Google Wallet Ticket Integration for Android Apps

Adding Tickets to Google Wallet from an Android App

Picture this: a concert attendee approaches the entrance, pulls out their phone, and the lock screen already displays the QR code for their ticket. No PDF attachments, emails, or queues. One of our clients — a music festival organizer — faced a problem: 20% of visitors couldn't find their tickets in email or messengers. After implementing Google Wallet, support requests dropped by 40%. We'll help you integrate this into your mobile app: the server generates a JWT, the app saves the ticket to the wallet, and the status updates in real time. With over five years of experience with payment services, we guarantee quality.

How Google Wallet Works for Tickets

Google Wallet uses two objects: EventTicketClass (event template) and EventTicketObject (specific ticket). The server creates a JWT token with ticket data, signed by a Google service account. The app passes this token to the Wallet API, and the user sees a "Add to Google Wallet" button. After saving, the ticket appears in the wallet even offline.

Why Google Wallet Is More Reliable Than PDF Tickets

PDF tickets are easy to lose, forge, or forget. Google Wallet stores tickets in a secure vault accessible without internet. You can update the status in real time: mark a ticket as used upon entry or change the seat. This boosts security and convenience — users don't search through spam folders. According to Google Wallet API documentation, all data is transmitted over an encrypted channel.

How to Add a Ticket to Google Wallet: Step-by-Step

1. Server setup. Create a service account in Google Cloud Console with the Wallet Object Issuer role. Get your Issuer ID from Google Pay & Wallet Console.
2. JWT generation. The server creates a JWT token with ticket data, signed with the private key. The token is valid for one hour.
3. Pass the token to the app. The app receives the JWT via API or in the purchase response.
4. Check Wallet availability. Use PayApiAvailabilityStatus to determine if Google Wallet is installed on the device.
5. Show the button. If the wallet is available, display the official "Add to Google Wallet" button.
6. Save the ticket. On tap, call savePassesViaIntent with the JWT. The user confirms — the ticket appears in the wallet.

Example JWT Generation in Python

import jwt
from google.oauth2 import service_account
import json

def create_event_ticket_jwt(event_id: str, ticket_id: str, holder_name: str, seat: str) -> str:
    credentials = service_account.Credentials.from_service_account_file(
        'service-account.json',
        scopes=['https://www.googleapis.com/auth/wallet_object.issuer']
    )

    issuer_id = "YOUR_ISSUER_ID"  # from Google Pay & Wallet Console
    class_suffix = f"event_{event_id}"
    object_suffix = f"ticket_{ticket_id}"

    ticket_object = {
        "id": f"{issuer_id}.{object_suffix}",
        "classId": f"{issuer_id}.{class_suffix}",
        "state": "ACTIVE",
        "barcode": {
            "type": "QR_CODE",
            "value": ticket_id,
            "alternateText": ticket_id[:8]
        },
        "ticketHolderName": holder_name,
        "seatInfo": {
            "seat": {"defaultValue": {"language": "ru", "value": seat}},
            "row": {"defaultValue": {"language": "ru", "value": "A"}},
        },
        "reservationInfo": {
            "confirmationCode": ticket_id[:8].upper()
        },
        "heroImage": {
            "sourceUri": {"uri": "https://yourapp.com/event-banner.jpg"}
        }
    }

    payload = {
        "iss": credentials.service_account_email,
        "aud": "google",
        "typ": "savetowallet",
        "iat": int(time.time()),
        "origins": ["https://yourapp.com"],
        "payload": {
            "eventTicketObjects": [ticket_object]
        }
    }

    token = jwt.encode(payload, credentials._private_key_pkcs8_pem, algorithm="RS256")
    return token

The JWT token is valid for one hour and is passed to the app as a string.

Android (Kotlin) Code

// build.gradle
implementation("com.google.android.gms:play-services-wallet:19.3.0")

class TicketActivity : AppCompatActivity() {
    private val walletClient by lazy {
        Wallet.getWalletClient(
            this,
            WalletOptions.Builder()
                .setEnvironment(WalletConstants.ENVIRONMENT_PRODUCTION)
                .build()
        )
    }

    private val addToWalletLauncher = registerForActivityResult(
        ActivityResultContracts.StartIntentSenderForResult()
    ) { result ->
        when (result.resultCode) {
            RESULT_OK -> showSuccess()
            RESULT_CANCELED -> { /* user cancelled */ }
            else -> showError()
        }
    }

    fun addTicketToWallet(jwt: String) {
        val request = SavePassesRequest.newBuilder()
            .setJwt(jwt)
            .build()

        walletClient.savePassesViaIntent(request) { apiResult ->
            apiResult.intentSender?.let { intentSender ->
                addToWalletLauncher.launch(
                    IntentSenderRequest.Builder(intentSender).build()
                )
            }
        }
    }
}

Use the official component per Google guidelines:

<com.google.android.gms.wallet.button.PayButton
    android:id="@+id/addToWalletButton"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="48dp"
    app:allowedAuthMethods="PAN_ONLY|CRYPTOGRAM_3DS"
    app:buttonType="addToGoogleWallet" />

Before showing the button, check Wallet availability:

walletClient.getPayApiAvailabilityStatus(
    PayApiAvailabilityStatusRequest.newBuilder()
        .setRequestType(PayApiAvailabilityStatusRequest.RequestType.SAVE_PASSES)
        .build()
).addOnSuccessListener { status ->
    if (status.isAvailable) {
        addToWalletButton.isVisible = true
    }
}

What Is Needed to Start Integration?

To get started, you'll need:

• Access to Google Cloud Console to create a service account.
• Issuer ID from Google Pay & Wallet Console.
• A server to generate JWT (one endpoint is enough).
• A mobile app with the ability to add a button.

Updating a Ticket After Issuance

If you need to change the QR code or status (e.g., to "used"), send a PATCH request:

from googleapiclient.discovery import build

service = build('walletobjects', 'v1', credentials=credentials)
service.eventticketobject().patch(
    resourceId=f"{issuer_id}.{object_suffix}",
    body={"state": "COMPLETED"}  # ticket used
).execute()

Changes apply in real time on all user devices.

Comparison: Google Wallet vs. PDF Tickets

Comparison: EventTicketClass vs. EventTicketObject

Timeline and Cost

Estimated time: 2–3 days. Exact cost is determined after auditing your project. We'll assess your project within a day after you contact us. Get in touch for a consultation.

Conclusion

Google Wallet integration is not only about user convenience but also an additional communication channel: you can update tickets, change seats, or revoke them entirely. Our experience guarantees fast and high-quality implementation. If you want to improve user experience and boost security — contact us. We'll audit your project and propose the best solution. Order Google Wallet integration today.

Payments in Mobile Apps: In-App Purchase, StoreKit 2, Google Billing, Stripe, RevenueCat

In every monetization project, we balance App Store and Google Play policies, PCI DSS requirements, and purchase verification logic on the backend. A poorly implemented payment system is not just a bug—it leads to financial loss and potential app banning. Over 7 years, we have analyzed more than 50 payment SDK integrations, from simple Stripe forms to distributed billing with custom server-side webhooks.

In-App Purchase: Two Platforms, Two Different APIs

If your app sells digital content or subscriptions, Apple and Google require you to use their payment systems. This is non-negotiable: violating App Store rule 3.1.1 or Google Play Developer Policy results in app removal. Physical goods and offline services are a different story.

StoreKit 2 (iOS 15+)

StoreKit 2 is a complete overhaul of the original StoreKit with async/await API. Product.products(for:), product.purchase(), Transaction.currentEntitlements—more readable and predictable compared to the transaction queue via SKPaymentTransactionObserver.

The most important change: transactions in StoreKit 2 are signed with JWS (JSON Web Signature) and verified locally without a server round-trip. Transaction.verificationResult returns .verified(Transaction) or .unverified(Transaction, VerificationError). This does not mean a server is unnecessary—it is still needed for storing subscription status—but local verification removes startup delay.

StoreKit.AppTransaction verifies the actual app download from the App Store. Required for paid downloads or non-renewing purchases.

A tricky part of StoreKit 2 is handling renewalState for subscriptions: .subscribed, .expired, .inBillingRetryPeriod, .inGracePeriod, .revoked. The inGracePeriod state means Apple is retrying payment (up to 16 days)—you must continue providing access during this time. Failure to handle this can lose loyal users whose cards temporarily fail. Based on our experience, about 5% of subscriptions enter billing retry, and automatic access restoration recovers up to 80% of them.

Google Play Billing Library (v6+)

Google Billing is more complex than StoreKit in terms of scenario handling. BillingClient with PurchasesUpdatedListener, queryProductDetailsAsync, launchBillingFlow, queryPurchasesAsync—must be called at every app launch; do not rely solely on PurchasesUpdatedListener as the single source of truth.

Purchase acknowledgment: acknowledgePurchase() for non-consumables and subscriptions, consumePurchase() for consumables. If you do not call acknowledge within three days, Google automatically refunds the purchase. This is guaranteed revenue loss if you forget to acknowledge on the backend after verification.

ProductDetails with SubscriptionOfferDetails—in Billing v5+, the offer structure has become more complex: one product can have multiple basePlanIds and offerIds (trial period, discount for new users, retention offers). BillingFlowParams.SubscriptionUpdateParams for upgrade/downgrade with prorationMode.

Why Is Server-Side Verification Mandatory?

Never trust only client-side code when unlocking paid content. Client-side verification can be bypassed by modifying the app.

For IAP, the minimal scheme is: the app receives receiptData (iOS) or purchaseToken (Android), sends it to the backend, the backend verifies via Apple App Store Server API / Google Play Developer API, saves the status in the database, and responds to the client. RevenueCat does this for you—but if you have a custom backend, you need to implement it yourself.

Webhooks are more important than they seem. Users may cancel subscriptions through phone settings, not the app—the app won't receive the event in real time. Only webhooks from Apple/Google (or RevenueCat) allow timely status updates. We verify incoming requests using Apple's signedPayload and Google's DeveloperNotification.

How Does RevenueCat Simplify Integration?

Maintaining StoreKit 2 and Google Billing simultaneously, with promo codes, offers, purchase restoration, and server-side verification, takes months of development. RevenueCat handles most of this layer.

RevenueCat is not just a payment SDK. It offers:

• A unified API for iOS and Android (and Stripe for web)
• Server-side verification and subscription status storage
• Webhooks for events (purchase, renewal, cancellation, billing issue)
• Analytics for cohorts, MRR, churn
• A/B testing of offers via Experiments

Purchases.configure(withAPIKey:) at startup, Purchases.shared.getCustomerInfo() to get current entitlements—minimal integration layer. Purchases.shared.purchase(package:) instead of directly calling StoreKit/Billing.

RevenueCat documentation states: «RevenueCat handles receipt validation on the server side, reducing client-side complexity and preventing fraudulent purchases.»

Limitations of RevenueCat: it is paid (free up to $2.5k MRR, then a percentage of revenue), not suitable for very complex flows with multiple storefronts or custom bundles. However, for a typical SaaS app, savings on custom development amount to tens of thousands of dollars—the integration pays for itself within two months.

Stripe in Mobile Apps

Stripe is used for physical goods, services, and B2B payments where IAP is not required by platform policy.

Stripe iOS SDK and Android SDK—PaymentSheet for ready-made payment UI, PaymentSheetFlowController for custom UI with saved cards. Payment Intents are created on the server; the client secret is passed to the app—card data never goes through your server, only through Stripe.

Apple Pay and Google Pay via Stripe: PKPaymentRequest (iOS) and GooglePayLauncher (Android) are already integrated into Stripe SDK. Apple Pay conversion rates are 1.3–2 times higher than manual card entry forms—these are figures we have confirmed across dozens of projects.

Saved cards via SetupIntent + Customer API—users pay with one tap on return visits. Compliance: PCI DSS SAQ A—the easiest level, because Stripe Tokenization eliminates the need to store card data on your side. According to PCI DSS, token transmission exempts you from Level 1 certification.

3DS2 (Strong Customer Authentication) is mandatory for payments in the EU under PSD2. Stripe handles it automatically via PaymentIntent.confirmPayment, but you need to correctly handle the .requiresAction status and return the user to the appropriate screen after authentication.

What Is Included in the Work (Deliverables)

Process and Timeline

We start by clarifying the business model: subscriptions, one-time purchases, consumables, freemium. The architecture depends on this. Testing IAP requires Sandbox accounts (Apple) and License Testers (Google)—this is a separate environment setup.

Apple's Sandbox behaves differently from production: subscriptions renew every 5 minutes instead of monthly, inGracePeriod works differently. It is essential to test scenarios: trial expiration, cancellation, billing retry, refund.

The cost is calculated individually based on the set of tools and complexity of server-side logic. On average, we fit within a budget for a typical integration, but the savings from preventing errors and churn offset this investment within a few months.

Get a consultation for your project—contact us. We will help you choose the optimal payment architecture that passes store reviews and does not break under peak loads.