Google ends its 30 percent app store fee and welcomes third-party app stores • Hacker News Board

Re: Google ends its 30 percent app store fee and welcomes third-party app stores

#11

Post by 01HNNWZ0MV43FF » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 8:26 PM UTC

> Rather than take its standard 30 percent cut of in-app purchases through the Play Store, Google is lowering its cut to 20 percent

> Third-party app stores will be able to apply to the company's new "Registered App Stores" program to see if they meet "certain quality and safety benchmarks."

> users will still be able to sideload alternative app stores that aren't part of the program

I'll wait to hear how the F-Droid team responds

Re: Google ends its 30 percent app store fee and welcomes third-party app stores

#12

Post by sheepscreek » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 8:28 PM UTC

Why are people thanking Google? That’s like another slap on the face of Epic who burned through their millions to put a (soft) end to Google and Apple’s dominance. They still get to keep a significant cut.

Re: Google ends its 30 percent app store fee and welcomes third-party app stores

#13

Post by TGower » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 8:28 PM UTC

indy wrote: post #4

This together with Valve's work on Fex may mean that Android users will be able to install Steam on their devices

Fex is not coming to Android https://wiki.fex-emu.com/index.php/FAQ

Re: Google ends its 30 percent app store fee and welcomes third-party app stores

#14

Post by jadar » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 8:32 PM UTC

This is kind of a misleading title. While they "ended" the 30-percent cut, they are keeping a 20-percent cut.

Re: Google ends its 30 percent app store fee and welcomes third-party app stores

#15

Post by kgwxd » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 8:37 PM UTC

sheepscreek wrote: post #12

Why are people thanking Google? That’s like another slap on the face of Epic who burned through their millions to put a (soft) end to Google and Apple’s dominance. They still get to keep a significant cut.

Epic still deserves all the slaps it gets. They didn't do it for the good of the people. They just want to abuse their own position more efficiently.

Re: Google ends its 30 percent app store fee and welcomes third-party app stores

#16

Post by mqus » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 8:45 PM UTC

I only trust this once they have finally detailed how they will allow "easy sideloading" (See one of the last fdroid news on this, currently google is on track to basically ban sideloading as it exists) and what exactly means "registered app store program".

Re: Google ends its 30 percent app store fee and welcomes third-party app stores

#17

Post by agluszak » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 8:47 PM UTC

Google ends its 30 percent app store fee and starts a 20 percent app store fee instead

Re: Google ends its 30 percent app store fee and welcomes third-party app stores

#18

Post by spogbiper » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 8:50 PM UTC

givemeethekeys wrote: post #5

Why now?

Now instead of using the excuse that "Apple does it too" they can use the excuse "Apple does it even worse"

Re: Google ends its 30 percent app store fee and welcomes third-party app stores

#19

Post by barredo » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 8:51 PM UTC

How would Google know how much money any app not using their billing system is getting?

Re: Google ends its 30 percent app store fee and welcomes third-party app stores

#20

Post by charcircuit » Wed, Mar 04, 2026, 8:52 PM UTC

sheepscreek wrote: post #12

Why are people thanking Google? That’s like another slap on the face of Epic who burned through their millions to put a (soft) end to Google and Apple’s dominance. They still get to keep a significant cut.

Google gets a 0% cut on Fortnite purchases in this new model.