Google Faces £1 Billion Lawsuit Over Alleged Play Store Hidden Charges

Google is facing a £1 billion lawsuit in the UK over alleged "hidden" charges on the Google Play Store. The legal action, filed by Liz Coll, a consumer tech policy expert, represents around 20 million UK consumers and businesses who made purchases through the Play Store or Android phones between October 2015 and July 2026. The claim argues that Google breached competition laws by imposing a 30% commission on app developers, which was passed on to customers through higher prices for apps, subscriptions, and in-game purchases.

Coll stated that "Millions of us have paid for apps, games and subscriptions on our phones without knowing a hidden charge was built into the price." The lawsuit seeks to recover this money for daily phone and app users. The case will be heard in the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), with proceedings starting on Tuesday.

Google has defended its practices, arguing that the Play Store offers some of the lowest fees in the market. A spokesman said, "Android gives people more choice than any other mobile platform in deciding which apps and app stores they use." The company also claimed that the lawsuit ignores the competitive market in which it operates and vowed to defend its services vigorously.

Legal proceedings began in 2021 but were delayed. In September, Google’s parent company, Alphabet, agreed to pay £260 million to settle a separate class action lawsuit filed on behalf of UK app developers.