Policy

Google to charge $2.85–$3.65 for external installs

Google to charge $2.85–$3.65 per external install
External install fees
  • Key takeaways:
  • Google requires developers to enroll by Jan 28 to join its "external content links" and "alternative billing" programs.
  • Google plans per-install fees of $2.85 for apps and $3.65 for games when a user installs within 24 hours of clicking an external link.
  • Alternative billing will still carry fees (25% for purchases, 10% for auto-renewing subscriptions) and transaction reporting obligations.
  • Epic says it will challenge the fees; Judge James Donato will hold an evidentiary hearing on Jan 22.

What Google announced

Google updated developer support pages outlining two new programs tied to the Epic v. Google injunction: an "external content links" program that lets Play listings link to downloads outside the Play Store, and an "alternative billing" program for non‑Google payment systems.

Per-install fees and billing cuts

For external downloads, Google says it intends to charge a service fee of $2.85 for each app and $3.65 for each game installed within 24 hours of a user clicking an external link. The company has not started collecting those fees yet, but published the rates and program rules.

Developers who use alternative billing will face a 25% fee on in‑app purchases and a 10% fee on auto‑renewing subscriptions when transactions are processed outside Google Play’s billing system. Google frames the rates as only a modest discount from its current fees and requires integration of a Google API to track installs and transactions.

Reporting, caps, and small‑business limits

To participate, apps must be submitted for Google review, integrate Google’s tracking API, and report all transactions (including $0 trials) within 24 hours. Google also proposes a cap that limits some fees to 10% on a developer’s first $1 million in earnings—an effective benefit similar to its existing 15% cap but only modestly more favorable.

The changes are Google’s response to Judge James Donato’s order requiring Android to be opened to third‑party stores and to allow linking out of Play. Epic and Google filed a joint progress report acknowledging the Jan 28 enrollment deadline; Epic separately said it opposes the proposed service fees and will challenge them if implemented.

How courts could respond

Courts have already pushed back on similar proposals in the parallel Epic v. Apple litigation. An appeals court recently signaled that platform operators may charge a commission only when fees reflect costs "genuinely and reasonably necessary" to coordinate external links. Donato has scheduled an evidentiary hearing for Jan 22 to assess the proposed settlement and program details.

What developers should do now

Developers should review Google’s updated support pages, evaluate the economics of external links versus Play distribution, and prepare to enroll by Jan 28 if they intend to participate. Expect further legal developments that could change these terms before any fees are collected.

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