The accepted answer is correct, but we should take into consideration another aspect about purchasing via smartphone/tablet. This recalls @JaranJhanjee's downvoted answer which is wrong but contains a little important truth

The 30% fee is charged by Google for in-app purchases according to their terms


  • Paid and Free Apps

    • App purchases: Developers charging for apps and downloads from Google Play must do so by using Google Play's payment system.
    • In-app purchases:
      • Developers offering virtual goods or currencies within a game downloaded from Google Play must use Google Play's in-app billing service as the method of payment.
      • Developers offering additional content, services or functionality within another category of app downloaded from Google Play must use Google Play's in-app billing service as the method of payment, except: where payment is primarily for physical goods or services (e.g., buying movie tickets, or buying a publication where the price also includes a hard copy subscription); or where payment is for digital content or goods that may be consumed outside of the app itself (e.g., buying songs that can be played on other music players).

Google always charges the 30% via its in-app billing API. But there are cases in which such an API should be avoided to not incur in an excessive charging

  • If navigator maps are usable across more devices (especially non-Android devices like iPhones o MS Phones)
  • If maps will be delivered packaged in an SD card at the customer's home address

In such cases, the seller is allowed to implement a different payment gateway like Google Wallet API or PayPal

Answer from usr-local-ΕΨΗΕΛΩΝ on Stack Overflow
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Google Support
support.google.com › googleplay › android-developer › answer › 11131145
Understanding Google Play's Service Fee - Play Console Help
This means that 97% of developers distribute their app and utilize all of our developer tools and services at no cost. What does the service fee pay for? The service fee supports our investments across Android and Google Play, reflects the value provided by Android and Google Play, enables us to deliver an affordable and innovative user experience, helps developers reach users and build sustainable businesses, and keeps the platform safe and secure. ... Android & the Google Play store: The free Android operating system enables hardware manufacturers to build a wide range of devices at different price points that gives users unprecedented choice.
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Google Support
support.google.com › googleplay › android-developer › answer › 112622
Service fees - Play Console Help
97% of developers distribute their apps and take advantage of all Google Play has to offer at no charge. Of those developers that are subject to a service fee, 99% are eligible for a fee of 15% or less by participating in different programs offered by Google Play.
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SplitMetrics
splitmetrics.com › blog › google-play-apple-app-store-fees
Google Play and App Store Fees: List of Costs That App Owners Pay in 2025
September 9, 2025 - Let’s start with a list of common fees that matter for the most of apps in Play Store. Free apps with no sales of digital goods or services pay no Google Play service fee. Publishing and updating a free app doesn’t incur per‑listing or ...
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Quora
quora.com › What-does-Google-charge-for-hosting-an-free-paid-app-in-the-Play-Store
What does Google charge for hosting an free/paid app in the Play Store? - Quora
Answer (1 of 4): Hosting of both Free and Paid apps are free but the money you make from Google Play, they'll take 30% share. That means they won't charge you for putting your apps in Google Play but if you earn something they'll take 30% as ...
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YouTube
youtube.com › jameson saunders
Google Play Store Service Fees - YouTube
Learn about the fees for selling apps and in-app products on the Google Play Store. There have been recent changes made to make the store friendlier to new a...
Published   August 2, 2021
Views   2K
Top answer
1 of 4
18

The accepted answer is correct, but we should take into consideration another aspect about purchasing via smartphone/tablet. This recalls @JaranJhanjee's downvoted answer which is wrong but contains a little important truth

The 30% fee is charged by Google for in-app purchases according to their terms


  • Paid and Free Apps

    • App purchases: Developers charging for apps and downloads from Google Play must do so by using Google Play's payment system.
    • In-app purchases:
      • Developers offering virtual goods or currencies within a game downloaded from Google Play must use Google Play's in-app billing service as the method of payment.
      • Developers offering additional content, services or functionality within another category of app downloaded from Google Play must use Google Play's in-app billing service as the method of payment, except: where payment is primarily for physical goods or services (e.g., buying movie tickets, or buying a publication where the price also includes a hard copy subscription); or where payment is for digital content or goods that may be consumed outside of the app itself (e.g., buying songs that can be played on other music players).

Google always charges the 30% via its in-app billing API. But there are cases in which such an API should be avoided to not incur in an excessive charging

  • If navigator maps are usable across more devices (especially non-Android devices like iPhones o MS Phones)
  • If maps will be delivered packaged in an SD card at the customer's home address

In such cases, the seller is allowed to implement a different payment gateway like Google Wallet API or PayPal

2 of 4
14

Google charges 30% for every transaction. Details can be checked here.

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TMS Outsource
tms-outsource.com › home › understanding google play store fees for developers
Understanding Google Play Store Fees for Developers
April 21, 2025 - Here’s the scoop: Listing your app is like a handshake with Google; it’s free. But, when you’re ready to publish, they’ll ask for a one-time setup fee of $25. Think of it as your entry ticket to the digital bazaar that is the Google ...
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Medium
medium.com › @sphinxshivraj › the-cost-to-publish-an-app-on-google-play-vs-the-apple-store-76a576f5f58d
The Cost to Publish an App on Google Play vs. the Apple Store | by sphinx | Medium
November 22, 2024 - Apple App Store · The first thing to consider when publishing an app is the upfront cost. For Google Play, developers need to pay a one-time registration fee of $25. This gives them lifetime access to upload apps and updates on the platform.
Find elsewhere
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Google Play
play.google.com › store › pass › getstarted
Google Play Pass
Paid games and apps are included at no extra cost. For all games and apps in the Play Pass catalog, ads are removed, and in-app purchases are unlocked. Subscribers can find these games and apps in the Play Pass section of the Play Store app, or look for the Play Pass badge on titles throughout ...
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/androiddev › clarification needed: google play store billing system for edtech apps
r/androiddev on Reddit: Clarification Needed: Google Play Store Billing System for EdTech Apps
March 27, 2024 -

Hey everyone,

As an Android developer working on an edtech app for India, I have some queries regarding the billing system on the Play Store that I haven't been able to clarify.

We're all aware that Google charges a 15-30% fee for purchases made on apps listed on the Play Store. So, if, for instance, I'm selling a course on the app for 50,000 INR, would Google retain 7,500 - 15,000 INR from that, or am I missing something?

Moreover, I'm curious about how other edtech apps like Unacademy handle this, especially when they sell high-ticket courses for exams like JEE, UPSC, NEET, etc. Do they also give a large share of their revenue to Google just to list the app, or do they use alternative methods?

Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

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Variety
variety.com › 2021 › digital › news › google-play-cuts-app-store-fees-subscriptions-15-percent-1235094660
Google Play: Android App Store Cuts Fees for Subscription Apps to 15%
October 25, 2021 - According to Google, 97% of developers distribute their apps on Google Play for free. For developers that offer paid apps or offer in-app purchases, the flat service fee has been 30%. Apple charges the same standard “app tax” for its App Store.
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Devstree Uk
devstree.uk › home › how much does it cost to publish an app on play store?
How Much Does it Cost to Publish an App on Play Store? - Devstree IT Solutions
May 2, 2024 - This means that once you’ve paid the registration fee, you can publish as many apps as you like without incurring additional costs. Read More– Mobile App Maintenance: How to Estimate and Reduce Costs · The cost of developing an app can vary widely depending on the complexity of the app, the features you want to include, and the platform(s) you’re targeting. In general, developing an app for the Google Play Store ...
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Statista
statista.com › internet › mobile internet & apps
Google Play Store commission rates global 2024 | Statista
As of 2024, the standard fee for apps hosted on the Google Play Store in South Korea that used an alternative billing system was of 26 percent, or "equal to the service fee applicable for transactions via Google Play’s billing system reduced ...
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Google Support
support.google.com › googleplay › android-developer › answer › 6334373
Set up your app's prices - Play Console Help
Once your app has been offered for free, the app can't be changed to paid. If you want to charge for the app, you need to create a new app with a new package name and set a price. When you offer paid apps, in-app products, and subscriptions on Google Play, a service fee applies.
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Qonversion
qonversion.io › blog › how-to-determine-apple-google-service-fees
App Store and Google Play commissions for in-app purchases
Learn how to determine App Store's and Google Play's comission rates and service fees for subscriptions apps
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/androiddev › dont forget to opt for google play 15% commission model
r/androiddev on Reddit: Dont forget to opt for Google play 15% commission model
August 9, 2025 -

Hello Devs
Just want to give a heads up especially for newbies, If you are trying to sell your in-app purchases or paid apps. Like you all know Google Play charges 15% if it is below $1 million in a particular calendar year. If it is more than that, it will charge 30%.

But both Google Play and Apple by default charge 30% itself, even if it is below $1M until you opt for so called "15% service fee tier". Not sure why app stores do like this, but you need to manually go and opt-in to that. So don't forget to opt for this.

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Quora
quora.com › How-much-would-it-cost-me-to-put-my-application-on-the-Android-Play-Store
How much would it cost me to put my application on the Android Play Store? - Quora
Answer (1 of 61): It depends on the play. If it's a straight drama or comedy with two or three people and you can get away using boxes or chairs for a set and modern costume, it might not cost too much. Of course you need to pay royalties for the use of the play, unless you wrote it yourself or a...
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Locatify
locatify.com › home › google follow suits and drops play store commission to 15% for small businesses
Google follow suits and drops Play Store commission to 15% for small businesses
July 31, 2025 - We’re always looking for new ways to give them an added boost.” – Sameer Samat, VP Product Management, Android & Google Play · “While these investments are most critical when developers are in the earlier stages of growth, scaling an app doesn’t stop once a partner has reached $1M in revenue — we’ve heard from our partners making $2M, $5M and even $10M a year that their services are still on a path to self-sustaining orbit. This is why we are making this reduced fee on the first $1M of total revenue earned each year available to every Play developer, regardless of size.
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InspiringApps
inspiringapps.com › blog › how-to-submit-app-to-google-play-store
How To Submit an Android App to the Google Play Store (2025 Guide) | InspiringApps
After that, you can upload as many apps as you like without any additional listing costs. Google doesn’t charge recurring app store fees unless your app includes paid features or in-app purchases. Can I upload an APK to Google Play? As of 2021, Google Play requires Android App Bundles (.aab) instead of traditional APKs for new apps.