In response to the Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulation, this page sets out Google Play’s general conditions of access for developers offering apps to users in the European Economic Area (EEA). Google Play’s general conditions of access may differ where developers are offering apps to users outside the EEA.
A. Getting started as a Google Play developer
Developers can sign up to Google Play quickly and easily by taking the following steps:
- Signing up for a Play Console developer account using their Google Account.
- Accepting the Developer Distribution Agreement (DDA) and the Play Console Terms of Service.
- Paying a one-off USD $25 registration fee.
- Choosing between an organisational or personal account.
- Verifying their developer identity information.
- If a developer opts for a personal account, meeting testing requirements before making their app available on Google Play.
B. Google Play’s service as a full lifecycle partner
Google Play supports apps across their entire lifecycle, so that developers can build, grow and monetise their apps to their full potential. Google Play’s lifecycle support covers a range of features, including:
I. A trusted environment that keeps users and developers safe
The Internet can be a daunting place for consumers, and not all apps and online platforms are guaranteed to be secure. Google Play constantly invests in its world-class security systems to ensure that users and developers are protected from new and evolving threats. This gives users the confidence that they need to download, update and transact with developers' apps, and protects developers from fraud.
Google Play’s security framework vets all new apps and app updates for a wide range of risks, such as malware, inappropriate content, fraudulent techniques and fake or pirated products. Our review process relies on a mix of human review, machine-learning processes and advanced automated review tools. Google Play reviews thousands of new apps and app updates in this manner every day, and invests significantly in a global review team to ensure that Google Play is able to assess all new and updated apps. As a result of Google Play’s security measures, in 2022, Google Play:
- Prevented over USD 2 billion in fraudulent and abusive transactions;
- Prevented 1.4 million policy-violating apps from being published on Google Play;
- Blocked 173,000 bad developer accounts; and
- Helped developers fix around 500,000 security weaknesses affecting approximately 300,000 apps, with a combined install base of approximately 250 billion installs.
II. Developer tools to test, build and optimise apps
We want developers to be successful from the get-go. To help them achieve this, Google Play provides how-to guides, case studies and training modules for all levels of experience through the Google Play Academy. These resources cover everything from app development basics to marketing and monetisation strategies.
Google Play’s test and build features allow developers to build high-quality apps and test them prior to release. Developers can evaluate the performance of their builds through a range of Google Play features, such as crash reporting, performance tools and security testing. Developers can also distribute their builds to trusted reviewers and receive bespoke pre-launch reports from Google Play, in order to ensure that their apps hit the ground running. In fact, apps that use Google Play’s testing tools have, on average, three times the amount of app installs and user engagement compared to those that do not.
Our tools don’t just support developers when building their apps: developers are able to use Google Play’s optimisation tools to continually improve their apps across their entire lifecycle. These tools include, for example, Google Play’s Android Performance Tuner, Android vitals, the Google Play Developer Reporting API and Play Asset Delivery.
III. Infrastructure to distribute, update and reinstall your apps
Google Play provides state-of-the-art technical infrastructure across a vast range of devices so that users can easily and reliably download apps, receive app updates and reinstall apps when they change their devices. Google Play’s scalable infrastructure allows developers to update their apps in just a few clicks, so that users can receive new app content wherever they are in the world. Google Play performs more than 24 billion individual updates per week, and its 150,000 servers process 2.4 million queries per second to meet the unique demands of serving digital content to billions of devices.
IV. Tools to acquire users and grow your audience
Google Play provides a range of app discovery and ranking tools so that users can discover apps. We also provide tools specifically designed to help developers acquire new users. These include pre-registration tools to drive demand for an app before it’s launched; promotional content so that developers can promote content to users outside their app; translation services so that apps can reach a global audience in their preferred language; and statistics tools to allow developers to assess their performance against similar apps.
V. Tools to engage, re-engage and retain users
Play provides a range of features that support user engagement and re-engagement, such as custom store listings to target inactive users, push notifications to engage and re-engage users and tailored training on how to boost user engagement.
C. Our service fee
Google Play charges a service fee reflecting the ongoing value that we provide.
To reflect the value that Google Play provides in the broader Google Play ecosystem, we charge developers a percentage fee for paid-app downloads and purchases of in-app digital content. Developers can find further information about our fees in our Payments policy.
Google Play’s transaction-based charging model means that we only charge our service fee when a developer on Google Play sells in-app digital goods and services. As a result, we don’t make money unless our developers do too.
Our transaction-based charging model is designed to give developers flexibility to choose their preferred business model by:
- Allowing developers to offer free content in their app without incurring any Google Play fees.
- Encouraging developers to offer free content alongside paid content in their app (the ‘freemium’ model). This allows developers to acquire and engage users with free content without incurring any fees.
- Reducing upfront costs for developers, as Google Play only charges its service fee once a developer has completed a digital purchase.
The table below outlines Google Play’s service fees, which are amongst the lowest available on major app stores. Developers can read more about our service fee here.
| Google Play service fee | |
| Transaction type | Service fee |
| Paid downloads and in-app purchases |
|
| Subscriptions | 15% for subscription products that users pay for on an ongoing basis |
| Other transactions | 15% or lower for eligible developers that qualify under programmes, such as the Play Media Experience programme |
As explained in sections E and F below, for developers that complete their transactions through an alternative billing system or that make use of the external offers programme, adjusted fee models apply.
D. Our policies
Google Play’s policies protect users and developers, and maintain Google Play’s high-quality environment
Google Play’s policies apply equally to all apps, including Google’s own. Google Play’s policies are set out in the Google Play DDA. The DDA sets out the contractual relationship between developers and Google in relation to the use of Google Play to distribute products. The DDA incorporates various Developer Programme Policies (DPPs). Further information about the DPPs can be found in the Developer Policy Centre. The DDA and DPPs apply globally. Developers should make sure that their apps comply with the DDA and DPPs in all jurisdictions where they distribute apps.
For developers offering the EEA-specific programmes outlined in section E below, additional conditions apply. Developers must also ensure that apps subject to EEA-specific programmes are not offered to users outside the EEA.
Complying with Google Play’s policies
Google Play’s policies ensure that users are protected from malicious, harmful and exploitative content, and that apps meet basic requirements to ensure their functionality for users. Google’s Play’s policies are essential to maintain Google Play’s trusted environment which gives users the confidence to download and transact with Google Play apps.
We make it easy for developers to comply with Google Play’s policies:
- Our policies are written in straightforward language, and are made freely available online;
- Developers are given adequate notice before new policies are introduced or existing policies are updated with new requirements;
- Google Play provides a policy status tracker for their apps, which allows developers to manage their compliance with new and existing Google Play policies;
Developers can find educational resources on complying with Google Play policies here, as well as on the Google Play Academy, which provides free training courses on complying with Google Play’s policies.
E. Manage payments your way
Developers can choose whether to complete in-app purchases through Google’s billing system or via an alternative billing provider.
Google Play offers developers the flexibility to choose whether to complete in-app purchases through Google Play's billing system, or through a developer’s own billing system. Transactions that take place within a Google Play app but rely on an alternative billing system benefit from the same Play services as other in-app purchases except for billing services. These transactions are therefore subject to the Google Play service fee less an adjustment.
Developers can complete transactions via an alternative billing system by enrolling in one or more of the following programmes:
- Google Play’s user choice billing programme, which allows developers to provide their users with a choice between completing their transactions through Google Play's billing system or through an alternative billing system. Where a user opts to complete a transaction using an alternative billing system under user choice billing, developers are required to pay the standard service fee, less an adjustment of 4 percentage points. Where a user opts to use Google Play's billing system to complete a transaction under user choice billing, the standard service fee applies, without any adjustments. Read this Help Centre article for more information about the user choice billing programme.
-
Google Play’s EEA programme, which allows developers to offer their users an alternative billing system only, without also offering Google Play's billing system. Transactions completed through an alternative billing system under the EEA program are subject to the standard service fee, less an adjustment of 3 percentage points. Read this Help Centre article for more information about the EEA programme.
Developers are required to comply with the terms of these programmes. In particular, developers must use the programmes’ APIs to accurately report transactions completed via these programmes, and must comply with relevant UX requirements to ensure that users are not misled or exposed to unsafe or illegal content.
F. Promote and conclude transactions across platforms
Developers are free to promote external offers and conclude contracts for them.
Developers have a range of options for promoting content which is available for purchase outside their app to their Google Play users (such as developers’ own webstores).
Developers are free to contact their Google Play users with promotions through off-Google Play channels, such as emails or text messages. Developers may also promote offers within their Google Play apps, including by enabling ‘linkouts’. Google Play provides an external offers programme to enable such in-app promotions, as described below.
Google Play does not restrict users from concluding contracts outside their apps which result from such promotions. And users are able to consume content within their Google Play apps that they have purchased outside the app.
Google Play’s external offers programme enables developers to present within their Google Play apps promotional messages and hyperlinks for external offers on their sites, where users can contract for those offers. Developers in the external offers programme that include in-app promotions that lead users outside the app must implement measures to make users aware that they are transacting outside the app without the security and safety that Play provides. The relevant requirements are published here.
For developers signed up to the external offers programme, Google Play will apply a new fee model for user purchases that are associated with a Play app, but are concluded outside the app. Under this model, Google Play charges two separate fees:
- An ‘initial acquisition’ fee (DMA, Recital 40) that will be calculated as a revenue share based on purchases that are associated with a Play app and are concluded outside the app. The fee will be limited to a period of two years and will amount to 5% for automatically-renewing subscriptions and 10% for other offers that are consumable in the app.
- A separate fee for the ongoing services that Google Play provides, such as security services, app updates and monetisation support. Google Play will charge this fee for the duration of the ongoing services. Developers may opt out of receiving ongoing services from Google Play, after the initial acquisition period of two years, subject to users agreeing and enabling the opt-out. When an opt-out occurs, the fee will end. The level of the fee will amount to 7% for automatically-renewing subscriptions and 17% for other offers that are consumable within the app.
Read this Help Centre article for more information on the external offers programme.
G. Appeals and mediation
Appeals
If a developer believes that we have applied our policies incorrectly to an app, a developer may challenge our enforcement action through Google Play’s internal appeals process. Google Play will reinstate a developer’s app in the event that an enforcement action was taken in error. To launch an appeal, developers can click the link in the information email that they receive from Google or complete and submit this form.
Developers may also be able to reverse any Google Play enforcement action by correcting the issue identified with an app, and submitting a compliant version of their app. This Help Centre article provides further information on re-submitting an app.
Mediation
Where a dispute relating to the application of Google Play’s policies to apps offered through Google Play to users in the EEA is not resolved through Google’s internal appeals process, the developer also has the option to resolve its dispute through independent mediation by the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR). Mediation is a flexible, confidential and impartial process conducted without prejudice to a party’s legal position whereby a neutral third-party mediator aids disputing parties in negotiating to reach a mutually-agreeable resolution.
Except as required by law, mediation is voluntary and neither the developer nor Google is obliged to mediate a dispute.
Developers may apply to mediate a dispute by filling in the application form which is available here. If the developer and Google agree to mediate, then the mediation will be paid for by Google, but the developer will be responsible for all its other costs of attending and preparing for the mediation, including legal costs.
To facilitate the process for developers, CEDR has published guidance, which is available here, which covers how to prepare for mediation and what to include in written case summaries which are usually submitted to the mediator and exchanged prior to the mediation. The outcome of a mediation is not binding on the developer or Google, and does not affect the developer’s ability to pursue its complaint under any applicable laws.
H. Leaving Google Play
Developers can terminate their Play Console developer account by:
- Unpublishing any software, content, digital materials and other items and services that they have made available on Play Console.
- Stopping their use of Play Console and other relevant developer credentials.
Developers can find more information on terminating their Play Console developer account in Section 10 of the DDA.