Google Apps Marketplace Billing Policy Updated for Clarity

Google has updated the Google Apps Marketplace billing policy with a change to billing that the company says will result in more revenue flowing into developers’ pockets. To be more specific, it’s now official that developers listing their apps on the Google Apps Marketplace don’t have to use Google’s own billing APIs or share any of the proceeds.

Most vendors have been doing this anyway, but now that Google’s made it official, it actually clears up an issue Google partners have had for some time, as I heard at the gSocial conference. The lack of clarity on official billing policies had Google ISVs searching for a common billing vehicle. And now, well, there still isn’t one. But at least now that’s an official lack of commonality.

Google Apps Marketplace chief Scott McMullan, who wrote the official blog entry, was actually at the gSocial conference, if memory serves, so it’s small wonder that just about a month later this policy change would go into place.

This move brings the Google Apps Marketplace more in line with the Chrome Web Store. But I’m wondering if this actually addresses any ISV partner concerns or if this is just Google covering its own tail by making its lack of concern for partner billing the law of the land.