Leave the old 30% fee behind—UK developers finally have real billing choice and noticeably lower costs on Google Play, starting June 30, 2026.

This isn’t just a tiny tweak to the numbers. Google is splitting what was once a bundled fee into two separate charges, letting developers use their own billing systems alongside Google Play’s or even guide users to their websites for digital purchases. The UK is one of the first markets to get these changes, alongside the US and the European Economic Area.

What actually changes for UK developers

The headline shift is that Google Play now charges a 10% service fee on the first $1 million in annual earnings, regardless of whether you use Google’s billing, alternative billing, or external web links. That 10% also applies to all auto-renewing subscriptions.

For other transactions, the service fee depends on whether the user is a “new install” or an “existing install” relative to the June 30, 2026, rollout date in the UK.

• New installs: Users whose first app install or first update from Google Play happened on or after June 30, 2026, in their region.
• Existing installs: Users whose first install or update happened before that date.

If you choose to use Google Play’s billing system, an additional 5% billing fee applies in the UK, US, and EEA. That billing fee does not apply if you use alternative billing or external web links.

So for a new install using Google’s billing, the combined rate is roughly 20% (10% base service fee + 5% billing fee on top, with the rest depending on the transaction type). For existing installs, the legacy rates still apply in many cases, which is why Google talks about the change in phases.

Even lower rates if you join quality programs

Google is also revamping two developer programs to reward high-quality app experiences:

These programs are designed to push developers toward “best-in-class” Android experiences while giving them a clearer financial path to lower fees. Participation in the Games Level Up program requires continued compliance with new requirements once announced.

A bigger picture: CMA concerns and the “walled garden”

These changes build on the choice Google already offers, but they also directly address concerns raised by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The CMA launched an investigation in 2022 into suspected anti-competitive conduct by Google related to how apps are distributed on Android devices in the UK, particularly Google Play’s rules.

Though the CMA closed its Competition Act 1998 investigation in August 2024 on administrative priority grounds, the pressure on Google to open up Android and Play didn’t disappear. Earlier commitments from Google already let UK developers offer alternative in-app billing systems alongside Google Play Billing or choose not to offer it at all.

What’s new now is that Google is decoupling the service fee from the billing fee, making it easier for developers to use their own payment processors without being locked into Google’s full-stack pricing. Industry watchers call this “cracks in the walled garden”—a step toward more openness in how Android handles transactions.

What about app stores outside Google Play?

Later in 2026, Google will launch a first-of-its-kind Registered App Stores program that streamlines installation for app stores that meet key safety criteria. This is the first time Google is offering a structured path for third-party app stores to reach users more easily on Android in the UK, EEA, and the US.

The idea is to make it safer and smoother for users to install apps from alternative stores while still keeping security standards high.

Why this matters for the UK ecosystem

Android already generates over £9.9 billion in revenue for UK developers. That’s a massive ecosystem of games, apps, subscriptions, and digital content built around Google Play.

With these updates, Google is:

• Lowering the base service fee for many transactions (from the old bundled 15–30% to a clearer 10% base + 5% billing where applicable)
• Giving developers real billing choice, not just a theoretical option
• Offering a path to even lower rates through quality-focused programs
• Opening up third-party app stores through the Registered App Stores program

For UK developers, this is a shift from “pay Google’s rate and use Google’s system” to “choose how you handle billing, pick your fee path, and potentially pay less if you deliver strong experiences.”

Google Play’s new model is fundamentally about giving UK developers more control over how they charge users and how much they pay, while still keeping Google’s ecosystem intact. The service fee and billing fee are now separate, alternative billing is officially supported, and joining quality programs can drop your rates significantly.

For a market that already drives nearly £10 billion in Android revenue, this is a meaningful step toward a more open, flexible, and developer-friendly Play Store.

If you’re a UK developer, the key dates are:

• June 30, 2026: Lower service fees and expanded billing choices start in the UK, EEA, and the US
• September 30, 2026: Apps Experience Program and the revamped Games Level Up program become available in the UK
• Later in 2026: Registered App Stores program launches

The old 30% “one-size-fits-all” fee is effectively gone for new installs in eligible regions, replaced by a clearer, lower-cost structure with real options.