Due to recent events in the world, payment systems Visa and Mastercard have suspended their operations in the Russian Federation. Whether they will come back when everything calms down and how long they will have to wait is an open question. One way or another, users need to look for others options for paying for purchases on Google Play and the App Store in Russia in 2026.
This guide will describe the most convenient ways in which you can buy something in these stores without using Visa and Mastercard.
Google Play
There are four possible ways to pay on Google Play in Russia in 2026.
Payment via AppGallery
In China, a separate application for mobile games and other services has long been created under the leadership of Huawei. There are also various Russian-language projects.
To donate via AppGallery:
- Download the app from the official site to your mobile phone and wait for it to download. Then install and open the store, accept all the conditions.
- Set the HMS Core (you can enter it directly in the search) and register your profile in AppGallery.
- Add payment methods to "Payments and purchases" and set a password.
- After that, you can donate to all the games available in this store.
By analogy, you can use the store Get apps from Xiaomi. Unfortunately, it is available for download only on third-party Internet resources, for example popular site w4bsitXNUMX-dns.com.
Payment via Qiwi wallet (apps and digital content only)
Qiwi is a fairly convenient payment system. You can replenish an electronic wallet through ATMs, which are located in many retail outlets in Russia. Ideally look for special Qiwi ATMs, because through them you can make a deposit with a minimum commission or without it at all. Through other ATMs, you can also replenish your Qiwi account, but you will have to pay part of the amount as a commission.
Mobile operator (from phone) Play Store
Payment through the operator is not possible on devices with configured root access.
Subscriptions cannot be paid through some operators.
To make purchases through a mobile phone account, you must:
- enter the account settings;
- follow the following path: “Payments and subscriptions” -> “Payment methods” -> “Add a telecom operator”;
- in the pop-up window, enter your phone number;
- when buying, add a new payment method through a mobile operator;
This method is suitable only for users of Beeline, Megafon and MTS. Google does not support other carriers.
Cobaging card (works with conditions)
The co-badged card is a card that combines two payment systems. It is linked to your Google Play account. A good option would be a co-badged Mir card linked to UnionPay (this is a Chinese payment system).
According to the latest available information, such cards are issued by banks:
- Solidarity. Makes cards only for foreign citizens, but there is an option with support for Uzbek and Tajik languages.
- Rosselkhozbank. The commission for issuing an unnamed card is about 7500 rubles, a nominal one - 9500.
Presumably, many Russian banks are already working to start issuing such cards. However, no specific dates are mentioned.
Payment using gift cards (only by changing the IP address)
This is not the “cleanest” way, as you will have to get confused with buying gift cards. There is no such option in Russia, however you can buy gift cards from other countries through special services and activate them by changing the IP address (it’s logical that you need to select the IP of the country whose gift card you managed to purchase).
App Store
Apple itself did not impose restrictions on citizens of the Russian Federation, they are associated exclusively with banks that are on the so-called "black list". Purchases can still be made subject to the following conditions:
- The Visa, Masteracrd card was originally linked to the App Store.
- The card belongs to a bank that is not under sanctions. Among them are Tinkoff, Raiffeisen.
In addition, POS terminals issued by non-sanctioned banks also accept payment through an Apple ID account. If these requirements cannot be met, below we have collected five possible ways to pay in the App Store in Russia in 2026.
Directly
This is the easiest way. The balance will be replenished if the previously linked card is still working. You must sign in to your account in the App Store, and then click on the button "Top up Apple ID".
Choose the amount from the proposed ones or enter any other.
Through the binding of the MIR card
If the linked card does not work, you can try linking your MIR card to your Apple ID.
Apple recently included the Russian payment system MIR in the list of possible ways to make purchases in the App Store and iTunes. Replenishment occurs in the same way as in the previous paragraph.
But the system sometimes does not work correctly, and many users report that the cards of some banks simply do not bind. Some can't bind MIR from Alfa-Bank. Others do not have the ability to bind Tinkoff. And for someone, the cards of none of the banking applications are tied at all.
Through banking applications
Mobile banking applications usually have a section "Payments". In the search box, type "App Store" and select App Store & iTunes when paying. After entering the phone number and the amount of replenishment, a confirmation code should be sent to the phone entered in the field.
The App Store may not appear in all apps.
Top up with gift cards
Via QIWI wallet (from May 6, 2022 does not work)
To shop with Qiwi, follow these steps:
- Check out Qiwi website or download application.
- Replenish your wallet with the required amount.
- Start typing in the search bar App Store & iTunesgo to the first link. In the window that opens, fill in the data fields.
- You will receive an SMS with an activation code that you need to enter in your Apple ID account settings in the menu "Redeem a Gift Card or Code".
In the Yu.Money application
The denominations are different: five hundred, one thousand, one and a half thousand and three thousand rubles. After the purchase, a code is sent to the phone number, which must be activated in the App Store. Also, the code can be written on the cash receipt. To activate a gift card, you need to go to your App Store profile and select the "Redeem a gift card or code" option.
Through a mobile operator
To buy something in the App Store through your mobile phone account, you need to go to Settings and select the section in your Apple ID "Payment and delivery"
There you need to add a new payment method and select a mobile phone account. We enter the phone number and confirm it by entering the code from the received SMS message.
We hope our article helped you find out what are the working payment methods for Google Play and the App Store in Russia in 2026. If you find additional relevant shopping methods in these stores, please report it in the comments so that the guide can help other users.
You explained everything clearly. Like.
How about gift cards from Europe, has anyone tried them?
In most cases, it doesn't work. Perhaps if you create a foreign account from scratch and keep it around for a few days or weeks to bypass the anti-spam system, it might work. Otherwise, it doesn't—it says "please provide a photo of the gift voucher."
What kind of nonsense is this?! "How to pay on Google Play" – and they're talking about payments on AppGallery.
Some games and apps allow you to pay through a shared account (if you register there) in AppGallery. This is one workaround.
All Google payment methods are now unavailable except for card linking. They've physically removed the buttons and left only the bank card linking option. There's no way to pay by phone, app, or any other method.
The card also cannot be linked to pay for World of Tanks.