Google makes Chrome devs dig into pockets | Reuters

The payment must be made using Google Checkout, which links payments to a credit card, effectively creating a paper trail to the developer, or at least to the billing address and phone number recorded by the credit card company.

On the plus side, Chrome extension developers will be able to charge for their wares when the Chrome Web Store opens for business later this year.

Google has set the minimum price for an add-on, theme or Web app at $1.99 -- developers can continue to give away their work if they want -- and will take a 5% cut of the purchase price, along with a 30-cent transaction fee for each download and payment. A developer who charges the minimum for an extension would then receive $1.59 per download.

Developers can charge a one-time fee or sell their software via monthly or annual subscriptions.