Google Announces New Fees for External App Links and Alternative Payments

On December 20, 2025, Google announced the concrete fee structure it intends to apply to developers who use external‑link downloads and alternative billing on the Play Store, a move mandated by Judge James Donato’s injunction in the Epic v. Google case. The new program, which must be enrolled by January 28, 2026, introduces per‑install fees ranging from $2.85 to $3.65, a 20 % commission on in‑app purchases, and a 10 % commission on subscription renewals. While the fees are not yet being collected, Google’s public roadmap signals a significant shift in Android’s app‑store economics.

Background: Epic v. Google and the push for open Android

The dispute began when Epic Games sued Google in 2020, alleging that the Play Store’s mandatory use of Google Play Billing violated antitrust law. After a protracted trial, Judge Donato issued an injunction requiring Google to:

• Allow third‑party app stores on Android devices in the United States.
• Decouple Google Play Billing from the Play Store for all apps.
• Permit developers to link to external download pages or alternative payment processors.

Google complied by updating its support pages and setting a January 28 deadline for developers to enroll in the “alternative billing” and “external content links” programs. The fee schedule announced today is the next logical step in that compliance process.

Google’s proposed fees and key deadlines

Google’s fee structure is split into three distinct categories:

All participating apps must still be submitted for Google’s review, use a Google API to report transactions, and comply with the 24‑hour reporting window. The deadline to enroll in these programs is January 28, 2026.

Potential settlement implications

If Judge Donato ultimately accepts the settlement proposal that Google and Epic have been negotiating, the fee structure could be applied globally, not just in the United States. The settlement would also lower the baseline transaction fee from 30 % to 15 % for most developers, but the new external‑link fees would remain in place, preserving Google’s revenue stream from “link‑out” conversions.

Legal analysts note that the settlement’s acceptance hinges on whether the court views the external‑link fees as “reasonable and necessary” for the coordination costs Google claims to incur. In the parallel Apple‑Epic case, a court allowed Apple to charge a modest fee for external payments, suggesting a possible precedent for Google.

“Google’s fee model attempts to balance compliance with the injunction while protecting its ecosystem’s financial health. The real test will be whether regulators deem the per‑install charges anti‑competitive.” – Tech policy analyst Maya Patel

Industry perspective: How UBOS views the new fees

At UBOS, we help developers and enterprises build AI‑enhanced applications without being locked into a single app‑store ecosystem. Our UBOS platform overview emphasizes flexible deployment, which can mitigate the impact of Google’s new fees.

“Developers can now host their own distribution channels or use alternative stores, but the per‑install fees still create a cost barrier,” says Laura Chen, Head of Product at UBOS. “Our Workflow automation studio lets teams automate compliance reporting, reducing the administrative overhead of Google’s 24‑hour transaction reporting requirement.”

UBOS also offers a suite of AI tools—such as the AI marketing agents and the Enterprise AI platform by UBOS—that can help developers optimize in‑app purchase flows, potentially lowering the 20 % commission impact.

Why the Google app fees matter for developers

The introduction of Google app fees for external link downloads reshapes the economics of Android distribution. Key takeaways for developers focused on digital payments and app store policy include:

1. Budgeting for per‑install costs when using external links.
2. Re‑evaluating the cost‑benefit of alternative billing versus Google Play Billing.
3. Ensuring compliance with the new reporting requirements to avoid penalties.
4. Exploring multi‑store strategies to diversify revenue streams.

For startups, the UBOS for startups program offers pre‑built templates—like the AI SEO Analyzer and AI Article Copywriter—that can help you quickly adapt to the new fee environment while maintaining visibility in the Play Store.

Source

The details above are based on reporting from The Verge, which first disclosed Google’s fee schedule and the associated deadlines.