Apple Pay & Google Pay: Turn the big match into a one-tap upgrade

ModernTV has added Apple Pay and Google Pay as checkout options for exactly these two moments: buying an add-on package (for example, a sports package added mid-season) and one-off purchases such as renting or buying a single film. Setting up a new account still goes through the existing subscription flow.

When the Paywall Interrupts the Match

A subscriber opens the EPG, taps a league match, and hits a paywall: this content needs the sports add-on. It's a strong sales moment: the subscriber is already interested, often on a second screen or remote, and a card-entry form adds friction exactly when intent is highest. With Apple Pay or Google Pay, they confirm with Face ID, fingerprint, or a stored device PIN, and the add-on activates without leaving the guide.

When the Film Comes From a Social Feed

The second moment starts outside the app. Content discovery has shifted heavily toward social feeds: 52% of viewers now discover what to watch primarily through social media, rising to 73% among Gen Z. Of those who discover something on social, 44% end up watching it on a different platform. Every extra checkout step is a chance to lose that viewer to someone else. A subscriber sees a clip, opens ModernTV, and wants that film immediately. One-tap wallet payment keeps the purchase inside the moment that created it.

This isn't just a UX preference: Stripe's April 2025 analysis of checkout data found that adding Apple Pay lifted conversion by 22.3% and revenue by 22.5% among eligible transactions. For impulse-driven purchases like these, removing card-entry steps can decide whether the purchase happens at all.

What it means for operators

Digital wallets remove the single biggest point of friction in in-app purchasing: manual card entry. For operators, that translates into more completed add-on package purchases and TVOD transactions revenue on top of the base subscription, captured at the exact moment viewers are most motivated to pay.

It also fits how monetization on the ModernTV platform is built: flexible business models SVOD, TVOD, packages, vouchers with the payment experience as part of the product, not an afterthought.

Apple Pay and Google Pay checkout is live for add-on packages and one-off purchases; account creation and base subscription billing still run through the existing payment flow. Monetising Video in 2026: OTT, Bundles and Technology Choices for ISP & Telco covers bundling and monetization choices for 2026 OTT strategy, and Deep links: Turn your home screen into a content discovery hub looks at the discovery shift behind the second moment above.

To see the checkout flow in your own ModernTV instance, request a demo.

FAQ 

Which purchases support Apple Pay and Google Pay right now? 

Two flows: add-on packages (for example, adding a sports package mid-season) and one-off purchases such as renting or buying a single film.

Can the viewer complete the purchase without leaving the app? 

Yes, the purchase is confirmed directly in the app with Face ID, Touch ID, or the device's standard authentication. No card entry, no switching devices.

Do operators need a new payment integration? 

No. Both methods are available through ModernTV's pre-integrated payment gateway. Contact us to enable them for your service.

Is this available on every ModernTV deployment? 

Rollout status varies by deployment. Check with your ModernTV account team to confirm availability for your specific instance.

Can new subscribers sign up and pay with Apple Pay or Google Pay? 

Yes, but currently through the web app or mobile web, not the native app. If a new subscriber goes through sign-up on the mobile browser or web interface, Apple Pay and Google Pay are available there. Support for new account creation directly inside the native app is something we're working on and expect to bring in the coming months.