A legal battle involving the Google Play Store has been going on for some time now. Now, we finally have a major victory for app developers and Android users in the United States. Following a multi-year legal saga with Epic Games (the creator of Fortnite), Google has been forced to open up its ecosystem, ending a practice that has defined the Play Store for years. Effective immediately for users in the United States, the strict requirement that app developers must exclusively use Google Play Billing (GPB) for in-app purchases is over, allowing third-party payment solutions.
You can now bypass Google Play Billing for cheaper in-app purchases
This big change is the result of an injunction issued by a US District Court. The Mountain View giant just updated its Google Play policies to comply with the ruling as of October 29, 2025. Previously, the company had argued the mandatory billing system was necessary to “preserve user trust and safety.”
The new policies grant developers two key freedoms that shift power away from Google. Developers no longer have to use Google Play Billing for transactions in their apps. They can now implement their own payment systems. This way, they can bypass the substantial commission (often referred to as the “Google Tax”) that the platform historically collected.
Furthermore, developers gain the right to communicate with users about options outside of the Play Store. Google will not prohibit a developer from providing a link to external transactions or even linking to where the app can be downloaded outside the Play Store. Plus, a developer can now offer a lower price if the user chooses an alternative payment method. This gives them the power to pass savings directly to the consumer.
The fight is not over
This change promises competitive pricing for consumers in the US. However, the fight with the tech giant continues.
Google has made it clear that while it complies with the current injunction, it will continue to legally challenge the ruling. The firm recently attempted to have the Supreme Court hear its case and pause these changes, but that request was denied.
For now, these newfound freedoms are strictly limited to the United States while the court order remains in effect. Users and developers in the rest of the world must still comply with the old Google Play restrictions. Other countries will have to wait and see if this landmark US ruling eventually forces a global shift in policy.
The post Google Play Store Finally Opens to Third-Party Billing in the US appeared first on Android Headlines.
