Google Faces UK Court Over App Store Charges

Google is facing a class action lawsuit in the United Kingdom over commissions charged through its Google Play Store, with the plaintiffs seeking more than £1 billion in damages on behalf of millions of consumers and businesses.

The seven-week trial opens on Tuesday at the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London. The claimants argue that Google abused its dominant position by imposing excessive charges on purchases made through the Play Store.

The case covers transactions in the UK between October 1, 2015 and July 31, 2026 and could affect about 20 million consumers and businesses.

Liz Coll, an independent consultant leading the action with law firm Hausfeld, accused Google of taking commissions of up to 30 percent on purchases made through the Play Store for more than a decade.

Coll, who specialises in online consumer rights, argued that the charges were excessive and unfair, and that the cost was ultimately passed on to consumers.

“For more than a decade, Google has taken a cut of up to 30 percent on almost everything we buy through the Play Store,” said Liz Coll. 

“We say that charge was unfair and excessive, and that consumers paid for it,” the specialist in online consumer rights added in a statement.

Google rejected the allegations and defended its Play Store pricing ahead of the trial.

A company spokesperson said Google offers some of the lowest fees in the market and argued that Android gives users greater choice than other mobile platforms by allowing them to decide which apps and app stores they use.

Google maintained that the lawsuit failed to account for that choice and the competitive environment in which it operates, adding that it would vigorously defend its services.

“Android gives people more choice than any other mobile platform in deciding which apps and app stores they use.

“This lawsuit ignores that choice as well as the competitive market in which we operate, and we will defend our services vigorously,” google said in a statement.

The case follows a similar lawsuit against Apple, which the company lost in late 2025. The amount of damages in that case has yet to be determined, with the plaintiffs estimating it could exceed £1.5 billion.

Google has also recently settled a separate class action brought on behalf of thousands of UK app developers for £260 million. The Competition Appeal Tribunal approved the settlement last month.

Under that agreement, £160 million will be paid as compensation to eligible developers, while the remainder will cover costs related to financing and conducting the legal proceedings.

Under UK rules governing this type of class action, all potentially affected individuals are automatically included unless they choose to opt out. Those who remain in the case could benefit from any compensation awarded.