rc-setup

name	rc-setup
description	Use this skill when setting up a RevenueCat project for Android: creating the app in the dashboard, uploading the Google Play service account credentials, configuring entitlements and offerings, and getting the public SDK API key for the Android app.
license	Apache-2.0; see LICENSE
metadata	{"author":"RevenueCat","source":"revenuecat-handbook chapter 2","keywords":["android","revenuecat","setup","dashboard","api-key","service-account"]}

RevenueCat Android Setup

Configure a RevenueCat project so the Android SDK can fetch offerings, validate purchases, and grant entitlements. This skill covers the dashboard side of setup and the service account connection to Google Play.

The scope stops at "dashboard ready, API key in hand." SDK initialization code belongs to the rc-configuring-the-sdk skill.

Phase 1: Discovery

Confirm these items before you touch the RevenueCat dashboard. Missing any of them will block the connection step.

Prerequisite	Where it lives	Why RevenueCat needs it
Google Play Console app	Play Console	Dashboard connects by package name
Package name	Play Console app listing	Must match your Android app exactly
In-app products or subscriptions	Play Console monetization	RevenueCat imports the catalog
Base plans for subscriptions	Play Console subscription	Billing Library 6+ requires them
Google Cloud service account JSON	Google Cloud Console	RevenueCat authenticates to the Play Developer API
Financial data viewer permission	Play Console users and permissions	Service account reads subscription state

Ask the user:

• Is the app already published on Play (even as internal testing)?
• Are products live in Play Console, or still drafts?
• Do you have the service account JSON, or do you need the creation steps?

If products do not exist yet, pause. Product creation is a Play Console task outside this skill.

Phase 2: Plan

Pick the route that matches the user's state.

State	Route
No RevenueCat account	Start at Step 1, create account and project
Account exists, no Android app in project	Start at Step 2, add Android app
App exists, Play not connected	Jump to Step 3, upload service account
Play connected, no entitlements or offerings	Jump to Step 4
Everything configured, need the API key	Jump to Phase 4 verification

The default flow below runs end to end. Skip steps the user has already completed.

Phase 3: Execute

Step 1: Create the RevenueCat project and Android app

1. Sign up or log in at app.revenuecat.com.
2. Create a project. One project can hold Android, iOS, and web apps for the same product.
3. Inside the project, add an Android app. Enter the Play Console package name.

RevenueCat generates a public SDK API key per platform. You will copy the Android key at the end. Do not reuse iOS or web keys in the Android app.

Step 2: Create a Google Cloud service account (if needed)

In Google Cloud Console, on the project linked to your Play Console:

1. Enable the Google Play Android Developer API.
2. Create a service account. Skip role grants on the Cloud side.
3. Create a JSON key for the service account and download it.

In Play Console, under Users and permissions:

1. Invite the service account email.
2. Grant app-level access to the app.
3. Grant the Financial data viewer permission. RevenueCat needs it to read subscription state.

Step 3: Connect Google Play in RevenueCat

In the RevenueCat dashboard, open the Android app settings:

1. Confirm the package name matches Play Console.
2. Upload the service account JSON key file.
3. Save.

RevenueCat validates the credential by calling the Play Developer API. If validation fails, the common causes are missing API enablement, wrong project, or the service account not yet propagated in Play (allow up to 24 hours).

Step 4: Create entitlements

Entitlements are the access levels your app checks. Define them once, reference them everywhere in client code.

In the dashboard under Entitlements, create one per access tier. Most apps ship with a single entitlement.

Identifier	Description
pro_access	Unlocks premium features
team_access	Unlocks team features (second tier, optional)

Use a stable identifier. Renaming an entitlement later means rewriting every feature gate.

Step 5: Import products and attach entitlements

Under Products, click Import. RevenueCat pulls the Play catalog through the connected service account.

1. Select each product you want RevenueCat to manage.
2. Attach each product to an entitlement. Purchasing the product grants that entitlement.

A single entitlement can back many products (monthly, annual, lifetime all unlock pro_access).

Step 6: Create an offering

Offerings drive what a user sees on the paywall. One offering groups multiple packages.

Under Offerings:

1. Create an offering (for example, default).
2. Add packages. Pick a package type (Monthly, Annual, Lifetime, or custom) and assign a product.
3. Mark one offering as Current.

The Android SDK fetches offerings.current to show the default paywall. Swap the current offering later from the dashboard without shipping an app update.

Step 7: Copy the Android API key

In the Android app settings, copy the public SDK API key. This value is the second argument to PurchasesConfiguration.Builder. The skill configuring-the-sdk uses it.

// Handed off to configuring-the-sdk
val revenueCatApiKey = "goog_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"

Phase 4: Verify

Confirm the dashboard and Play Console are wired together before moving to SDK work.

Check	How to verify	Pass signal
Service account accepted	RevenueCat app settings, Google Play section	Shows connected with a green indicator
Products imported	Products tab in dashboard	Play products appear with live prices
Entitlement attachments	Open each product	Shows the attached entitlement
Offering current	Offerings tab	One offering tagged Current
Package product links	Open the current offering	Each package shows a product identifier
API key scope	Project settings, API keys	Android key is distinct from iOS and web keys

Ask the user to confirm each row. If a product shows no price, the service account is connected but the product is not active in Play. Fix the Play listing, then re-import.

Hand off to rc-configuring-the-sdk with:

• The Android API key
• The current offering identifier
• The entitlement identifiers the app will check

References

• Full chapter