Google's years-long fight to keep rival app stores out of Google Play is over. Starting July 22, third-party Android app stores in the US can list Play Store apps from within Google Play itself, and Google will charge them for the privilege.
The change comes after Google and Epic Games jointly withdrew their proposed settlement, reviving the full force of US District Judge James Donato's October 2024 injunction. That ruling, which found Google held an illegal monopoly over Android app distribution, originally required Google to carry rival stores and share its app catalog.
Google spent months trying to negotiate a softer alternative. It failed. "We've agreed with Epic to withdraw our motion to modify the US Court's injunction rather than prolonging this process which creates uncertainty for the ecosystem," Google spokesperson Dan Jackson told The Verge.
Under the new Play Catalog Access Program, third-party stores can offer Google Play's full catalog of apps and games to US users. App listings, including names, icons, descriptions, screenshots, and videos, will be shared automatically unless developers opt out.
Developers can choose to publish to all stores, manage each individually, or opt out completely.
Actual downloads still route through Google Play, and Google's standard service fees still apply. But the stores themselves are now downloadable from inside Google Play, not sideloaded as originally planned under the abandoned "Registered App Stores" program.
There's a catch for competitors. Third-party stores must pay Google a $5,000 upfront service fee for security and policy reviews during onboarding, plus another $5,000 every year to maintain catalog access.
They must target only US users, maintain "clear, non-discriminatory" trust and safety policies, keep malware below 1% of install attempts, and stay open to all eligible developers. The settlement collapse also kills the $800 million business partnership that briefly brought Fortnite back to Google Play. Google is now bound by the original court order in full, with no modified terms to argue at Thursday's hearing.
Google has separately opened up US billing options as part of its compliance. Developers can offer alternative payment systems alongside Google Play Billing, and can link US users to external websites for purchases through a new enrollment program.
