Google Lays Out Details, Timeline for New App Store Rules and Fees

Following its settlement with Epic Games, Google has announced the details and timeline of how its new (and improved) app store fees and rules will work. Google will now charge a Google Play Billing Fee of 5% (in the US, UK, and Europe) that is separate from the "Service Fee". Developers will also be able to offer non-Google billing options to avoid the Billing Fee, both within their app and externally. Even so, the total fees Google will collect will drop by 16–42% for many developers, especially larger ones. The standard Service Fee for in-app purchases will drop from 30% to 20%. For developers who participate in the Google Play Games Level Up program or the new Apps Experience Program, the Service Fee will be only 15%, although only for "new installs" after the new rules go into effect later this year. These two programs are designed to "incentivize building great software experiences across Android form factors associated with clear quality benchmarks and enhanced user benefits". The Service Fee for recurring subscriptions will be 10%. Google also continues to offer even lower rates for the first $1M in annual earnings, effectively giving smaller developers a discount. For those developers, total fees might not change as much, but they won't increase. Most of these changes will go into effect in the US, UK, and Europe by June 30, adding Australia and the two new app-quality programs by Sept. 30. Other countries will follow, with full global rollout by Sept 30, 2027. Google is also introducing a Registered App Store program. To qualify, a third-party app store must "meet certain quality and safety benchmarks". Such stores will then enjoy a "a more simplified installation flow" when downloaded/sideloaded from a web site. Google will launch Registered App Stores "with a version of a major Android release by the end of the year", although it will initially be enabled only outside the US, then brought to the US at a later date.