Google’s secretive deal after losing it’s case with Epic Games has led to new Google Play policies, a lower commission, a separate billing fee, and more changes coming to the US, UK, and EU on June 30.

Apple’s App Store commissions have been contested globally for years, yet they remain the same in most places. In the US, it’s still a flat 30% for most purchases and 15% for developers in the Small Business Program or subscriptions that renew after a year of being active.

Google followed a similar model, but things are changing on June 30, and a new announcement lays out some of what to expect. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has praised the new plans, though it’s not exactly clear why.

We’ll get into the numbers in a moment, but the biggest differentiator between Apple’s App Store programs and Google’s here is payment options. Google is enabling external linking and alternative payment methods for any transaction.

Epic is clearly happy about this, but Google is still getting its cut. That’s an odd turn around given that Sweeney has previously argued that Apple should get nothing from external purchases.

Part of this approval may stem from a secret deal between Google and Epic in January. As a part of the Epic trial with Google ending, the two companies entered a partnership that will net Google approximately $800 million while Epic gets Fortnite promotion in the Play Store.

That’s seemingly a good deal for Epic, and one Apple would never agree to. Let’s examine what those small developers Epic allegedly fought for gets here.

Google’s new commission rates

First, Google is allowing any app to link out to an external website or use an alternative payment method that isn’t tied to Google Play. That’s a key difference from Apple’s setup for external linking in the US.

Apple was “Big Brother,” but Google is a partner for Epic

Apple wanted to charge 12% and 27% for external linked product purchases with its new policy that removed anti-steering. It currently can’t charge anything for externally linked purchases and hasn’t since an injunction violation was filed in April 2025.

Epic’s Sweeney has been fighting these numbers the entire time, and soon, if Apple’s Supreme Court appeal doesn’t get everything thrown out, Apple will have to return to court to come up with a new commission. Google’s new rates may act as the example for what could come.

Google is charging a flat 5% billing fee on any transaction that takes place with Google Play as the payment platform. The base service fee for any transaction, including alternative payments and external links is 10%.

So, we’re back at 15% for Google Play transactions on the first $1 million earned or on auto-renewing subscriptions. Once a developer exceeds $1 million in earnings, that fee will go up to 20% plus 5% billing for any transactions on new installs, or 25% plus 5% for existing installs.

Yes, that means 30% for existing installs, which means any purchase made in an app installed by the user prior to June 30 in the US, UK, or EU. New installs get a 25% fee when using Google Play as the payment method.

If you’re less than $1 million and use external links or payment methods, you’ll get the lowest rate at 10%. Earning over $1 million means you’ll get the 20% rate with billing fee for external links or alternative payment methods.

Apple’s new rates could match Google’s if Epic has its way

It’s certainly different, but doesn’t seem like that big of a win. For Epic, it translates to 10% in savings on any transaction taking place outside of Google Play — that’s not nothing.

However, in some circumstances, savings might be 5% at most. That’s also the savings Apple gave China recently.

Funny enough, if Apple had been allowed to implement its 12% rate for renewing subscriptions and Small Business Program developers, it would have only been 2% higher than Google’s offering here. However, Epic approves of Google’s rate while actively fighting against Apple’s.

Perhaps, if Apple wanted Epic to back off, it could have entered into a multi-million-dollar partnership and offered external payment options in addition to external linking. If Apple has to return to the lower courts to discuss rates with Epic, there’s a chance what comes from that is similar to Google’s, even if it’s only marginally better.

Epic will treat it as a win either way.