All transactions made through Google’s Play Store platform add a 5 percent billing fee, including the base fee for publishers earning less than $1 million. Google notes that the billing fee is set at 5 percent in initial markets, but could be different in other regions.
More changes are coming
The June 30 start date was stipulated in the deal for initial markets, but Google will eventually make these changes global. Australia will join the new tariff structure on September 30, and on December 31, Japan and Korea will follow. All other regions will move to the new system on September 30, 2027.
Google is also working on changes to the programs, known as Games to level up and App experiencewhich can offer developers a reduction in fees. The game program already exists and offers greater Play Store visibility in exchange for implementing more Google Play features. Soon it will also include a lower transaction fee.
The Apps Experience program is new and will offer a similar offer for non-gaming content on Google Play. These programs will be available to developers in Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States on September 30 of this year. They will be opened to developers from other countries as they are added to the new billing system.
All in all, these updates will help developers make a little more revenue on Google’s platform, but they don’t change the game. Google still has a firm grip on the Android software ecosystem and continues to take a cut of every sale. That may change when Google moves to the next phase of the deal, which was not mentioned in today’s announcement.
Under the terms of the agreement, Google must also certify third-party app stores and allow them to operate more like the Play Store on devices. It may take longer to implement, especially as Google also begins enforce developer verification during the next few months.
