Google game The Store Billing Choice program will launch on June 30, 2026 for all developers selling apps and services in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The program will allow developers to offer third-party payment options through Google Play billing and will reorganize developer fees into separate service and billing components.
This change meets the commitments. Google made as part of their agreement with epic games. Developers will then be able to offer alternative billing options or direct users to their own websites to complete purchases.
What changes on June 30 and how the new rate structure works
The Billing Choice program introduces three key changes:
Developers now have the option to use third-party billing systems alongside or instead of Google Play billing. They can also create their own choice screens, as long as they follow Google’s UX guidelines.
Additionally, the fee structure is now divided into a service fee and a separate billing fee. Choice screens allow users to select between Google Play billing and an alternative billing system provided by the developer at the time of purchase.
Google is splitting developer fees into two parts for transactions in the US, UK and EEA, service fee:
- 10% on the first million dollars of annual revenue, regardless of the billing system used.
- 20% on new facilities and 25% on existing facilities once revenue exceeds $1 million.
- 15% on other transactions after exceeding $1 million in app revenue in the Games Level Up and Apps Experience programs
Billing rate:
- An additional 5% charge applies if developers use Google Play billing.
- Third-party billing does not incur this fee, but developers will pay processing fees to their payment providers.
This update means that smaller developers earning less than $1 million a year will pay a 10% service fee on Google Play transactions, in addition to applicable billing fees. Previously, the service fee was 15%.
App experience and game leveling programs
Two new developer programs offering reduced rates will launch in September 2026. The first Games Level Up is for qualifying gaming apps, while the second, Apps Experience, is for qualifying non-gaming apps.
Developers of either program will pay a 15% service fee on transactions that exceed the $1 million annual revenue threshold, instead of the standard 20% to 25%. Google has not yet provided detailed rating criteria for these programs.
Regional rollout timeline and what this means for users
The Billing Choice program will gradually roll out to more regions over time:
- June 30, 2026: European Economic Area, United Kingdom, United States
- September 30, 2026: Australia
- December 31, 2026: Japan and South Korea
- September 30, 2027: Rest of the world
The gradual expansion takes into account different regulations and legal considerations in each region. The initial rollout focuses on markets where Google faces the most antitrust scrutiny.
For app users, the immediate change will be the appearance of the choice screens during purchases in supported regions. Users will be able to:
- Select Google Play Billing as before
- Choose a developer’s alternative billing system, which often offers different payment methods or lower prices passed on by the developers.
- In some cases, you will be redirected to a developer’s website to complete a purchase.
The change does not affect Google’s existing refund policies through Google Play. However, refunds for purchases made through third-party billing systems will be handled by the developer or payment processor instead of Google.
The Billing Choice program is part of the agreement Google reached with Epic Games after a lengthy antitrust case related to Google Play billing rules.
This deal also led to broader changes to Google’s app store policies. Meanwhile, Apple has introduced similar third-party billing options in the EU under the Digital Markets Act, albeit with tighter restrictions that have attracted continued regulatory scrutiny.
Developers preparing for the June 30 launch can start creating options screens and integrating third-party payment systems now. Google’s developer documentation provides details on how to implement the new billing options.
