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Google Lowering Play Store Fees and Allowing Alternative Payments Worldwide

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As a result of the lawsuit Epic Games filed against Google, Google is making major changes to its Play Store worldwide. Google today said it would soon lower fees and start accepting alternative payment options.

Google-Logo-Feature-Slack.jpg

App developers will be able to offer payment options other than Google's in-app billing system in the UK, European Economic Area, and United States. Developers can use the billing system of their choice and link users to websites for purchases.

As for fees, Google will charge between 10% and 25% (not including billing fee), based on annual earnings. There's a base 10% service fee on the first $1 million in annual earnings. For earnings over $1 million, fees are 20% for new installs and 25% for existing installs (apps installed prior to the new rules) with the exception of auto-renewing subscriptions. Link-out fees are 20% for apps earning over $1 million annually.

There is an additional 5% fee for transactions that use the Google Play billing system, which is on top of the base service fees. Google's full fee structure is outlined on its website.

Google also has lower pricing options for apps that qualify for its Games Level Up and Apps Experience programs, with fees ranging from 10 percent to 20 percent. Those programs will be open to developers starting in September.

Fees and billing options go into effect on June 30 in the UK, United States, and European Economic Area. The updated fee structure will expand to Australia, Japan, and South Korea by the end of 2026, and the rest of the world by September 2027.

Google's antitrust lawsuit with Epic Games went differently than Apple's antitrust lawsuit, and Google was found to have an app store monopoly resulting in higher fees for developers. Google and Epic Games came to a settlement agreement, and Google said it would lower fees, support alternative app stores, and offer alternative payment options.

Epic Games and Apple are continuing to fight in court, with Apple appealing to the Supreme Court. Apple is currently barred from charging commissions on U.S. apps with links to purchase options on the web and it has to comply with the Digital Markets Act in the European Union, but Apple does not have one worldwide policy like Google does now.

Until fee calculations happen in the Epic Games v. Apple case, Apple is charging $0 for links in the App Store, while Google is charging between 10 and 20 percent.

It is possible that Google's Play Store changes could impact the eventual outcome of Apple's legal dispute with Epic Games. Apple and Google have historically charged developers similar fees, and though Apple is fighting App Store regulation in multiple countries, it is having to implement a disjointed set of fees and restrictions on a per-country basis to keep up with local laws.

Article Link: Google Lowering Play Store Fees and Allowing Alternative Payments Worldwide
 
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https://www.macrumors.com/2026/06/24/google-play-store-fee-change/
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Looks like we might see something similar from Apple eventually (Google and Apple really should start sharing notes, if they aren’t already doing so). We can argue until the cows come home about how Apple doesn’t deserve 30% of App Store sales; it shouldn’t (and likely won’t) be 0% either. 🙂

Even for apps sold outside of the App Store. 😎
 
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germanbeer007 said:
So big names like Spotify, Netflix, Amazon get richer and the platform that users rely on get poorer which results less investments. Less investments = poorer user experience.

People advocating this screwed themselves over. Good job.
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Neither Google nor Apple is hurting for cash, they keep making record profits each year from their respective platforms. Even if the fee is capped at 5%, they still will be making record profits each year.
 
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germanbeer007 said:
So big names like Spotify, Netflix, Amazon get richer and the platform that users rely on get poorer which results less investments. Less investments = poorer user experience.

People advocating this screwed themselves over. Good job.
Click to expand...
Trillion dollar companies are going to pinch pennies because they will make $30 billion instead of $31 billion? 😆 if they do it’s 100% because they are extremely greedy there’s no excuse for them to release bad quality products just like iOS 26 and Windows 11 and Google AI ruining searches. Even Rockstar Games isn’t going to release physical media for GTA VI 💔 due to corporate greed.

So I totally side with Epic Games on this one due to bringing awareness to the extemporaneous ideas of others.
 
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zahuh said:
THANK YOU EPIC GAMES!!!!!!!! I don't get charged anything for distributing my Mac app on my website and I hope that remains that way and hope one day iOS can be the same as the great, safe, lovely PEFECT Mac!
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1. You have to host the files. Which costs money.
2. You have to transfer these files to your customers. Which costs money.
3. If your app isn't free. (and if it was you could just put on the app store) You need to pay payment processors a fee for every purchase.
4. Your code needs to be signed in order to run on modern systems. Those certifcates cost money. (and a lot more than Apple or Google asks for them)
5. You have to advertise your apps/website, otherwise nobody will find you. Which costs money.
6. Someone has to develop that website as well. Which costs either time or money. And time = money.


An app in the app store, most of this is taken care of for you. Sure it costs some money.
 
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DBZmusicboy01 said:
Trillion dollar companies are going to pinch pennies because they will make $30 billion instead of $31 billion? 😆 if they do it’s 100% because they are extremely greedy there’s no excuse for them to release bad quality products just like iOS 26 and Windows 11 and Google AI ruining searches. Even Rockstar Games isn’t going to release physical media for GTA VI 💔 due to corporate greed.

So I totally side with Epic Games on this one due to bringing awareness to the extemporaneous ideas of others.
Click to expand...

However, the big issue is. Epic Games does basically exactly the same thing. They force developers into prepaid (with Chinese / Fortnite money) exclusive contracts. Their "store" still lacks basic features for example Steam has.
 
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SanderEvers said:
1. You have to host the files. Which costs money.
2. You have to transfer these files to your customers. Which costs money.
3. If your app isn't free. (and if it was you could just put on the app store) You need to pay payment processors a fee for every purchase.
4. Your code needs to be signed in order to run on modern systems. Those certifcates cost money. (and a lot more than Apple or Google asks for them)
5. You have to advertise your apps/website, otherwise nobody will find you. Which costs money.
6. Someone has to develop that website as well. Which costs either time or money. And time = money.


An app in the app store, most of this is taken care of for you. Sure it costs some money.
Click to expand...
Apple already charges for that. If they want more money for that then increase the cost of posting Apps on the app store. If they don't want to provide those services then allow me to buy apps from developers directly and skip the app store entirely, sounds simple right?

1782346076411.png
 
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MrSnirf said:
Neither Google nor Apple is hurting for cash, they keep making record profits each year from their respective platforms. Even if the fee is capped at 5%, they still will be making record profits each year.
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A 5% fee would be a loss for them (at least Apple). I’ve written fairly extensively about this in comments some time ago. Based on what we know and Apple’s service profit margins, it’s likely that the breakeven point is close to 10%.
 
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neuropsychguy said:
A 5% fee would be a loss for them (at least Apple). I’ve written fairly extensively about this in comments some time ago. Based on what we know and Apple’s service profit margins, it’s likely that the breakeven point is close to 10%.
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1782348667842.png

The above figure is consistent with what the trial also revealed. Apple makes greater than 70% (billions) in profit margin on what it cost to run the app store.

Even taking away the service fee entirely at 0%, they will still make record profit from hardware alone. This idea that Apple has to charge platform users a 30% fee on top of what they already charge developers for the privilege of putting apps on the app store would make them go bankrupt is nonsense.
 
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DBZmusicboy01 said:
Trillion dollar companies are going to pinch pennies because they will make $30 billion instead of $31 billion? 😆
Click to expand...
Yep. I love it when MR posters play fast and loose with other people’s money.
DBZmusicboy01 said:
if they do it’s 100% because they are extremely greedy there’s no excuse for them to release bad quality products just like iOS 26
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iOS 26 wasn’t a bad product.
DBZmusicboy01 said:
and Windows 11 and Google AI ruining searches. Even Rockstar Games isn’t going to release physical media for GTA VI 💔 due to corporate greed.

So I totally side with Epic Games on this one due to bringing awareness to the extemporaneous ideas of others.
Click to expand...
Totally side with Apple here.
 
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DBZmusicboy01 said:
Trillion dollar companies are going to pinch pennies because they will make $30 billion instead of $31 billion? 😆 if they do it’s 100% because they are extremely greedy there’s no excuse for them to release bad quality products just like iOS 26 and Windows 11 and Google AI ruining searches. Even Rockstar Games isn’t going to release physical media for GTA VI 💔 due to corporate greed.

So I totally side with Epic Games on this one due to bringing awareness to the extemporaneous ideas of others.
Click to expand...
GTA 6 has no physical media?

I will pirate it bro.
 
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