App Store and Google Play Fees in 2026: What Games Actually Keep per $100 of In-App Revenue

2026 brought the biggest change to mobile game store fees in a decade. On March 4, Google Play announced a new structure that separates its service fee from a billing fee and began applying it in the US, EEA, and UK on June 30. On October 1, Apple moved every EU developer onto a single set of terms and cut its EU In-App Purchase commission to 26%. In the US App Store, Apple still charges 0% on purchases made through external links while a court works out what rate it may charge.

The problem is that "30%" no longer describes anything precisely. The same game and the same $10 purchase can leave the developer anywhere from $70 to $95 per $100, depending on the store, the player's country, when the player installed, and how they paid. This post collects the rates confirmed in the platforms' own documentation as of October 2026, then adds payment processing costs to get effective fees, works through web shop break-even, and shows how to recalculate LTV and ROAS on net revenue. It is not legal or tax advice; confirm the rates that apply to you in your own contracts and console settings.

Web shop tactics were covered in Mobile Game Web Shops: A $17 Billion Channel Whose Real Problem Is Traffic, and the web-to-app funnel in Why Web2App Behaves Differently in Games. This post covers the numbers both strategies rest on: the fees themselves.

As of October 2026, How Much Does a Game Keep per $100 of Revenue?

For a game earning more than $1 million a year and selling regular in-app items (not subscriptions), the amount kept per $100 as of October 2026 is $70 to $80 through store billing and $75 to $96 through external web payments. Within a single store, the gap depends on whether the player is a new or existing install, whether the game is in a fee program, and which payment path is used.

In the table below, store billing reflects the platform fee only, while external payments add a 4.4% processing cost on top of the platform fee. That 4.4% is Stripe's standard US domestic card rate (2.9% + $0.30) applied to a $19.99 purchase; international cards (+1.5%), currency conversion (+1%), tax handling, chargebacks, and customer support are not included.

Two conclusions stand out. First, for Google Play new installs, the difference between store billing ($75.00) and external web payment ($75.60) is less than a dollar, because Google charges its service fee on external transactions too. Second, the one place where web payments change margins dramatically is US iOS, and that gap depends on the fact that a court has not yet set Apple's rate.

How Has Google Play's Fee Structure Changed?

Google Play split its single commission into a service fee and a billing fee, and the service fee now depends on whether the player installed before the regional rollout date (an existing install) or on or after it (a new install). The rollout dates are June 30, 2026 for the US, EEA, and UK; September 30, 2026 for Australia and Japan; December 31, 2026 for Korea; and September 30, 2027 for the rest of the world.

The service fee applies to every transaction regardless of payment method, and the billing fee is added only when Google Play Billing is used. The billing fee is 5% in Australia, Japan, the US, the UK, and the EEA; Google says billing fee details for other regions are forthcoming. A new install is a transaction from a user whose first install from Google Play, or first update from Google Play if the app came from elsewhere, happened on or after the regional rollout date.

One detail is easy to miss. An existing-install player buying through Google Play Billing costs 25% plus 5%, a total of 30%, exactly what it was before. The fee actually falls in the second half of 2026 for three groups: players who installed after June 30, games in programs such as Level Up, and existing players who pay through external web links. Subscriptions total 15% (10% plus 5%) with Google Play Billing, the same as before; only alternative billing or web links remove the 5% billing fee.

The March announcement listed Japan alongside Korea under "by December 31," but Play Console Help now shows Japan's rollout date as September 30. In countries the new structure has not reached, the old model still applies: 15% on the first $1 million of annual earnings (for developers enrolled in the 15% tier), 30% above that, and 15% on auto-renewing subscriptions. In Korea, until the rollout date, developers offering an alternative billing system under the existing rules pay the Google Play Billing rate minus 4 percentage points, and Google has not yet published Korea's billing fee for after December 31.

The US has one more layer. Since October 29, 2025, under the US court's order, Google has not required Google Play Billing, and since December 9, 2025 it has run an external content links program and an alternative billing program. A July 22 notice told developers in both programs that they must report transactions and pay fees starting October 1, 2026. In-app item purchases completed within 24 hours of following an external link carry 20% as standard (15% with Level Up, 10% for subscriptions), and linking a user out to install an external game carries a fixed $3.65 per install. The reporting and payment deadline for install fees was pushed to December 1. Google and Epic asked the court in April to modify the injunction under their March settlement, then jointly withdrew that request in July; Alphabet's second-quarter filing says Google is complying with the October 2024 remedies decision. What followed, rival stores distributed inside Google Play in the US since July 22, is covered in Rival Stores Now Live Inside Google Play: The New Map of Android Distribution.

How Much Does the Play Games Level Up Program Reduce Fees?

Games that meet all Level Up guidelines pay a service fee of 15% instead of 20% on new-install transactions and 20% instead of 25% on existing-install transactions, a 5-point cut in each case. With Google Play Billing, a new-install purchase drops from 25% to 20% in total, so net revenue on the same gross rises about 6.7% ($75 to $80).

The program is optional, but the requirements are substantial. Google says games must meet the guidelines announced as of June 24, 2026 to unlock the new rates, and that existing Level Up participants do not get the new rate card automatically. The guidelines fall into three groups.

Rates apply by player location, not developer location: September 30, 2026 for Australia, the EEA, Japan, the UK, and the US; December 31, 2026 for Korea; and September 30, 2027 for the rest of the world. Games that complete the requirements after September 30 qualify from the point of integration and validation.

The decision test is simple. Multiply your annual Android in-app revenue in those regions by 5 points and compare it with the cost of meeting the requirements: a PC build, large-screen support, performance work, cloud save. If that revenue (excluding subscriptions, above the first $1 million) is $10 million a year, the program saves about $500,000 a year, since both new and existing installs drop by 5 points (illustrative). Games that launch first on PC or console should check the title availability guideline separately.

How Do Apple App Store Fees Differ by Region?

Apple's base commission is still 30%, with 15% for developers earning up to $1 million a year (the Small Business Program) and for auto-renewing subscriptions after their first year. As of October 2026, however, the US, EU, Japan, and Korea each follow different rules.

The US is the most fluid. On April 30, 2025, a federal district court found that Apple's 27% commission on external purchase links violated its injunction, held Apple in contempt, and barred the commission. On December 11, 2025, the Ninth Circuit upheld the contempt finding but said a total ban went too far, sending the case back for the district court to set a commission reasonably tied to Apple's actual costs. In August 2026 Apple proposed 15% as standard, 10% for certain partner programs and subscription renewals, and 5% for Small Business Program developers; the court has not set a rate. On June 30 the Supreme Court agreed to hear Apple's appeal, limited to whether a party can be held in contempt for violating the spirit of an injunction (No. 25-1311), and Epic's brief is due November 13. In other words, the 0% link-out rate on US iOS in October 2026 is not a settled entitlement; it is the state of play mid-litigation.

In the EU, Attachment 14 of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement, published August 18, 2026, replaced the previous EU alternative terms and external purchase link addendum on October 1. The per-install Core Technology Fee, the Initial Acquisition Fee, and the Store Services Fee are gone, replaced by transaction-based commissions. Developers who choose payment options (Apple In-App Purchase, alternative processing in the app, web links, or a combination) must keep them for 12 months, and alternative payment transactions must be reported to Apple within 15 days after each month ends. New child safety rules also require alternative payments and out-of-app offers for users aged 13 to 17 to sit behind a parental gate.

In Japan, under the Mobile Software Competition Act that took full effect on December 18, 2025, Apple opened alternative app marketplaces, alternative in-app payments, and external links starting with iOS 26.2. Apple In-App Purchase in Japan is split into a 21% commission and a 5% payment processing fee, 26% in total, a structure similar to Google's split between service fee and billing fee. Separately, under an agreement with Brazil's competition regulator CADE, Apple opened alternative payments and marketplaces in Brazil starting with iOS 26.5 in June 2026.

What Do Alternative Payments and Web Shops Really Cost?

The effective fee on an external payment is the platform's fee on external transactions, plus payment processing, plus the cost of handling tax, refunds, and support yourself, and in 2026 the first item is no longer zero in most places. So web shop economics depend not only on the fee saved but also on the purchase conversion lost when players are sent to the web.

Processing costs come in two models. Running your own processor costs, on Stripe's standard US pricing, 2.9% + $0.30 per domestic card (+1.5% for international cards, +1% for currency conversion), and sales tax, VAT filing, and chargebacks are yours to handle. A merchant of record such as Paddle charges 5% + $0.50 and includes tax collection, filing, and chargeback handling. On a $19.99 purchase those come to about 4.4% and 7.5%. The lower the price point, the larger the fixed fee's share, so moving a $4.99 item to the web leaves almost nothing.

The "conversion loss tolerance" column below shows how far buyers can drop when sent to web payment before net revenue falls to the level of store billing. The formula is 1 − (net via store billing ÷ net via web payment).

What the table says is that web shop priorities now split by region and cohort. US iOS is the biggest opportunity today, since buyers can drop by almost a quarter before the web route loses money, but if a 15% rate is set the tolerance roughly halves. Sending Google Play new-install players to the web through in-app links gains almost nothing on fees alone, and with a merchant of record it loses money. On Google, web payments make sense mainly for existing players who installed before June 30.

One definition matters here: Google's US external link fee applies to transactions completed within 24 hours of following the link. Whether web shop purchases arriving through channels other than an in-app link, such as email, community, or social, fall under that definition is something to confirm in the program terms and your agreement; Apple's EU and Japan link-out commissions cover sales made within 7 days of the link tap. Building web shop traffic from channels outside the app now matters for fees as well as reach. The measurement break that comes with a larger web payment share is the same one described in the web2app post.

How Do the Fee Changes Affect LTV and ROAS Calculations?

Now that fees vary by store, region, and install cohort, LTV and ROAS need to be calculated on net revenue per platform rather than gross, with different fee rates applied to different cohorts within the same game. A US Android player acquired after June 30, 2026 produces about 7% more net revenue than an earlier player with the same gross spend.

Take a US Android player with a D180 gross LTV of $10. A player who installed before June 30 (30% with Google Play Billing) is worth $7.00 net; one who installed after (25%) is worth $7.50; and a new install in a Level Up game (20%) is worth $8.00. At a 100% D180 net ROAS target, the CPI ceiling rises from $7.00 to $7.50 and then $8.00. Lower fees translate into 7.1% to 14.3% more bidding headroom (illustrative).

Using a single blended fee rate, by contrast, misreads profitability. If 60% of US Android in-app revenue comes from existing installs and 40% from new installs, the weighted fee is 0.6 × 30% + 0.4 × 25% = 28%. Applying that rate to new campaigns undervalues new cohorts and overvalues revenue from retargeting and LiveOps aimed at existing players. As the new-install share grows, the blended rate drifts toward 25%, so annual revenue plans need the rate re-set every quarter.

In practice, three changes cover it. First, apply net revenue coefficients by platform, country, and install date to revenue events in your MMP or BI. Second, set ROAS targets separately by platform and region; a game with a large US iOS web payment share and a game built on Google Play Billing can show very different net ROAS at the same gross ROAS. Third, subscriptions carry lower fees than regular IAP (10% plus 5% on Google, 15% after year one on Apple), so in subscription-heavy games the product mix itself moves the blended rate. Where subscriptions fit in a game's revenue structure is covered in Subscription Monetization in Mobile Games: Where the Fourth Axis Belongs, and how to read daily revenue metrics on a net basis in Revenue = DAU × ARPDAU: The Daily Metric That Separates Real Growth From Install Spikes.

What Should Game Studios Review Before 2027?

Before Google's new fees reach the rest of the world on September 30, 2027, studios should break revenue down by store, region, and install cohort and rebuild program participation, payment paths, and UA bidding around that structure. Items still undecided, such as Apple's US link-out rate and Google's Korea billing fee, belong in scenario plans.

The new fee structures generally raise the net revenue each player leaves behind, but the benefit concentrates on newly acquired players and players who stay. Google's new-install rate and the Level Up requirements (achievements, rewards, cross-device continuity) both assume play after install. Playio is an Android-based community of five million gamers that analyzes genre preferences, play history, and in-game behavior data to connect players with games that fit their tastes. Pricing is CPI by default, and CPE based on reaching playtime thresholds or completing specific in-game actions is also supported, so the new Android cohorts that are now worth more under the new fee structure can be acquired on actual play rather than installs alone.

You can find more details here. (https://playioadsen.oopy.io/bizdeck)

Key Takeaways

As of October 2026, mobile game store fees are not a single 30% but a combination of store, region, install date, and payment path. Google Play has split its service fee from a 5% billing fee in the US, EEA, and UK (June 30) and Australia and Japan (September 30): new-install in-app purchases total 25%, 20% with Level Up, existing installs still total 30%, and subscriptions 15%. Korea moves to the same structure on December 31 and the rest of the world on September 30, 2027. Apple keeps its 30% base (15% for small businesses), but the EU has carried 26% for IAP and 15% for link-outs since October 1, Japan 21% plus 5% and 15% for link-outs, and the US 0% on link-outs while a court sets a rate and the Supreme Court hears Apple's appeal. Once processing costs and conversion loss are included, web shops clearly win on US iOS and with Google existing installs, and barely differ for Google new installs. Recalculate LTV and ROAS on net revenue by platform, region, and cohort, manage the open items as scenarios, and confirm the rates that actually apply to you in your contracts and consoles.

For inquiries about Playio's advertising solutions, reach out at: [email protected]

Sources

• Google Play Console Help, Service fees (Australia, EEA, Japan, UK, US: new vs existing installs, rollout June 30 for EEA/UK/US and September 30 for Australia/Japan; subscriptions 10% + 5%, new installs 20% + 5%, existing installs 25% + 5% or 20% for external web links, Level Up and Apps Experience 15%/20% (15% web links), first $1M 10% + 5%; other markets 15%/30% and 15% subscriptions; Korea and India alternative billing 4 points lower): https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/112622?hl=en

• Google Play Console Help, Understanding Google Play's lower service fees (announced March 4, 2026; 5% billing fee in AU, JP, US, UK, EEA, other regions forthcoming; rollout June 30 EEA/UK/US, September 30 AU/JP, December 31 KR, September 30, 2027 rest of world; programs from September 30; new install definition; existing Level Up participants not automatic): https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/16954621?hl=en

• Android Developers Blog, A new era for choice and openness, Sameer Samat, March 4, 2026 (billing fee split, 20% new-install IAP, 15%/20% programs, 10% subscriptions, original schedule listing Korea and Japan by December 31): https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2026/03/a-new-era-for-choice-and-openness.html

• Google Play Console Help, Billing choice program (availability: Australia September 30, 2026; Japan September 30, 2026; UK June 30, 2026; EEA June 30, 2026; US on existing programs): https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/17161464?hl=en

• Google Play Console Help, An update regarding Google Play's policies for developers serving users in the US (policy change October 29, 2025; programs December 9, 2025; third-party stores July 22, 2026; reporting and fees from October 1; install fee deadline December 1 per September 17 notice): https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/15582165?hl=en

• Google Play Console Help, External content links program (US; transactions within 24 hours of the link; 10% subscriptions, 20% standard, 15% programs, 10% first $1M; $3.65 per game install, $2.85 per app install; reporting and payment from October 1, installs December 1): https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/16470497?hl=en

• Google Play Console Help, Alternative billing programs for US users (10% subscriptions, 20% new, 25% existing, 15%/20% programs, 10% first $1M; payable from October 1): https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/16497028?hl=en

• Google Play, Google Play Games Level Up (guidelines: PGS v2, Sidekick, achievements, Game Stats, rewards, cloud save, large screens, PC, input, title availability, stability, 60 FPS, Android 17 memory, Vulkan; guidelines as of June 24, 2026; September 30 AU/EEA/JP/UK/US, December 31 KR, September 30, 2027 rest of world; submissions from September 2026): https://google.play/business/levelup/

• Alphabet Inc., Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 (March 2026 Epic settlement, April motion to modify, July joint withdrawal, complying with October 2024 remedies decision): https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001652044/000165204426000071/goog-20260630.htm

• Apple Developer, Changes for apps in the European Union (Attachment 14 effective October 1, 2026; IAP 26%/15%, alternative processing 20%/10%, link-out store services commission 15%/10% within 7 days, Core Technology Commission 5% outside the App Store; 12-month commitment; monthly reports within 15 days; child safety rules; replaces previous EU alternative terms): https://developer.apple.com/support/apps-in-the-eu/

• Apple Newsroom, Apple announces changes for apps in the European Union, August 18, 2026: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/08/apple-announces-changes-for-apps-in-the-european-union/

• Apple Developer, Changes to iOS in Japan (MSCA; commission 21%/10%, payment processing fee 5%, link-out 15%/10% within 7 days, Core Technology Commission 5% for alternative marketplaces): https://developer.apple.com/support/app-distribution-in-japan/

• Apple Newsroom, Apple announces changes to iOS in Japan, December 2025: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/12/apple-announces-changes-to-ios-in-japan/

• Japan Fair Trade Commission, MSCA designation of providers (March 31, 2025) and full enforcement schedule: https://www.jftc.go.jp/en/pressreleases/yearly-2025/March/250331.html

• Apple Developer News, Changes to iOS in Brazil, June 18, 2026 (CADE agreement, iOS 26.5): https://developer.apple.com/news/

• Apple Developer, StoreKit External Purchase Entitlement (South Korea) (26% commission on third-party payments): https://developer.apple.com/support/storekit-external-entitlement-kr/

• Apple Developer, App Store Small Business Program (15% for developers with up to $1M in proceeds): https://developer.apple.com/app-store/small-business-program/

• Apple, App Review Guidelines 3.1.1(a) and 3.1.3 (no entitlement required for buttons or external links on the US storefront; revised October 16, 2026): https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/

• Supreme Court of the United States, Docket No. 25-1311, Apple Inc. v. Epic Games (Ninth Circuit decision December 11, 2025; certiorari granted June 30, 2026 limited to Question 1; stay denied August 13; Epic's brief due November 13): https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/25-1311.html

• Courthouse News Service, Apple's fight over commissions for linked-out App Store purchases continues in federal court, August 11, 2026 (district court denied stay; rate to be set as a factual matter): https://www.courthousenews.com/apples-fight-over-commissions-for-linked-out-app-store-purchases-continues-in-federal-court/

• 9to5Mac, Apple proposes commissions of up to 15% for off-App Store purchases in the US, August 13, 2026 (Apple's proposed 15%/10%/5%): https://9to5mac.com/2026/08/13/apple-proposes-commissions-of-up-to-15-for-off-app-store-purchases-in-the-us/

• Stripe, Pricing (US domestic cards 2.9% + 30¢, international +1.5%, currency conversion +1%): https://stripe.com/pricing

• Paddle, Pricing (5% + 50¢, merchant of record including tax and chargebacks): https://www.paddle.com/pricing

• Playio calculations: effective processing rates on a $19.99 purchase (Stripe 4.4%, Paddle 7.5%), net per $100, conversion loss tolerance, $10 D180 LTV example, blended fee example, Level Up savings example (illustrative)