Google to Carry Third-Party App Stores in U.S. Play Store from July 22 with Fees and Limits

Epic Games and Google jointly withdrew their motion to modify a permanent injunction in the Epic v. Google case, The Verge reported. Google stated it is ready to begin carrying third-party app stores inside Google Play on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.

Judge James Donato issued the injunction in October 2024. It requires Google to carry rival Android app stores inside Google Play and share its app catalog with those stores. The companies had previously settled all their legal disputes worldwide in an $800 million deal.

A court hearing scheduled for Thursday, July 16, 2026, to argue proposed modifications is no longer necessary. Google spokesperson Dan Jackson stated that the companies agreed to withdraw the motion rather than prolong a process that creates uncertainty for the ecosystem. Google is informing U.S.

App developers that their apps and game listings will automatically be provided to third-party app stores starting July 22 unless they opt out. The company launched a page for its Play Catalog Access Program for third-party stores to enroll. Google will charge third-party app stores an annual fee of $5,000 for security and policy reviews to access the Google Play catalog.

Stores accessing the catalog cannot distribute apps outside the United States. They must be open to all eligible third-party developers, maintain clear non-discriminatory trust and safety policies, and ensure no more than 1 percent of install attempts are malware.

Google had previously announced it would launch its sideloaded Registered App Store program in the rest of the world beginning with the new version of Android later in 2026.