Custom Domain with Google App Engine now that Google Apps is not free anymore

Question

First I have to apologize if it seems like I am asking a question that has been asked before, but I looked at the Google App Engine documentation and the questions and answers here, and I am finding a lot of inconsistencies.

So my question is: I signed up for a new Google account in August 2013 specifically for developing an app for Google App Engine. I would like to use a custom domain with my app. In the documentation it says that I need to sign up for Google Apps in order to do this. It also says that I can sign up for a free account for 1 person. But it looks like this is not possible anymore since December 2012. I've seen several answers on this here, but they seem outdated as well.

So do I really have to pay $50/year for Google Apps, a service that I really don't need, just to use a custom domain with my Google App Engine App?

Answer 1

Actually, there's a better free solution, if you only need one user:

1. Sign up for Google Apps for Business (through Google App Engine)
2. Go to Billing and cancel your whole account.
3. Log in again using the same credentials.

That's it! You now have a non-trial, fully functional, good ol' 1 user Google Apps domain.

Answer 2

Actually there is one free solution, which is not that obvious.

1. Go to AppEngine -> Application Settings -> Add domain -> Sign up for Google Apps
2. Start a free 30 day trial - Do not add the billing options
3. Setup your domain
4. Add the domain to your app engine project
5. When the 30 day trial expire the domain will still work.

Answer 3

Yes you have to pay now. Look in the official appengine issues page, this particular issue has been very active lately. See https://code.google.com/p/googleappengine/issues/detail?id=8528#c24

Answer 4

Have a look at this discussion : https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!topic/google-appengine/jC_K-YlmXhM