Unity IAP 5 Payment Providers: An alternative to AppStore and Google Play payments

Unity In-App Purchasing (IAP) version 5.4 and newer supports third-party payment providers Stripe and Coda Payments as an alternative to traditional app store billing. Direct-to-consumer (D2C) payments in Unity allow developers to bypass traditional app store billing by routing players through web-based checkouts.

Integration is managed through the Unity Gaming Services (UGS) Dashboard: developers connect a provider account via OAuth, deploy a cloud product catalog or create it in the cloud dashboard, and route players through a web-based checkout that returns to the game via deep linking where you can display a purchase success or fail message.

What you need to know about payment providers in Unity IAP 5

• Third-party payment providers, Stripe and Coda Payments, are available in Unity In-App Purchasing 5.4 and newer.
• Payment providers are connected in the UGS Dashboard under LiveOps > In-App Purchases > Payment Providers, using an OAuth authorization flow with a Sandbox or live provider account.
• Checkout happens on an external web page, so player identity must be verified with the Unity Authentication package (Unity Player Accounts, or Anonymous Login) to deliver purchased items to the correct account.
• Product catalogs can be managed locally in the Unity Editor or deployed remotely to the UGS Dashboard (LiveOps > In-App Purchases > Catalog). Remote deployment lets sales and marketing teams change pricing and run promotions without a client-side app update.
• Redirect URLs after checkout should use deep links (for example, mygame://checkout-success) rather than standard web URLs, so the mobile OS closes the browser and returns focus to the game automatically.
• Routing rules in the UGS Payment Providers panel can direct transactions to different providers by platform or by country.
• You can set up sandbox testing in your Project Settings > Environments, create a development environment and then connect via OAuth to a Stripe or Coda sandbox account, there you can test the process with mock credit card numbers, with no real money involved.
• You can get started with the Minimal Coded IAP 5 Sample, imported from the Samples tab of the In-App Purchasing package in the Package Manager.

How to integrate a payment provider with Unity IAP 5

Integration follows seven steps:

Set up accounts. Link the Unity project to a Unity Organization and Project ID via the Services window, and create developer accounts at Stripe and/or Coda Payments (start in their Sandbox environments).

Prepare the project. Install or update In-App Purchasing (5.4+) in the Package Manager and import the IAP 5 Coded Sample. Install the Authentication package and add an identity provider (Unity Player Accounts or Anonymous Login) under Access Management > Player Authentication in the UGS Dashboard.

Deploy the product catalog. Configure catalog items (product type — Consumable, Non-Consumable, or Subscription — and base price) in the Editor, then push them to the cloud via Services > Deployment. Verify the SKUs under LiveOps > In-App Purchases > Catalog or create the catalog directly in the same dashboard LiveOps > In-App Purchases > Catalog.

Separate environments. Create a development environment in Project Settings > Services > Environments, select it in the Editor, and match the environment string in the sample's IAPService script (const string k_Environment = "development";). Pair the development environment with a sandbox provider account and production with a live account.

Connect the provider. In the UGS Dashboard, open LiveOps > In-App Purchases > Payment Providers, click Connect on Stripe or Coda, choose Sandbox Account, and authorize the link through the provider's OAuth dialog.

Configure redirects with deep linking. In the payment configuration card, set Success URLs to a custom URL scheme so players are returned to the game after paying, with the item fulfilled automatically. Custom schemes are declared per Unity's Deep Linking documentation.

Test and verify. Play the Coded Sample scene in the Editor, trigger a purchase, complete the sandbox Stripe checkout with a mock card, and confirm the deep-link return with an order-confirmed banner. Verify transactions on the provider dashboard (Test Mode) and in UGS under LiveOps > In-App Purchases > Logs, looking for Order Creator Success followed by Order Status Update (Fulfilled Success).

The Unity IAP 5 purchase flow

Use the infographic below to view the entire purchase flow for Unity IAP5, including the new features, webshops, catalogs, and payment providers.

Download the high-resolution PDF here.

Common pitfalls when adding payment providers

• Stranded players after checkout: using a plain web page as the Success URL leaves the player in an external browser after paying, forced to switch back to the game manually if for example, the player used a desktop browser. Always use a deep link so the OS returns them to the app automatically or processes Confirmed purchases upon FetchProducts when you initialize the game as shown on the infographic.
• Wrong environment: developing against the production environment risks breaking live features. Keep a dedicated development environment with a sandbox provider account, and make sure the environment string in code matches the Editor selection.
• Missing player identity: because payment happens outside the app, failing Unity Authentication means purchases cannot be reliably matched to the right player account.
• Generic checkout pages: an unbranded payment portal breaks visual continuity. Provider dashboards (for example, Stripe under Business > Branding) support custom hex colors, typography, and studio logos to match the game's UI.

Learn more about setting up payment providers for Unity IAP 5 →