In a move that has already drawn fire from industry critics, Google has overhauled its Play Store developer fees and rules in the EEA (European Economic Area).
The changes, announced as part of the company’s ongoing efforts to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act, introduce a complex new fee structure and offer developers more ways to direct users to payment options outside the Play Store.
Starting from 20 August 2025, developers can enrol in the updated program, which grants them greater flexibility to lead users to external deals for in-app content and subscriptions. They can now use links that point to web pages, other app stores on a device, or a browser to complete purchases. Those developers already in the existing program have been given a three-month window to adapt to the new rules.
Later this autumn, the functionality will expand further, allowing developers to link directly to downloads of their own apps from outside Google Play. In response to the potential security risks of linking out, Google is introducing new safeguards. A new information screen will warn users the first time they click an external link that they are leaving the Play Store’s ecosystem. All apps and the destinations they link to will also be subject to a security review.
The most contentious part of the announcement for developers is Google’s redesigned fee model. While Google is shortening the duration of its ‘initial acquisition fee’ to the first six months after a user installs an app and reducing it to 3%, the new structure has been criticised.
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney, a long-time critic of the policies of the large app stores, condemned the Play Store fee policy changes. He described the new policy as a “New Google malicious compliance effort in the European Union, in lock step with Apple.
“Now competing app payments are allowed but rendered uncompetitive by junk fees and discriminatory deprioritisation of search results. Plainly unlawful.”
Sweeney’s “junk fees” accusation appears to target Google’s mandatory new service fees developers must pay even when they handle their own payments outside the Play Store. Under the new system, developers are forced to choose a service tier. Tier 1 is required for all and includes what Google calls “essential” services like app review and malware scanning. For this, Google will take a 10% cut of transactions made through external offers.
His claim of “discriminatory deprioritisation” seems to point directly at the differences between the service tiers. Developers sticking with the basic Tier 1 will find their app can only appear in an “exact search match”. To get full visibility in “all search results” and be featured in discovery sections, developers must pay for the optional Tier 2 service. This higher tier costs an additional 10% for in-app purchases and 3% for subscriptions.
For developers who use the new system to link to direct app downloads outside the Play Store, Google is introducing a fixed fee per install instead of a revenue share. This fee varies by country and app type. For instance, in ‘Group 1’ countries like Germany and Ireland, the Tier 1 fee will be €0.90 for an app and €0.95 for a game. Opting into the enhanced discovery of Tier 2 doubles this fee to €1.80 and €1.90, respectively.
Developers who choose to enrol in this external offers program are barred from using Google Play’s own billing system for fees or the alternative User Choice Billing system within their app. The new fee structure and linking options will become fully available this autumn with the release of updated APIs.
See also: Game developers turn to AI as costs rise and players seek more, says Google
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