Does That Android App Have Ads? Google Play Will Tell You

Interested in downloading a free Android app that doesn't serve you ads? They're few and far between, but now they're easier to find on the Google Play store, thanks to new labels that prominently identify them.

Google last fall informed developers that it would require labels for ad-supported apps starting this year, and the rollout of those labels started this week. As VentureBeat reports, citing a recent Reddit thread, the phrase "Contains Ads" now appears just below the install button, alongside "In App Purchases" if either of those apply to the app.

The labels will appear over the next two weeks, and all games and apps with ads will be required to display them; it's now a part of the developer policy agreement. Developers had to sign into the developer console by Jan. 11 and declare whether or not their apps contain ads, including those delivered through third-party networks, display ads, native ads, or banner ads.

That's a fairly comprehensive list, so we expect to see the label applied to see many apps, including Facebook or Instagram, which serves ads to users via their news feeds.

"Please note that misrepresenting ad presence violates Google Play Developer Program Policies and may lead to suspension," the Google letter to developers said, as published by Droid Life.

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Google Play to Identify Apps With Ads

Users who want to block ads in Android's web browser have multiple officially supported options (including one app that Google recently blocked from the Play Store and then brought back). But removing ads from mobile apps remains more difficult, highlighting the labels' usefulness.

Last year, Google Play introduced an age-based rating system to easily communicate content ratings and help improve app discovery and engagement. In 2014, it committed to removing the word "free" next to apps that included in-app purchases and instead display price ranges.