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Help How do my kids buy apps in the UK?

P

premiump

Well-Known Member
I have bought both my kids (13 & 10) a Nexus 7 each for Christmas.

I am reluctant to add my credit card details to their accounts. I know I can prevent apps being bought with a PIN, but I'd rather not add my CC at all.

Play Gift Cards? US-only it seems. Why haven't Google rolled this out around the world? This is a major barrier to app purchase. Similarly, why can we not "gift" credit to other people's accounts? How easy would that be to allow parents to add credit to their kids accounts?

Alternately, how do you do it? (UK specific please)

Pete
 
Why not buy like a pre-paid debit card to use? Sure they might be able to buy stuff (if they don't listen to you, surprise surprise.) but if they clean it out at least it will limit them and then you will know they aren't responsible enough yet.
 
are there any google play gift cards available in the uk? i bought one in america so i could use it in the netherlands. i've yet to use it though, lika a previous post said, there are so many good, free apps.
 
Do your children have smartphones?

I faced the same problem when giving an N7 to my niece. To get round it I created her a Google account (lying about her age!) then gave her my old S2 with a PAYG SIM. She can buy apps on the phone with payment taken from the SIM, then download them from the Play Store onto the N7. Every now and them I put some money on the SIM for more apps.
 
I think the pre-pay credit card idea sounds like the best solution. Don't give them the card, just put the details in the Play Store account. Put whatever credit on it you like. When it's gone, it's gone! That was a good idea...IMHO.
 
Thanks for the replies guys, its much appreciated .. its also what I expected to be honest, there is no simple way to add credit to their google accounts.

Free apps are great, I have tested and used hundreds ... but the moment you want "ad-free", you have to pay!

No smartphones as yet, so this option is out.

Pre-paid debit cards is an option, but still a mess around. Surely, I can't be the only person asking these kind of questions?

My son is 13, and his bank account does have a debit card (that won't authorise if he hasn't the pennies in the account), I guess I could add that for him, topping it up periodically.

My daughter is trickier, shes doesn't even have a cashcard yet, so I'm not sure what to do.

Thx

Pete
 
Any app you buy belongs to you on any device you own so I guess you could buy it on yours and then download it on theirs, through your account (log on and off each time to keep your account safe), maybe?

I have done this with books and apps on my phone and Nexus
 
Sid_hkr said:
Any app you buy belongs to you on any device you own so I guess you could buy it on yours and then download it on theirs, through your account (log on and off each time to keep your account safe), maybe?

I have done this with books and apps on my phone and Nexus
Click to expand...

When I first bought my own Nexus 7, I created my daughter an account and logged on, none of the apps I had previously purchased myself appeared in her account. The device couldn't see them.

cheers
 
paulsalter said:
An alternative could be to use the Amazon App store, they offer gift cards for the UK store
Click to expand...

I considered that, and its easy enough to add to the device ... but won't they need an Amazon account then? Which will then require a credit card to be validated?

Come on Google, pull your finger out!

:(
 
It looks like Amazon require a CC for initial setup of the account, but after that you can change the default method to be a gift card

pre-paid cards sound the best idea, I have used them before and they ar quite easy todo, once registered it just works like a normal CC

here is an example of one
Visa prepaid
 
premiump said:
Come on Google, pull your finger out!
Click to expand...

Sounds like they might have listened, the gift cards look like they will be out very soon for the uk, that might fix this whole mess for people. I also have friends in the same situation so im guessing this is quite a widespread issue.
 
premiump said:
When I first bought my own Nexus 7, I created my daughter an account and logged on, none of the apps I had previously purchased myself appeared in her account. The device couldn't see them.

cheers
Click to expand...
I meant for you to log on to Play with your account on their machines
 
Sid_hkr said:
I meant for you to log on to Play with your account on their machines
Click to expand...

Would that work? In my previous reply, I said I'd created my daughter an account on MY Nexus 7 ... when she logged in, MY apps were not visible to her. Surely this would be the same, regardless of whether the Nexus 7 is hers or mine?

I don't want my account on their tablets at all to be honest. :(
 
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