Google Play will offer user choice billing in the UK

Score another one for regulatory scrutiny. Following a 2022 Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation, Google said on Friday that it's adding the UK to the list of countries where it supports user choice billing. This lets Android developers in the nation allow users to pay for in-app purchases using alternative billing systems.

Google says the UK will get user choice billing beginning on March 29. It will start with non-gaming apps, which aligns with how Google has handled these rollouts in other regions. Areas where alternate billing is already available include the US, Japan, Brazil, Australia, Indonesia, South Africa and European Economic Area (EEA) markets.

Developers who enroll in the program can only offer alternative payments in addition to — not in place of — Google Play billing. They'll receive a four percent discount from Google's service fees.

The move is closely tied to the nation's regulations. In 2023, the company floated user choice billing as a concession to help settle a UK CMA antitrust investigation that began the previous year.

Although Google acknowledged the CMA's influence on its decision in its announcement, the company framed the move in a blog post as giving the people (in this case, developers) may want. "While over 90% of our developers are 'satisfied' or 'very satisfied' with Google Play's billing, which provides a secure way for people to buy subscriptions and digital goods in apps, we recognise that some developers may want more choice in how they process payments," Google Competition Counsel Myrto Tagara wrote.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-play-will-offer-user-choice-billing-in-the-uk-180145121.html?src=rss https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-play-will-offer-user-choice-billing-in-the-uk-180145121.html?src=rss
Created 26d | Mar 28, 2025, 6:10:14 PM


Login to add comment

Other posts in this group

Logitech's MX Creative Console editing panel now supports DaVinci Resolve and Lightroom

I liked Logitech's MX Creative Console when I

Apr 23, 2025, 12:50:18 PM | Engadget
Meta's Oversight Board criticizes company's 'hastily announced' hate speech policy changes

Meta's Oversight Board has deemed Meta was right to leave up two videos reported for hate speech and har

Apr 23, 2025, 12:50:17 PM | Engadget
The best cheap kitchen gadgets in 2025

You can sink a lot of money into your kitchen without even realizing it. There’s no doubt that some of the

Apr 23, 2025, 12:50:16 PM | Engadget
This Apple TV+ deal ends soon: Get three months of access for only $9

Apple TV+ has a ton of popular originals like

Apr 23, 2025, 12:50:15 PM | Engadget
Clair Obscur Expedition 33 review: An original hit RPG

It’s rare for a turn-based RPG to excite the editorial team beyond Engadget’s usual core RPG fans. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has many excited, however. Maybe it’s the dreamy Belle Époque

Apr 23, 2025, 10:40:03 AM | Engadget
Casetify's latest AirPods case is a Darth Vader head

May the 4th be with you is almost upon us, so get ready for an influx of Stars Wars paraphernalia. That includes new merch, such as Casetify's collaboration with Star Wars. Yes, starting today, Sta

Apr 23, 2025, 8:20:28 AM | Engadget