Google lowers Play Store fees from 30% to 15% for subscriptions

Google is lowering the fees on the Play Store from 30% to 15%, at least for some. This fee reduction applies to revenue made through subscriptions.

Google revealed the news in a blog post, which reads: “To help support the specific needs of developers offering subscriptions, starting on January 1, 2022, we’re decreasing the service fee for all subscriptions on Google Play from 30% to 15%, starting from day one.”

Before now, Google would take the industry standard 30% for the first year of a subscription. After that, the fee would drop to 15%. Now Google is going straight to 15%. Similarly, in March, Google reduced the fee for a developer’s first $1 million to 15%. Halving fees seems to have become something of a trend for Google.

In addition to the above, Google announced that ebook and music streaming apps would be eligible for a service fee as low as 10%. The blog post reads: “The new rates recognize industry economics of media content verticals and make Google Play work better for developers and the communities of artists, musicians, and authors they represent.”

It’s difficult to see this in any way other than in relation to the recent regulatory pressure Google has been under. A coalition of 36 American state attorneys filed a lawsuit against Google over antitrust concerns. Epic is also suing the company over Fortnite, similar to the case against Apple.