In this lesson, you will learn the fundamentals of implementing payment solutions in your React Native application.

Digital Goods vs Physical Goods

When implementing payments in your React Native app, it's crucial to understand the distinction between digital and physical goods, as this determines which payment solution you should use.

Digital Goods

Digital goods are intangible items that exist only in digital form, such as:

• In-app premium features
• Digital content (e.g., ebooks, music)
• Subscription services
• Virtual currencies or items
• App upgrades

For digital goods, you should use RevenueCat or native in-app purchases because:

• It complies with Apple's App Store and Google Play Store policies
• Handles subscription management automatically
• Provides cross-platform purchase verification
• Offers analytics and insights
• Manages receipt validation securely

Physical Goods

Physical goods are tangible items that need to be shipped to customers, such as:

• Merchandise
• Clothing
• Electronics
• Food delivery
• Any physical products

For physical goods, you should use Stripe or similar payment processors because:

• Provides flexible payment options (credit cards, digital wallets)
• Handles international transactions
• Offers robust fraud protection
• Complies with e-commerce regulations
• Supports refunds and dispute management
• Not subject to app store commission fees

Resources

• Blog post - Can you use Stripe for in-app purchases?
• Source Code - RevenueCat Example