Error Handling

Error Handling

Phase 1: Understand

With raw Google Play Billing you enumerate every BillingResponseCode, split them into retriable and non retriable groups, and build backoff retry logic. RevenueCat collapses this into a single type you deal with: PurchasesError.

public class PurchasesError(
    val code: PurchasesErrorCode,
    val underlyingErrorMessage: String? = null,
) {
    val message: String // technical description, for logs
}

Key facts you rely on:

• PurchasesErrorCode is a cross platform enum with stable, readable codes.
• error.message is a technical string. It belongs in logs, not in the UI.
• awaitPurchase() throws PurchasesTransactionException, which adds a userCancelled: Boolean flag.
• Every other await* call (awaitOfferings, awaitGetProducts, awaitCustomerInfo, awaitRestore) throws PurchasesException.
• The SDK already retries transient billing and network failures internally. Any error that reaches you has exhausted the SDK retry budget. You do not add your own backoff loop. The only retry you implement is a user triggered "Try Again" button.

Phase 2: Plan

Before writing a catch block, decide three things:

1. Which await* call are you wrapping? That picks the exception type.
2. Which codes have specific handling? Everything else falls into a generic branch.
3. What user facing string does each handled code map to?

Use this table to categorize PurchasesErrorCode values and pick the UX response.

| Code | Meaning | Handling | |---|---|---| | PurchaseCancelledError | User backed out of the flow | Do nothing. userCancelled is also true. | | ProductAlreadyPurchasedError | Product already active for the user | Refresh CustomerInfo and check entitlements. | | PaymentPendingError | Purchase entered pending state | Show a pending message. Wait for UpdatedCustomerInfoListener. | | NetworkError | Request failed due to connectivity | Prompt the user to retry. | | StoreProblemError | Google Play issue | Prompt to retry or update Play Store. | | PurchaseNotAllowedError | Device or account cannot purchase | Show an explanatory message. | | IneligibleError | User not eligible for the offer | Show the base plan instead. |

Exception type decision:

| Call | Exception to catch | userCancelled available? | |---|---|---| | awaitPurchase() | PurchasesTransactionException | Yes | | awaitRestore() | PurchasesException | No | | awaitOfferings() | PurchasesException | No | | awaitGetProducts() | PurchasesException | No | | awaitCustomerInfo() | PurchasesException | No |

Phase 3: Execute

Purchase errors

Check userCancelled first and return silently. Then branch on error.code.

try {
    val result = Purchases.sharedInstance.awaitPurchase(params)
    handleSuccess(result.customerInfo)
} catch (e: PurchasesTransactionException) {
    if (e.userCancelled) return
    when (e.error.code) {
        PurchasesErrorCode.PaymentPendingError -> showPendingMessage()
        PurchasesErrorCode.ProductAlreadyPurchasedError -> {
            val info = Purchases.sharedInstance.awaitCustomerInfo()
            handleSuccess(info)
        }
        PurchasesErrorCode.NetworkError -> showRetryDialog()
        else -> showGenericError(userFacingMessage(e.error))
    }
}

Non purchase errors

Catch PurchasesException and branch on the code. Use offline or cached fallbacks where you have them.

try {
    val offerings = Purchases.sharedInstance.awaitOfferings()
    displayOfferings(offerings)
} catch (e: PurchasesException) {
    when (e.error.code) {
        PurchasesErrorCode.NetworkError -> showOfflineFallback()
        else -> logError(e.error)
    }
}

Map codes to user facing strings

Keep a single mapping function. Never pass e.error.message to the UI.

fun userFacingMessage(error: PurchasesError): String = when (error.code) {
    PurchasesErrorCode.PurchaseCancelledError -> ""
    PurchasesErrorCode.NetworkError ->
        "Please check your internet connection and try again."
    PurchasesErrorCode.StoreProblemError ->
        "There was a problem with Google Play. Please try again."
    PurchasesErrorCode.ProductAlreadyPurchasedError ->
        "You already have this subscription."
    PurchasesErrorCode.PaymentPendingError ->
        "Your payment is being processed. We'll notify you when it completes."
    else -> "Something went wrong. Please try again."
}

Checklist

• You picked PurchasesTransactionException for awaitPurchase and PurchasesException elsewhere.
• You checked userCancelled before any branching on error.code.
• You handled PaymentPendingError, ProductAlreadyPurchasedError, and NetworkError with their specific flows.
• You logged error.message and showed a mapped string from userFacingMessage to the user.
• You did not add retry loops around SDK calls. Retries are user initiated only.

References

• Full chapter

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: RevenueCat
• Source: RevenueCat/play-billing-skills
• License: Apache-2.0

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.