Alphabet’s Google has agreed to pay £260 million to settle a UK lawsuit brought by app developers alleging anticompetitive conduct on the Play Store.
The settlement, disclosed in a 19-page agreement, resolves claims that Google abused its market position by restricting developers from distributing apps through alternative channels and by imposing a 30% commission fee. The lawsuit, led by academic Barry Rodger, sought damages exceeding £1 billion on behalf of UK-based app developers who sold products via Google’s platform.
Under the terms, Google admits no liability or wrongdoing. The agreement states that the company "believes it has strong defences to Professor Rodger’s claim." The settlement avoids a trial that had been scheduled to begin next month at London’s Competition Appeal Tribunal.
Rodger, who initiated the mass lawsuit, called the outcome "a great result" for developers, noting that approval would allow compensation for businesses that could not have pursued Google individually. The case is the fourth major antitrust dispute against a large technology company since early 2025, following similar actions involving Apple, Qualcomm and Sony.
The £260 million payout, equivalent to approximately $353 million, follows a period of heightened regulatory scrutiny over app store policies in Europe and globally.
