In July, a US Appeals Court rejected Google’s appeal in its long-running legal battle with Epic Games, where a jury had ruled that the company was operating the Play Store and its payment system like an illegal monopoly. Now, to comply with the court’s decision, Google is rolling out major changes to how the Play Store operates in the US.
So far, Google has prevented developers from directly informing their users about a cheaper or better deal outside the Play Store. It has also required apps to use Google Play Billing in apps distributed through the Play Store. This ensured the company always got its commission on any transaction.
All that’s changing now, as Google is finally giving developers more flexibility in how they promote deals and handle in-app payments. Developers can now tell users about their app’s pricing and availability outside the Play Store, and even share a direct download link or alternative payment option, like direct credit/debit card or other payment processors.
Below is a complete overview of the changes directly from Google:
To ensure compliance with the injunction as of October 29, 2025, we have made the following changes for apps when serving users in the United States:
- Google will not prohibit a developer from communicating with users about the availability or pricing of an app outside the Google Play Store, and will not prohibit a developer from providing a link to download the app outside the Google Play Store or link to transactions.
- Google will not require the use of Google Play Billing in apps distributed on the Google Play Store, or prohibit the use of in-app payment methods other than Google Play Billing. Google will not prohibit a developer from communicating with users about the availability of a payment method other than Google Play Billing. Google will not require a developer to set a price based on whether Google Play Billing is used.
These changes go into effect on the US Play Store starting October 29, 2025. There’s a big catch here, though. Google says these Play Store changes will only apply until the US District Court’s order is in effect, which is until November 1, 2027.
That’s over two years from now, so developers still have plenty of time to enjoy the additional payment and linking flexibility.
More Play Store changes incoming
Unfortunately, Google is only rolling out the above changes to the US Play Store. Developers will not get the same benefits in other markets.
Google also notes that it will share “more program requirements and business model changes to preserve user trust and safety in the ecosystem” soon. So, like Apple, the company could impose new restrictions or introduce absurd changes to make this freedom less attractive.
