Google ends its 30 percent app store fee and welcomes third-party app stores

This is kind of a misleading title. While they "ended" the 30-percent cut, they are keeping a 20-percent cut.

"Welcomes" is a very strong word in this context. Google was somewhat forced to do this, not really something they would do if not from pressure by EU, lawsuits, Epic and others.

Also, the fee is reduced to 20 or 15 percent, not fully gone.

This almost reads like a sponsored article written by Google themselves.

I only trust this once they have finally detailed how they will allow "easy sideloading" (See one of the last fdroid news on this, currently google is on track to basically ban sideloading as it exists) and what exactly means "registered app store program".

It looks like they maintain gatekeeping via the Registered App Store program, where you get to be a kind of trustee while on good behavior.

https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2026/03/a-new-era-...

Why are people thanking Google? That’s like another slap on the face of Epic who burned through their millions to put a (soft) end to Google and Apple’s dominance. They still get to keep a significant cut.

The article is confusingly worded. I think Google's announcement is more clear [1].

My read is:

* Developers using Google to process payments should expect to go from a 30% fee to a 25% fee (20% service fee + 5% billing fee).

* Subscriptions will now have a 15% fee (10% service fee + 5% billing fee)

* Some Third Party App Stores will be easier to install

[1] https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2026/03/a-new-era-...

'Google says that developers will be able to offer alternative billing systems alongside its own or "guide users outside of their app to their own websites for purchases." '

Finally. As a de-Googled phone owner I am glad that this will allow alternative payments where I can pay developers directly without Google taking it's protection money.

This together with Valve's work on Fex may mean that Android users will be able to install Steam on their devices

Am I correct that if you earn less than a million dollar a year and wish to continue using Google services it changes nothing? You will pay 10% service fee + 5% billing fee, the same as the old 15% fee?

How would Google know how much money any app not using their billing system is getting?

Very happy to see this end of an era, and no more lock-in of app stores.

Finally have true choice of app stores to install and good news for FDrioid.

"Welcomes" seems like a stretch.

They're only bumping it down to 20% (or 15% in some cases). Anything over 5% feels like an abuse of their anti-competitive position.

And they're still taking 10% for subscriptions. What's the justification there?

> Rather than take its standard 30 percent cut of in-app purchases through the Play Store, Google is lowering its cut to 20 percent

> Third-party app stores will be able to apply to the company's new "Registered App Stores" program to see if they meet "certain quality and safety benchmarks."

> users will still be able to sideload alternative app stores that aren't part of the program

I'll wait to hear how the F-Droid team responds

Source: https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2026/03/a-new-era-... (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47251518)

Google ends its 30 percent app store fee and starts a 20 percent app store fee instead

> For any developers interested in offering their own app store, Google says it'll launch its Registered App Stores program "with a version of a major Android release" before the end of the year. According to the company, the program will be available in other regions first before it comes to the US.

From https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37843650 :

> What's a ballpark figure for what the monthly cost to Fdroid would be to scan all uploaded APKs for security vulnerabilities?

Will the user need to basically add a pubkey for each 3rd party repo? Could they install an APK from Play Store to add the key, or will there be something like the distribution-gpg-keys package?

Can we see this for Apple please?

Why now?