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What “beyond the app stores” means
The phrase covers several different ways a game can sell content. They differ in who takes payment, where the purchase happens, and which platform rules apply.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Candy Crush eGift Card: Gold Bars + Exclusive Bonus | $15.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Roblox Physical Gift Card | $50.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Fortnite eGift Card | $50.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
GameStop Physical Gift Card | $25.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Fortnite Physical Gift Card | $30.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| Purchase route | What happens | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| App-store billing | The player buys digital goods through the platform’s in-app purchase system. | The game’s listed price and the platform’s purchase, refund, and subscription tools. |
| Alternative billing inside an app | Where permitted, the app offers another payment method alongside or instead of the platform’s billing. | Country, platform program, transaction type, and any fees or reporting requirements. |
| Publisher web shop | The player visits a publisher-controlled website to buy game content, often using an account linked to the game. | Whether the offer is available to the player, the final checkout price, who handles support, and how the item reaches the game account. |
| Alternative app distribution | The app is obtained through a different marketplace or, in some regions and under applicable terms, directly from a website. | Distribution eligibility and the terms for that specific route and region. |
These are not interchangeable forms of “bypassing the store.” Apple’s developer guide describes common game sales models—including optional features, subscriptions, and consumable items such as lives or gems—but the product being sold is separate from the question of who processes payment.
Can a mobile game sell currency on its website?
Yes, a publisher may offer game goods through its own web shop, but whether and how it can direct players there depends on the platform, country, distribution route, and current terms. A web shop is not automatically available to every player, and an external checkout does not by itself establish that all platform fees or obligations disappear.
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- Top up your own gold bar balance in Candy Crush Saga or Candy Crush Soda Saga, or gift to a friend, to spend in-game on extra moves, lives and boosters. Perfect for passing those tricky levels!
- Gift card is redeemable only for Gold Bars in Candy Crush Saga or Candy Crush Saga Soda games. Gold bar volumes vary by title. Exclusive bonus of 48 hours unlimited lives.
- Switch and match your way through hundreds of levels in these divine puzzle adventures. The ideal gift for your friends and family who can't stop playing Candy Crush!
- No returns and no refunds on Gift Cards.
- Redemption: Online through store.king.com Card delivered via email.
Google Play in the United States
As of October 8, 2026, Google’s US policy says it will not require Google Play Billing or prohibit other in-app payment methods for apps distributed on Google Play; it also allows developers to communicate payment-method availability. Alternative billing and external content links remain subject to the applicable program rules. Google said enrolled developers were to report transactions and pay relevant service fees starting October 1, 2026. A September 17 notice extended the deadline for reporting and payment tied to successful external-link downloads to December 1, 2026. These are US-specific, date-sensitive terms, not a worldwide rule.
Apple in the European Union
Apple’s EU developer page says updated business terms took effect October 1, 2026. Apps distributed in EU storefronts can offer alternative payment methods and offers alongside Apple In-App Purchase, and developers must keep their chosen payment options for 12 months. The terms also describe a 5% Core Technology Commission for specified digital transactions involving iOS or iPadOS apps distributed outside the App Store, including covered purchases following actionable links. Reporting and applicable tax responsibilities still matter. This commission is not a universal Apple rate for every market or purchase.
Apple’s developer agreement contains different terms and exceptions by region and route. Some linked website purchases have attribution conditions, including a seven-day period under specified terms. A developer needs to check the terms applicable to its own jurisdiction and distribution method rather than rely on a single headline rate.
Rank #2
- Redemption: Online only. Robux cards can only be redeemed in a browser at Roblox.com/redeem. They cannot be redeemed in the Roblox mobile app or any video game console.
- Roblox is an immersive platform for connection and communication. Every day, millions of people come to Roblox to create, play, work, learn, and connect with each other in experiences built by our global community of creators.
- Get more with every Roblox Gift Card! From now on, when you redeem a Roblox gift card, you get up to 25% more Robux. Perfect for gaming, creating, and exploring- more Robux means more possibilities!
- Deck out your avatar and unlock additional perks in your favorite experiences when you use Roblox Gift Cards to purchase Robux (Roblox's virtual currency).
- Each gift card grants a free virtual item upon redemption.
Do external purchases avoid app-store fees?
Not necessarily. A platform service fee, a billing fee, a payment processor’s charge, and the publisher’s own operating costs are different things. A lower or absent billing fee does not mean the overall transaction is free of platform costs.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Google’s June 24, 2026 fee announcement describes a structure beginning June 30 in the United States, European Economic Area, and United Kingdom. It says the service fee starts at 10% on the first US$1 million of annual earnings and also applies to auto-renewing subscriptions. In the US, UK, and EEA, a 5% billing fee applies to transactions using Google Play billing; that billing fee does not apply to transactions processed through alternative billing or external links. The applicable result can depend on region, install cohort, and program, so neither “Google charges 5%” nor “external sales are fee-free” is a reliable general rule.
For a publisher, the relevant comparison is total cost: applicable platform charges, payment processing, currency conversion, refunds and chargebacks, tax administration, reporting, customer support, and the work of matching a purchase to a player’s game account. The platform policies above establish that some obligations remain; they do not provide a single total-cost figure for every publisher or transaction.
Rank #3
- Redeemable on accounts in the United States and in U.S. Dollars.
- Gift card must be redeemed at EpicGames.com/redeem. This gift card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly on a console device (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, etc.)
- If you play Fortnite experiences on a console device, you need to link your Epic Games account to your console account(s) so items purchased at Fortnite.com/item-shop appear across all of your linked accounts
- Requires internet connection, valid Epic account and prior acceptance of the terms
- Redemption: Online
Is it cheaper to buy game currency from a web shop?
It can be, but “web store” alone does not prove that a deal is cheaper. Compare the same item or bundle and the full amount charged at checkout, including any taxes or other charges shown there. Check whether the offer is available in your country and whether the purchased item will be credited to the correct game account. If the offers differ—for example, one includes a bonus item—compare what you actually receive rather than just the displayed price.
Payment methods vary by market. Appcharge, a game-commerce provider, reported that credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay made up roughly three-quarters of US web-store revenue in its dataset, while payment-method use in Europe was more fragmented. That is a report about Appcharge’s data, not a guarantee that a particular shop accepts those methods or a description of every player’s preferences.
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What should players know before paying outside the app?
When payment happens outside Apple’s billing system, the familiar Apple purchase-support route may not apply. In a consumer support page dated June 18, 2026, Apple says it cannot support purchases made outside Apple billing and notes that purchase history, refund assistance, subscription management, Ask to Buy and Family Sharing features, and some privacy or fraud support may differ. Apple also warns about payment-information and security risks when consumers transact outside its ecosystem. These are Apple’s stated cautions; they are not an independent assessment of every publisher shop.
Rank #4
- Redeemable at US GameStop, EB Games, Babbage's, Electronic Boutique, EBX, Planet X, and Software Etc. stores. Also redeemable online at and GameStop.com and EBGames.com.
- Over 6,100 stores located throughout the United States.
- GameStop. Power to the Players.
- Redemption: Instore and Online
- No returns and no refunds on gift cards.
Apple’s guidance says that for an app, in-app purchase, or subscription paid for outside its ecosystem, the customer should contact the developer for billing support or a refund. Before completing an external purchase, identify who is charging you and how to reach that business if the payment or delivery goes wrong. Keep the order confirmation and make sure you are signed into the game account that should receive the content.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why publishers are expanding direct sales—and what the numbers show
A publisher-run shop can give a company another place to present offers and build a direct sales relationship with players. It also means taking on work that a platform billing system may otherwise handle, including payment reporting, taxes, refunds, customer service, privacy and security processes, fraud management, and account-entitlement reconciliation. A shop only creates a durable customer relationship if the publisher can attract players, make useful offers, and support repeat purchases; the existence of a web checkout does not establish that it will improve conversion or revenue.
Some 2026 figures illustrate why direct-to-consumer commerce has become a strategic focus, but each is reported by a vendor selling into game commerce:
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- An Epic Games account is required to redeem an Epic Games Store Card code
- If playing on a console platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch or Mobile) you need to link your Epic Games account to that gaming platform (one time) to redeem your gift card code
- The 16 digit code on the back of the card WILL NOT work if redeemed directly through your gaming platform (PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, Nintendo Switch, Mobile, etc.)
- Note: Nintendo devices do not support Fortnite Shared Wallet, so V-Bucks purchased using your account balance will not show up on your Nintendo device. However, if you purchase items in the web Item Shop — or another platform where you play Fortnite — those items will be available in your Locker across all platforms.
- Redemption: Online
- Xsolla’s July 15, 2026 release, describing its own industry report, reported 26% US direct-to-consumer revenue growth and a 38% year-over-year increase in D2C earnings for a sample of top titles. The latter figure applies to that sample, not all publishers or mobile-game sales.
- The same Xsolla release reported US$814.5 million in D2C revenue for Playtika and said Playtika targeted a 40% long-term D2C share. Those figures and that target are reported by Xsolla, not independently verified company guidance here.
- Xsolla also reported a 25% D2C mix for SciPlay. That is a publisher example, not an industry average.
The figures support the view that direct sales matter to some publishers. They do not establish a neutral, independently measured total for all mobile-game purchases outside app stores.
How to compare purchase routes
For a publisher deciding whether to add a route, or a player deciding whether to use one, the useful comparison is broader than the checkout price:
- Eligibility: Which countries, storefronts, app distributions, install cohorts, and purchase types qualify under the current terms?
- Total cost: Which platform, billing, processor, conversion, tax, refund, and operational costs apply to this transaction?
- Checkout experience: Does the offer make the move from game to website worthwhile, or does the extra step create friction?
- Payment reach: Does the shop accept methods players in its target markets actually use?
- Support and account delivery: Who resolves billing problems, handles refunds, protects payment data, and ensures the purchased item reaches the right game account?
- Repeat use: Can the publisher sustain useful merchandising and service, rather than relying on a one-time web-shop visit?
The answers depend on the particular player, publisher, country, platform, and transaction. Rules can change, so developers should confirm current official terms before choosing a route; a player should judge an individual offer by its final price and the support attached to that purchase.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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