Google has just announced its most significant overhaul of the Android app ecosystem since the Play Store launched — and it touches everything from how much developers pay, to how easily users can install competing app stores.
In a blog post by Sameer Samat, President of Android Ecosystem, the blog lays out three structural changes: expanded billing choices, a new Registered App Stores program, and a sweeping reduction in developer fees. The company also confirmed that it has resolved its worldwide disputes with Epic Games as part of the announcement.
The fees are finally moving
Google Play's new pricing model decouples two costs that were previously bundled together. Developers who choose to keep using Google Play Billing will pay a 5% billing fee in the EEA, UK, and US — in addition to a separate, lower service fee.
For new installs (apps first downloaded after the new structure launches in a region), the in-app purchase service fee drops to 20%. Developers who join the new Apps Experience Program or the revamped Google Play Games Level Up Program — both tied to quality benchmarks and enhanced user experience — get an even better deal: 15% on new install transactions and 20% on existing ones. Subscriptions fall to a flat 10%.
The real-world impact is illustrated in the document itself. A game developer using Google Play Billing and enrolled in the Level Up Program would see a 33% fee reduction on new installs, down from the old 30% flat rate.
An app developer using alternative billing in the UK and enrolled in the Apps Experience Program would see a 42% reduction in new installs, dropping from 26% under the prior model to 15%.
Sideloading gets a legitimate front door
The Registered App Stores program may be the change with the longest tail. Under the new system, third-party app stores that meet Google's quality and safety benchmarks can register with Android and gain a simplified, streamlined installation flow for users who want to sideload them.
The document includes a screenshot of this new UI — a clean, single-screen prompt that shows the store is registered with Android, explains what it will manage on the device, and links directly to its terms and privacy policy.
Stores that don't register keep the same experience as any sideloaded app today — nothing is taken away. But registered stores gain a genuine distribution advantage. The program launches outside the US first, with US availability subject to court approval. Google plans to ship it in a major Android release by the end of the year.
Billing freedom in the app itself
Developers also have the option to offer users their own billing systems directly in the app, side-by-side with Google Play's option, or to redirect users to their own websites for purchases. The proposal explicitly allows developers to direct users to alternative payment mechanisms, both within their apps and via external web links.
The Epic chapter closes
None of this happened in a vacuum. Google and Epic filed a joint motion in November 2025 seeking the court's approval of a proposed settlement resolving disputes spanning more than 5 years.
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney called the settlement "awesome," saying it "genuinely doubles down on Android's original vision as an open platform." He also used the moment to contrast Google's approach with Apple's, criticising Apple for "blocking all competing stores and leaving payments as the only vector for competition."
The rollout calendar
The fee changes roll out on a staggered global schedule: EEA, UK, and US by June 30; Australia by September 30; Korea and Japan by December 31; and the rest of the world by September 30, 2027. The new developer programs follow the same sequence, with EEA, UK, US, and Australia coming online by September 30 of this year.
For developers who have spent years watching 30 cents of every dollar disappear to platform fees, the shift is meaningful. For users, it opens the door — carefully, with safety guardrails intact — to a more competitive Android marketplace.