I’m working on a PHP application that needs to use both the Google Drive API and Chrome Web Store payments. I ran into a problem with the manifest.json configuration.
Here’s what happened: I started with an app that already had the licensing API working fine. Then I tried to add Google Drive functionality using a sample app. When I updated the manifest.json file to set CONTAINER to GOOGLE_DRIVE (which seems required for Drive integration), I got a warning from the developer dashboard.
The warning says that apps using containers other than CHROME cannot use Chrome Web Store payments. This creates a conflict because I need GOOGLE_DRIVE container for the Drive API but CHROME container for payments.
My main questions:
Can an app use both Google Drive API and Chrome Web Store payments together?
Is there a way around this container limitation?
Are Google Drive apps required to be free?
I want to make sure I’m building something that will work long-term and not get deprecated. Any guidance on the correct approach would be helpful.
Honestly, this container mess is exactly why I ditched Chrome Web Store for paid apps. Google makes you pick one or the other - it’s ridiculous. If you need both APIs, try building separate components instead. Maybe a free Drive extension that talks to a paid webapp? It’s hacky but could work around Google’s dumb restrictions.
Hit the same problem two years back building a doc management app. The container limitation still hasn’t changed - Google Drive apps are stuck using GOOGLE_DRIVE container, so no Chrome Web Store payments. I went with a hybrid approach instead. Ditched Chrome payments completely and used Stripe for processing. Way more flexibility with pricing and better analytics. You can publish as free on Chrome Web Store and handle payments through your own backend. Just make sure you’ve got the OAuth flow for Drive access sorted and track payment subscriptions separately.
Yeah, this is still a known issue with Google’s platform. The GOOGLE_DRIVE container basically shoves your app into a totally different ecosystem that can’t use Chrome Web Store payments. I’ve been building extensions for years and they haven’t fixed this yet. What worked for me? I ditched the Chrome extension approach and rebuilt it as a web app instead. You can still hook into Google Drive’s API with regular OAuth - no container headaches. Then just roll your own payment system with PayPal or direct card processing. Sure, you’ll need to handle auth yourself since you lose Chrome’s built-in identity stuff, but you get full control over pricing and payments. Plus your app works everywhere, not just Chrome.