Developers will be able to choose an alternative payment system on Google Play in the UK
Google has finally allowed developers to choose the payment system they want to use in applications available through Google Play.
Here's What We Know
This innovation concerns consumers in the UK, but it has also been implemented in other countries.
The new payment system option will be available only to developers of non-game apps and will go live on 29 March 2025. Developers who use this option will be able to offer users an alternative payment method, but cannot completely abandon the Google Play payment system.
By choosing an alternative payment system, developers will be able to avoid paying up to 30% of the transaction fees that Google charges for each purchase.
However, it is worth noting that this is not a voluntary step. In 2022, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) initiated an investigation against Google and Apple for possible anti-competitive practices. It turned out that these companies limit the choice of payment methods for users and developers, forcing them to use only their own payment systems with high fees.
The investigation found that such actions may violate competition principles, so Google agreed to introduce alternative payment systems, which led to the closure of the case. That's why this innovation is here.
Google recently acquired the Israeli company Wiz, which is a global leader in cloud cybersecurity.
Source: Google
