Google is adding Venmo as a payment option on Google Play in the US, giving users another way to pay for apps, games, add-ons, and other digital content without relying solely on cards or traditional payment methods.
According to a report by Techcrunch, users will be able to connect their Venmo account through the payment methods section in Google Play settings. Once linked, they can use their Venmo wallet or other payment methods connected to it, including bank accounts and cards, to pay for subscriptions and even tip creators inside supported apps.
The addition gives Google Play another familiar digital payment option in the US, alongside services such as PayPal and Cash App and major card networks including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and JCB.
Venmo expands Google’s payment options.
For users, the change is fairly straightforward. Instead of adding another card to Google Play, they can connect an existing Venmo account and use it when making eligible purchases.
The move also fits into Google’s broader effort to make Play Store payments work for more people and more markets. That matters because mobile spending is no longer a small part of the app economy. According to Sensor Tower, consumers spent more than $167 billion on in-app purchases across iOS and Google Play in 2025, representing a 10.6% increase from the previous year.
Google has been working on removing payment barriers for years, particularly in emerging markets where access to credit cards isn’t universal. The company has introduced options such as e-wallets, UPI in India and carrier billing, with more than 170 carriers now supporting the latter worldwide. But Google has also experimented with something considerably less digital.
Google is also trying to make cash work for digital purchases
Outside the US, Google has introduced Pending Transactions, allowing Android users in supported markets to pay for digital purchases using cash, bank transfers or direct debit.
The system is aimed at people who don’t have access to conventional online payment methods. Instead of paying immediately with a card, users can select an alternative payment option at checkout and receive a payment code. They can then take that code to a participating nearby store, pay in cash, and receive their purchase after the transaction is processed.
Google says the purchase can arrive within about 10 minutes after payment, although its terms note that processing can sometimes take up to 48 hours. There is one catch: refunds for these transactions are issued as Google Play credit rather than cash. The feature was introduced alongside Google Play Billing Library 2.0, which also brought Subscribe & Install, allowing users to begin a free trial subscription while installing an app.
The bigger picture is simple. Google isn’t just adding more ways to pay; it is trying to make sure payment itself becomes less of a reason for users to stop before buying something.
