Highlights
- Google Play separates service and billing fees starting June 30, 2026.
- Developers gain alternative billing options and custom billing choice screens.
- The Level Up program offers lower service fees for eligible apps and games.
Google has announced a broad update to its Google Play business model. The changes give developers more control over payments while introducing lower fees for qualifying apps and games. The changes begin rolling out on June 30, 2026, starting in the United Kingdom (U.K.), the United States (U.S.), and the European Economic Area (EEA).
Developers offering digital content and services will be able to present Google Play Billing alongside alternative billing systems or external web purchase options. They can also design their own billing choice screens, provided they follow Google's user experience guidelines.
Google reported that the update is designed to give developers more flexibility in managing digital commerce while continuing to support users with local payment methods.
Google Play Separates Service and Billing Fees
Google is also separating its service fee from its billing fee. The service fee will start at 10% on the first $1 million USD in annual earnings, regardless of whether transactions are completed through Google Play Billing, an alternative billing provider, or an external web link.
Auto-renewing subscriptions will continue to qualify for the 10% service fee.
Only transactions processed through Google Play Billing will incur an additional 5% billing fee in the U.S., U.K., and EEA. Purchases made through alternative billing systems or external web links will not be subject to that charge.
Level Up Program Rewards Higher Quality Apps and Games
Google also unveiled updated Games Level Up guidelines and introduced a new Apps Experience program. Both initiatives are designed to improve user experiences across the Android ecosystem while rewarding eligible developers with lower service fees.
Beginning Sep 30, 2026, qualifying developers in Australia, the EEA, the U.S., and the U.K. will become eligible for reduced service fees. Developers earning more than $1M annually will pay a 15% service fee on transactions from new installs, down from the standard 20%.
Transactions from existing installs will drop from 25% to 20%, while existing install purchases made through external web links will decrease from 20% to 15%. Japan and South Korea will receive the updated rate card on Dec 31, 2026, with the rest of the world following on Sep 30, 2027.
Google Play/Official Site
To qualify, games must meet Google's new Level Up requirements, including:
- Play Games Services integration
- Game Stats and Achievements
- Sidekick support
- Large-screen optimization
- Cloud saves
- Google Play Games on PC availability
- Controller compatibility
- Stable performance
- 60 frames per second (FPS) targets on reference devices
- Vulkan support
Google noted that enrollment in the program is optional. However, existing participants must meet the new requirements to qualify for the revised service fee rates. Developers can review the qualification guidelines ahead of the program's rollout.
Google stated that Level Up is designed to help developers build stronger player experiences while expanding reach across Android devices. The company highlighted that Play Games currently supports more than 680M monthly active users with Play Games Services profiles, 350M Play Points members across 36 countries, and 250M monthly active users engaging with content on the You tab.
Google indicated that the new commercial model is part of its broader efforts to support long-term growth across the Android app and gaming ecosystem.
