Google Play cuts its service fee and splits out a 5% billing fee

Google announced on June 24, 2026 that it would separate Google Play’s service fee from its billing fee. The change took effect on June 30, 2026 in the US, the UK and the European Economic Area. In those regions, developers can now offer their own billing system or link users to their own website for purchases, alongside Google Play billing.

The new fees

Google’s post says the service fee is 10% on the first $1M in annual earnings, whether you use Google Play billing, alternative billing or an external web link. All auto-renewing subscriptions also pay 10%. A separate 5% billing fee applies only when the purchase goes through Google Play billing.

For other transactions, Google’s help center lists this rate card:

Transaction type	Service fee	Billing fee with Play billing
Auto-renewing subscriptions	10%	+5%
Standard tier, other transactions, new installs	20%	+5%
Standard tier, other transactions, existing installs	25% (20% with an external web link)	+5%
Games Level Up or Apps Experience, new installs	15%	+5%
Games Level Up or Apps Experience, existing installs	20% (15% with an external web link)	+5%

A “new install” is a first install or first update from Google Play on or after the new fees reached that user’s region. Anything earlier counts as an existing install.

Where and when

• US, UK and EEA: June 30, 2026.
• Australia and Japan: September 30, 2026, per the help center.
• Games Level Up and Apps Experience rate cards: available from September 30, 2026, for apps and games that meet all program requirements.
• Everywhere else, until the new fees roll out: 15% on the first $1M of annual revenue and 30% above it for developers in the 15% tier, and 15% on subscriptions.

Who it helps

For smaller developers and subscriptions, Play billing still adds up to 15% (10% plus 5%), the same rate Google charges in markets without the new fees. The saving comes from alternative billing or an external web link, where only the 10% service fee applies. Developers earning more than $1M a year from one-time purchases pay a mix of rates that depends on when each user installed the app.

What to do

If your app sells subscriptions or earns under $1M a year in the US, compare the 15% you pay with Play billing against the 10% service fee for an external web link plus your own payment processor’s fees.