AnkiDroid: Google Play no longer allowing Open Collective donation link

Google has recently decided to no longer allow donations to AnkiDroid, a popular free open-source flashcard app for Android. The app, with over 10 million installs, is primarily used for medical education and language learning. AnkiDroid's donations go to Open Source Collective, a US non-profit which acts as its fiscal host. The app holds an IRS determination letter stating it is tax-exempt under 501(c)(6), but Google has rejected this as sufficient for tax-exempt status.

The issue stems from Google Play's Payment Policy, which states that apps must allow donations to tax-exempt organizations. Google has not explained why a 501(c)(6) determination is insufficient, despite providing the necessary documentation to Google.

AnkiDroid's administrator, who is also the administrator of the Open Source Collective, is forced to remove the donation links from the Play Store build in 2.24.X. The app will be removed worldwide on September 11, 2026, except for India and Russia, where it will be removed sooner. The administrator is protesting this decision, as otherwise, they would be unable to distribute the app to the majority of their users who use the Play Store.