revenuecat Price Changes
Use this skill when you roll out a new price for an existing subscription product on Android and want RevenueCat to manage the cohort and consent plumbing for you.
Phase 1: Understand
Google Play supports two kinds of price changes for active subscribers:
- Opt out changes (typically decreases, and increases within Google's opt out threshold). The new price applies automatically at the next renewal. No user action required.
- Opt in changes (larger increases). Google shows its own in app consent dialog. If the user consents, they continue at the new price. If they decline, the subscription cancels at period end.
RevenueCat processes SUBSCRIPTION_PRICE_CHANGE_UPDATED and related RTDNs on its backend and updates CustomerInfo when a subscriber's cohort or consent state changes. Your app reads entitlements the same way it always does.
For most price change scenarios, there is nothing to implement in your app or backend.
Phase 2: Plan
Decide which path applies before you touch anything.
| Question | Opt out | Opt in |
|---|---|---|
| Typical trigger | Decrease, or small increase within Google's threshold | Larger increase above Google's threshold |
| User consent | Not required | Required, prompted by Google Play UI |
| If user declines | N/A | Subscription cancels at period end, CANCELLATION webhook fires |
| New price applies | Automatically at next renewal | After user consents in Play's dialog |
| RTDN RevenueCat consumes | SUBSCRIPTION_PRICE_CHANGE_UPDATED |
SUBSCRIPTION_PRICE_CHANGE_UPDATED, then SUBSCRIPTION_CANCELED if declined |
| App code change | None required | None required |
| Paywall price source | pkg.product.price.formatted (new purchases only) |
pkg.product.price.formatted (new purchases only) |
Questions to answer before executing:
- Is the change a decrease, a small increase, or a larger increase? That determines opt out vs opt in.
- Do you want to notify existing subscribers in app before the change takes effect? That is optional, driven by a webhook or a Targeting rule, not a requirement.
- Which legacy cohorts exist today? Existing subscribers keep paying their old price until Google migrates them. This is a Google Play concern, not visible in the SDK.
Phase 3: Execute
Most of the work is in the Play Console and the RevenueCat dashboard. Your app stays the same.
1. Update the price in Play Console
In Google Play Console, open the subscription, select the base plan, and edit the price. Google will prompt you to choose how existing subscribers are treated (opt out vs opt in) based on the magnitude of the change and your region.
2. Let RevenueCat pick up the change
RevenueCat processes the RTDNs from Google automatically. You do not need to toggle anything in the RevenueCat dashboard for the price change itself. Confirm the updated product price appears on the product in the RevenueCat dashboard after Google propagates it.
3. Refresh offerings in the client (optional)
If you want the paywall to show the new price immediately for new purchasers, refresh offerings after the Play Console change propagates. The SDK call is unchanged:
val offerings = Purchases.sharedInstance.awaitOfferings()
val pkg = offerings.current?.availablePackages?.firstOrNull() ?: return
val displayPrice = pkg.product.price.formatted
Legacy cohort subscribers continue to pay their old price until Google migrates them. pkg.product.price.formatted is always correct for new purchases.
4. Observe CustomerInfo on consent resolution
For opt in increases, RevenueCat updates CustomerInfo when the consent outcome is known. Read entitlements the usual way.
val info = Purchases.sharedInstance.awaitCustomerInfo()
val isPro = info.entitlements["pro"]?.isActive == true
Do not build a consent dialog. Google Play shows it.
5. Handle declines via webhook, if you care
If the user declines the opt in increase, the subscription cancels at period end. RevenueCat fires a CANCELLATION webhook event. Treat it the same way you treat any other cancellation on the server side.
6. Optional: notify affected users
If you want to warn subscribers about an upcoming increase before Google's dialog appears, drive an in app banner from a RevenueCat webhook event or show a specific Offering to the affected cohort with a Targeting rule. This is an enhancement, not part of the price change contract.