Google opens Play Store to external and third-party payments from June 30: All you need to know

Google has announced sweeping changes to the Play Store that will allow Android app developers to offer payment options outside Google's own billing system, marking one of the biggest shifts to its app marketplace policies in years.Beginning June 30, developers in the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Economic Area (EEA) will be able to integrate third-party payment systems within their apps or direct users to external websites to complete digital purchases. The move is part of Google's implementation of commitments tied to its long-running legal dispute and antitrust settlement with Epic Games.New fee structure replaces single commissionAlongside the billing policy changes, Google is replacing its long-standing commission model with two separate charges: a service fee and a billing fee.Developers will pay a 10 percent service fee on their first $1 million in annual earnings, regardless of whether they use Google Play Billing, an alternative billing provider or external web links. The same rate also applies to auto-renewing subscriptions.For transactions beyond that threshold, the service fee varies depending on factors including whether the purchase comes from a new or existing app installation under the regional rollout framework. For developers earning above $1 million annually, the service fee can rise to as much as 25 percent for certain transactions.External payments avoid additional billing feeDevelopers that continue using Google Play Billing will pay an additional 5 percent billing fee in the United States, the United Kingdom and the EEA. Google said this charge covers payment processing, fraud protection, transaction security and related infrastructure.Those opting for alternative billing systems or directing customers to external checkout pages will not incur the additional billing fee.Global rollout planned through 2027The revised Play Store framework will first take effect in the United States, the United Kingdom and the EEA on June 30.Google plans to extend the changes to Australia in September, followed by Japan and South Korea in December. The remaining global markets are scheduled to transition by September 2027.The overhaul gives developers greater flexibility over how they process payments while restructuring the fees charged for distributing apps through the Play Store.