Google is finally opening the Play Store to outside payments
Google announces changes to Play Store billing, reducing fees and allowing alternative payment systems, pending court approval of the Epic settlement.
Although the court has not yet signed off on the massive settlement resolving Epic's antitrust lawsuit against Google over its monopoly on Android app distribution, the tech giant says it will begin rolling out changes to how it handles billing for developers worldwide.
As announced in March, the flat 30 percent billing fee is being replaced by "lower, decoupled fees" that partially separate billing from the app store. How much Google takes from transactions now depends on whether the user's first install was before or after the new structure, the developer's earnings, and whether the developer uses Google Play's billing system (with an additional 5 percent fee) or an alternative system.
For apps earning over $1 million annually, the new rate will be 20 percent for new in-app purchases and 10 percent for subscriptions. Google also announced Games Level Up and Apps Experience programs for "exceptional" and "premium" experiences that meet guidelines such as cross-platform functionality, memory and crash rate benchmarks, and support for recommended features, qualifying for lower rates on both new and existing installs.
Other program changes will take effect in some regions at the end of September, at the end of the year, and worldwide after September 30, 2027.
