A PYMNTS Company

Indian App Makers Call Out Google Over Billing

By  |  April 23, 2023

Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF), a think tank for digital Startups, has called upon Google to reconsider its decision to implement the new Google Play payments policy, as the decision to implement such a policy could have far-reaching consequences for the Indian startup ecosystem. 

    Get the Full Story

    Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.

    yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today.

    By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

    Google wants to implement its new Google Play payments policy — User Billing Choice policy—on April 26, 2023. This policy must be put on hold as it would lead to Google charging a nearly 30 per cent service fee on app developers. This will be a significant blow to the Indian startup ecosystem, ADIF said on Tuesday.

    Read more: Indian Court Upholds Google’s Antitrust Fine

    The 30 per cent commission would apply to all startups, imparting services such as In-app purchases or subscriptions.

    Google’s decision to impose a high service fee on Indian app developers is just one example of how Big Tech companies are exploiting their dominant position in the market to the detriment of smaller players, as this would make many startups unviable, an ADIF spokesperson said.