Google opens Android to third‑party app stores on July 22

Third‑party app stores are coming to Google Play

Starting July 22, Google will let third‑party Android app stores in the US tap directly into the Google Play catalog. The company has launched a dedicated Play Catalog Access Program page and notified developers that their existing Play app and game listings will be made available to eligible external stores.

These third‑party stores will be downloadable from within Google Play itself, rather than purely sideloaded. However, app downloads will still be completed via Google Play, and Google’s service fees will continue to apply to those installs.

A pivot from the Epic “Registered App Stores” plan

Google says the move is driven by compliance with a US court order stemming from its long legal battle with Epic Games. Google and Epic reached a settlement in November 2025, after US District Judge James Donato originally ruled against Google.

In March, the companies revealed a modified settlement built around a “Registered App Stores” program. Under that earlier plan, registered third‑party stores would have enjoyed a “more simplified installation flow” as sideloaded apps — making them easier to install than unregistered stores, but still outside the core Play experience.

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Google is dropping that approach. According to The Verge, the companies withdrew their modified settlement and will no longer argue it in court as of July 16. Instead, Google is moving forward with the Play Catalog Access Program, which integrates third‑party stores into the Play distribution path.

“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.

“This allows us to focus on executing our recently announced global business model evolution to deliver greater app store choice, lower prices, and more opportunities for developers and users. We remain committed to maintaining Android’s industry-leading security and fostering a competitive ecosystem where every app store and developer has the freedom to compete. In parallel, we continue to comply with the US Court’s injunction.”

Fees, restrictions and requirements for store operators

Participating third‑party stores will still pay Google:

• $5,000 upfront for a security review during onboarding
• $5,000 annually to maintain access to the Play catalog

Google is also imposing a “lengthy set of requirements” on participating stores. The key constraint: a store must target users in the US, and it cannot legally use the Play catalog to distribute apps outside the United States.

Parallel changes to billing and commissions

As part of the same broad settlement with Epic, Google has also opened Google Play to outside billing and cut its commission on app purchases.

The Play commission for app purchases has been reduced from 30 percent to 10 percent. Developers can now offer alternative payment methods or link users to their own websites for purchases directly from within their app or game listings on Google Play.

Those changes, combined with catalog access for third‑party stores, significantly alter how software can be distributed and monetized on Android in the US — while still keeping Google’s rails, fees and security review in the loop.