Google Faces £1 Billion UK Lawsuit Over Play Store Fees
Google is fighting a class action lawsuit seeking £1 billion in damages for allegedly charging excessive commissions on Play Store purchases in the United Kingdom.
A class action lawsuit against Google began Tuesday at the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London. The claim seeks more than £1 billion in damages on behalf of approximately 20 million UK consumers and businesses who made purchases via the Google Play Store or Android devices between October 1, 2015, and July 31, 2026.
Led by consumer technology policy expert Liz Coll and the law firm Hausfield, the lawsuit alleges that Google abused its dominant market position by charging app developers commissions of up to 30 percent. The plaintiffs contend these costs were passed to users through higher prices for paid apps, games, and digital subscriptions. Liz Coll stated that millions of users paid for these services without knowing a hidden charge was built into the price.
Google has denied the allegations and stated it will defend its services vigorously. The company argues that the Play Store offers some of the lowest fees in the market and that Android provides users with more choice than any other mobile platform.
This legal action follows a similar successful claim against Apple in late 2025. It also comes after Alphabet, Google's parent company, paid a separate £260 million settlement to UK app developers in September.
