Is it possible to replace an existing Android free app with its paid version

Question

Hi guys i have made an app free version and paid version.

I was wondering that, Is there any way i can replace the free version with the paid version during istallation.

*Consider this Scenario*

The user has already installed the free version. Now he wants some added functionality which is only available in paid version. So he is redirected from app to google play where he buys and installs the paid version.

Now he has the free and paid version but we know that he will now use the paid version only so i was wondering on how to replace the free version with paid version.

I know i can acheive this by inApp purchase but is there any way around it? How to uninstall or overwrite the free version automatically when paid version is installed?

Is it even possible?

Should the package name for both be same or different if its possible?

Answer 1

You can not, and should not replace your free app with the paid version.

Unless you do a in-app to unlock the free app, the best practice seems to be to create a "key" app which unlocks the functionality in the free app. This key app can be hidden from the app drawer, which should prevent the annoyance usually associated with having two apps.

Another benefit of this is that all user data remains within the free app, and once the user upgrades to pro, you do not have to take any further steps to move the data from free to pro. Also, even if the user uninstalls the pro key app, the data will still remain in the free app.

Take a look at this answer for the simplest way to do the check for a key app from your free app - there are many ways to do it, this is just a basic example.

Answer 2

No, it's no possible, when you choose that your app is free Google specify that you can't change this option in the future.

You can create a new application like "YourApplication Pro", and this one is the paid version