Google’s new rules for the app store will allow alternative billing next week

While the court still hasn’t signed off on the massive settlement resolving Epic’s antitrust lawsuit against Google for having a monopoly over Android’s app store with Google Play, the tech giant says it will start rolling out changes to the way 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 decouple the billing and the app store. The 30 percent app store rate is going away, and now you might pay developers directly for Android apps.

How the New Fee Structure Works

How much of a cut Google will take from transactions now depends on several factors:

• Whether it’s for a user whose first install came before or after the new structure
• How much a developer has earned
• Whether or not the developer uses Google Play’s billing system with its 5 percent additional fee, instead of an alternative system or linking to their own website

For apps that make over a million dollars annually, that will be 20 percent for new in-app purchases and 10 percent for subscriptions.

Programs for Lower Rates

Google has also announced the Games Level Up and Apps Experience programs for “exceptional” and “premium” experiences that meet its guidelines. To qualify for a lower rate on both new and existing installs, apps must:

• Work across platforms (like tablets, smart TVs, or Android Auto)
• Meet benchmarks for memory usage and crash rates
• Support features it recommends (like cloud saves or phishing-resistant sign-ins)

Rollout Timeline

Other program changes will go into effect in some areas at the end of September, at the end of the year, before rolling out to the rest of the world after September 30th, 2027.