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On October 29, 2025, Google announced that it will allow U.S. app developers to offer alternative payment methods outside the Google Play Store. Developers can now provide users links to external app stores and alternative payment options.
Let's start with the practical changes that app developers should be aware of following Google's announcement:
Key Takeaways: Updated Google Policies
In light of Google's updated policies, U.S. app developers* may now (and perhaps until November 1, 2027 - more details below):
- Communicate with users about availability, pricing, and payment options outside Google Play Billing
- Provide links to download apps or complete purchases outside the Google Play Store
- Set their own prices, regardless of whether Google Play Billing is used
*This only applies to the United States. Storefronts or apps offered outside of the U.S. will be subject to Google's existing policies.
So, What Happened?
To give some context on how we got here, Google's policy change follows a Ninth Circuit decision in September, 2025, which upheld a District Court injunction that found Google's previous practices violated U.S. antitrust laws. In turn, this underlying injunction came from a jury verdict in December 2023concluding that Google's requirement for developers to use Google Play Billing for all in-app transactions was anti-competitive.
Last May, I wrote about a somewhat similar situation with the Apple App Store, also following an injunction. Apple's injunction similarly granted app developers greater freedom to communicate with users and process payments through external mechanisms beyond Apple's In-App Purchase system or its (now-defunct) "External Link" entitlement program. In short, the injunction allowed developers to offer external payment options to users where Apple cannot exert a commission over the transactions.
This Google injunction, however, goes a step further than the Apple decision: Google must also permit other competing app stores beyond the Google Play Store. This means app developers can direct users to their own or third-party apps stores and alternativepayment mechanisms, rather than requiring users to use the Google Play Store or Google Billing.
Another key difference is that this change may only be temporary. Under the terms of the injunction, Google's revised billing policies will remain in effect until November 1, 2027, the date of expiration of the court's order. Updates or amendments to those policies during this period will be available on Google's Support Page on this topic.
Google's Announcement
Below is an excerpt taken from Google's announcement which contains Google's exact wording describing its policy changes.
We will be following for any updates, especially as we draw closer to that November 1, 2027 expiration date.
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.
[Emphasis added.]
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