AnkiDroid donation link removed
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
AnkiDroid removed its Open Collective donation link from Google Play after Google demanded tax-exempt proof. The free flashcard app faces Play Store removal on September 11 unless resolved.
Background
AnkiDroid is a free, open-source flashcard app with over 10 million installs, widely used for medical education and language learning. Google Play notified the developers that the in-app donation link to Open Collective violates its billing policy, requiring proof of tax-exempt status or removal of the link. Since August 28, Google has rejected updates, and unless resolved, the app will be removed from the Play Store on September 11 worldwide except India and Russia.
How it unfolded
- Aug 28, 2026Google began rejecting updates to AnkiDroid on the Play Store, citing the donation link policy.
- Aug 30, 2026AnkiDroid developers posted a community help request on GitHub, explaining the situation and asking for assistance.
- Sep 1, 2026AnkiDroid announced it would remove the donation link under protest to keep the app available, with removal from Play Store scheduled for September 11 if unresolved.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Google Play requires apps to use its billing system for payments and to remove links to external payment methods unless registered for the External Content Links Program.
- Caution
- AnkiDroid developers warn that without community help, the app will be removed from Google Play on September 11, affecting millions of users.
Still unverified
The specific reason Google requested tax-exempt proof is not fully detailed in the material; the exact impact on users in India and Russia is mentioned but not elaborated.