Google announced that it’s finally allowing developers to choose the billing system they would like to use in apps distributed over Google Play. The change affects UK consumers, but it has also been implemented in other markets.
For now, the new billing option is available only to non-game developers and will launch on March 29. Developers who opt in can offer their users a separate billing method, but cannot replace Google Play’s billing system altogether.
However, if users decide to use the alternative billing system, developers will avoid up to 30% fees on transactions, which Google collects.
But don’t think for a second that this is voluntary. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK launched a probe against Google and Apple back in 2022, finding that the two tech giants might be engaging in antitrust behaviors, limiting users’ and developers’ choice by not allowing third-party billing methods.
Google agreed to offer an alternative to its billing system, so the probe is closed. That’s why we are finally seeing this happen.
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