GoKawiilAndy Walker / Android Authority
TL;DR Google is opening up Play Store payments, giving Android users more ways to pay for apps and subscriptions.
Developers can now offer alternative billing systems, including directing users to their own websites for purchases.
The new billing program launches first in the US, UK, and EEA, with additional regions joining in phases through 2027.
Google is rolling out one of its biggest changes in years to Play Store purchases that could eventually give Android users more freedom over how they pay for apps and subscriptions.
Google has confirmed in a blog post that it’s expanding billing options on Google Play and rolling out a new fee structure for developers. Typically, Google Play Billing has been the default way to purchase digital content on Android. Google says its system already supports more than 300 local payment methods in more than 195 markets, handling subscriptions, taxes, and regulatory requirements.
Now, the company is opening the door wider. Developers participating in Google’s billing option programs can offer their own payment systems in addition to Google Play Billing. In some cases, users will be sent to the developer’s website to complete their purchase. Users also will get a customized payment choice screen rather than Google’s default interface.
The program is currently open to digital content and service providers serving customers in the US, the UK, and countries within the European Economic Area (EEA) with additional regions to follow later. That could ultimately mean seeing multiple checkout options in apps, instead of being locked in one payment flow.
Google is also changing how it charges developers. Beginning June 30, 2026, in the US, UK, and EEA, Google will split its traditional Play Store commission into two separate components: a service fee and a billing fee.
The service fee is 10% on the first $1 million in annual revenue, and it applies to auto-renewing subscriptions as well. In these regions, Google will add an additional 5% billing fee for transactions using Google Play Billing. Apps that use other billing systems or link to the web outside won’t be subject to the extra billing fee.
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