SkieCan my child spend money in apps or use Google Pay?
Only if you allow it. Google Pay works only if you put it on the allowed list. In-app purchases mostly depend on the Play Store, so hiding the Play Store removes the main route. We suggest hiding the Play Store and not adding payment apps for younger children.
Money questions come up when a game asks for a purchase or when a teenager wants to pay a friend. Both can be dealt with in the dashboard.
For Google Pay, or any payment app, the rule is the same as for any other app. If it is not on the allowed list, it is hidden and cannot open. For a younger child, leave payment apps off. For an older teenager who needs to pay for a bus pass or a school lunch, add it, and decide if you are comfortable with the account behind it.
For purchases inside games, most go through Google Play. If the Play Store is hidden, the child cannot start a purchase there. This is why we suggest hiding the Play Store, especially if a card is saved on a Google account on the device.
Be careful about which account you put on the device. A parent account with a saved card carries risk if the Play Store is shown. A separate account with no card is safer.
Some games take payment through their own page in a browser. The adult-site filter is not a payment block, so if that worries you, restrict the browser as well.
Skie cannot see or cancel a subscription. If a charge appears, check your Google account's purchase history.
A calm approach for a teenager: show Play only in a short window, together with you.