Google is rolling out major Google Play Store changes after reaching a settlement that ends its long-running antitrust dispute with Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite. The updates rethink Play Store commissions, expand support for alternative app stores on Android, and clear the way for Fortnite to return to Google Play worldwide.
At the center of the announcement is a new Play Store fee structure that lowers what many developers pay for in-app purchases and subscriptions. Google says its new “service fee” will drop to 20% for in-app purchases tied to new installs, while recurring subscriptions will be charged at 10%. If developers choose to use Google’s own billing system, an additional 5% fee applies. Google notes these specific billing rates apply in the U.S., the European Economic Area, and the U.K., while other regions will have market-specific pricing.
The settlement also addresses one of the biggest friction points in the broader Android app distribution debate: installing apps outside the Play Store. Google is introducing an optional initiative called the Registered App Stores program, designed to make it smoother for users to install third-party app stores. This is significant because sideloading has traditionally triggered strong warnings that can discourage users—even when the store is legitimate.
Google acknowledges the underlying reality: apps installed outside Google Play can increase security risk, and users should be cautious. At the same time, the company says the new program will give qualified app stores a more streamlined install flow, provided those stores meet defined quality and safety requirements. Interestingly, Google plans to roll this out internationally first, with a U.S. launch coming after court approval of the settlement.
For developers, Google is also introducing new incentive-based initiatives aimed at improving app and game quality across Android devices. Two programs are highlighted: an Apps Experience Program and an updated Google Play Games Level Up program. Developers who join can receive a lower effective commission in certain cases—paying 20% on transactions from existing installs, but 15% on transactions from new installs. Google positions these programs as a way to reward teams that invest in better experiences for users.
These changes won’t happen overnight. Google says the revised Play Store fees and the new developer programs will go live by June 30, 2026, across the EEA, U.K., and U.S. Australia will follow on September 30, 2026, with Korea and Japan scheduled by December 31, 2026. The global expansion of the new fee model is targeted for September 30, 2027.
Epic Games welcomed the settlement, arguing it moves Android closer to a truly open platform where app stores and payment options can compete. Epic also plans to continue building its own Android store, the Epic Games Store, alongside bringing Fortnite back to Google Play globally.
The news arrives as Epic remains entangled in a separate battle over App Store rules on iOS. That dispute pushed Apple to allow developers to link to external payment options, but the case continues through appeals, with Apple recently securing a partial reversal of a prior order.
For Android users and developers, the impact could be substantial: lower headline commissions for many transactions, clearer (and potentially less intimidating) pathways for installing alternative app stores, and renewed momentum for competition in mobile app distribution and payments.
