App rejected due to not complying with the Subscriptions policyUpdate rejected due to a violation of Subscriptions policyFree trial terms not clearly disclosedSubscription price or billing frequency not clearly shownNo easy-to-use cancellation method provided

Our Take

Google rejects apps that don't clearly and explicitly disclose subscription terms — price, billing frequency, auto-renewal terms, and free-trial-to-paid conversion details — before a user completes a purchase, or that don't provide an easy, visible way to cancel.

This falls under the standalone Subscriptions policy (nested under Monetization and Ads), which requires this information to be visible without extra taps or screens. It commonly happens when a SKU is labeled "Free Trial" without disclosing the auto-renewing paid subscription that follows, when the purchase screen shows a monthly-equivalent price for what is actually annual billing, or when there's no clear cancellation path in-app or via the Play Subscription Center.

Resolution Guide

Audit your purchase screen against the disclosure checklist

Price, billing frequency, auto-renewal terms, and whether a subscription is required to use the app must all be visible on the same screen the user purchases from — Google requires this without "any additional action" like a secondary tap or scroll to a different screen.

Rename SKUs/offers that misrepresent the charge

Don't label an auto-renewing paid subscription's entry point as just "Free Trial" or "Try Premium" without adjacent text disclosing what happens after the trial ends and the price that will be charged.

Fix trial-to-paid conversion disclosure

On the offer screen, explicitly state the trial duration (e.g., "7 days free, then $9.99/month") and confirm this matches the base plan and offer configured in Play Console under Monetize with Play > Products > Subscriptions.

Show true billing frequency, not a misleading monthly-equivalent

If billing is actually annual, display the annual charge and cadence prominently; a monthly-equivalent price without the annual charge and date clearly shown is treated as deceptive.

Add or fix your cancellation path

Provide a clearly visible in-app cancellation flow, or link directly to the Google Play Subscription Center (play.google.com/store/account/subscriptions). Burying cancellation behind support email or a multi-step contact form doesn't satisfy the "easy-to-use" requirement.

Remove dismiss-button dark patterns

Ensure any "skip"/"not now" option on a subscription upsell screen is clearly visible and not hidden, tiny, or delayed — Google flags flows designed to make users accidentally subscribe.

Verify sustained value, not a disguised one-time purchase

Confirm the subscription delivers ongoing/recurring value (not a lump-sum benefit like one-time in-app currency), which Google's policy explicitly disallows as a subscription product.

Check localization

Confirm price, currency, and terms are correctly localized in every language/region your app is distributed to; incomplete localization of subscription terms is a cited violation.

Example Rejection Email

From:Google Play Developer Support

Subject:Policy violation - Subscriptions: Unclear Pricing or Missin

Google Play Console — Policy status Issue found: Your app does not comply with the Subscriptions policy We reviewed your app's subscription offering and found the following issue: - Subscription price, billing frequency, and/or auto-renewal terms are not clearly and explicitly disclosed before purchase, OR - Free trial terms do not clearly describe how and when the trial converts to a paid subscription, OR - Users cannot easily find how to cancel their subscription Subscriptions must provide sustained or recurring value and cannot be used to offer what are effectively one-time benefits. Action required: - Update your purchase screen to show price, billing cycle, and renewal terms in one screen without requiring additional taps - Clarify free trial duration and conversion terms on the offer screen - Add a clearly visible cancellation path in-app or link to the Google Play Subscription Center - Resubmit once your subscription flow and disclosures are updated Learn more: https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9900533

Consider Appealing

Appeal only if you believe the disclosure was already compliant and reviewable — for example, price/terms were visible in the same screen but a reviewer may have tested a build without the latest UI update. Include screenshots of the full purchase flow, the exact offer text shown to users, and your Play Console base plan/offer configuration. If your flow genuinely required extra taps to see pricing or lacked a real cancellation path, don't appeal — fix the flow and resubmit, since Subscriptions policy violations tend to be upheld on review unless the disclosure UI itself changes.

Generate Appeal

Before & After

Before — Rejected

A meditation app's paywall shows a large "Start Free Trial" button with small gray text below the fold reading "then billed annually," without stating the actual price or trial length anywhere on the purchase screen, and the only way to cancel is emailing support.

After — Approved

The paywall now states "7-day free trial, then $39.99/year (~$3.33/mo), cancels anytime" directly under the button, and Settings includes a "Manage Subscription" link that opens the Google Play Subscription Center.

What changed: Putting price, trial length, and renewal cadence in the same screen as the purchase action — plus a direct cancellation path — satisfies the Subscriptions policy's requirement for clear disclosure without extra taps and an easy-to-use cancellation method.