Google to Allow Outside Payments in Play Store Worldwide
Google plans to let developers use alternative payment methods outside Play Store billing.
Why it matters: This change challenges the existing app marketplace model, affecting antitrust compliance and developer contracts internationally. Legal teams must reassess obligations and risks amid shifting payment policies.
- Google agreed to let Android developers use alternative payments or external billing links.
- Maximum fees charged will be 9% or 20%, varying by transaction and install date, applied globally.
- Google settled a 2021 US antitrust lawsuit for $700 million, with $630 million for consumer restitution.
- Billing system changes begin rolling out by June 30, 2026, in the US, UK, and EEA regions.
Google has agreed to significant changes in its Play Store payment policy as part of a settlement following antitrust scrutiny and lawsuits, including one initiated in 2021 by 53 US state attorneys general. Under the proposed terms, Android app developers can now offer alternative payment options within their apps or via external links instead of solely using Google Play Billing.
This policy shift also includes a tiered fee structure with maximum rates of 9% or 20% depending on the transaction type and date of the user’s install. Importantly, these lowered fees will apply worldwide, affecting developers across major markets.
Google’s $700 million settlement resolves longstanding accusations of monopolistic practices. Of the settlement, $630 million is earmarked for consumer restitution, with at least $2 paid to eligible consumers who made Play Store purchases between August 2016 and September 2023. The remaining $70 million covers state costs and penalties.
The billing changes will begin rolling out no later than June 30, 2026, in the United States, European Economic Area, and the United Kingdom. This staged deployment allows for compliance adjustments and monitoring of the new model’s impact on the app marketplace.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney praised the settlement as a move back to Android’s "original vision as an open platform," aimed at reducing fees and enabling competing store installations globally. California Attorney General Rob Bonta emphasized that the changes address previous consumer harms from limited payment options and inflated prices.
Legal professionals advising developers and platform operators should closely track the rollout and court approval status, especially given the multijurisdictional implications for antitrust and contract law.
By the numbers:
- $700 million — total settlement amount to resolve US antitrust claims
- $630 million — allocated for consumer restitution in the settlement
- June 30, 2026 — rollout deadline for new billing system changes in US, EEA, UK
What's next: Court approval of the settlement is still pending; full rollout depends on final authorization.