Editor's note: Appcharge CMO Gil Tov Ly recently joined the Deconstructor of Fun podcast to break down the Google-Epic settlement and what it means for direct-to-consumer monetization. Below are edited highlights from the conversation. You can watch the full episode below.
The headlines said Google is dropping its commission from 30% to 15%. The reality, as Gil explained, is more complicated.
"If you're confused, I think it's part of the goal. It's a feature, not a bug."
The settlement decouples Google's service fee from its payment processing fee for the first time. That 5% payment fee now sits separately - which means the floor most developers will actually reach isn't 15%. It's 20%. And getting there requires opting into Google's Level Up program, which comes with meaningful strings attached: integrating Google's AI Sidekick into your game, implementing their achievement system, and migrating to Google Saves by November.
For large studios, Gil is sceptical. "For the top 100 studios, it's probably going to be a very hard sell." These publishers have spent years building their own backend infrastructure. Being asked to layer in Google's cloud saves and a player-facing AI assistant - one that nobody was asking for - is a significant engineering and UX ask.
For existing players, the picture is simpler: nothing changes. The new terms apply only to users who install after the rollout date, currently expected around June 30. And until the court hearing on April 9, everything remains a proposed settlement. Gil's advice: hold firm, don't rush any changes to your engineering roadmap.
What's actually good about this deal
Gil was clear that not all the news is bad. Two things stand out.
First, DTC is now officially recognized. Developers can communicate openly with their players about the existence of a web store - including its value proposition - without operating in a grey area. That's a meaningful shift.
Second, the deal opens link-out pathways globally, not just in the US. Until now, the ability to steer players toward external payment options was largely limited to iOS in the United States. This settlement changes that for Android worldwide.
"Studios who operate both a web store and in-app payments saw that 25% of players who buy through payment links end up as retained web store purchasers. It's essentially a UA cost to get them onto DTC."
The web store case gets stronger, not weaker
Even under the most favourable conditions - Level Up, no Google payments - developers are looking at 20%. Appcharge partners typically pay between 4% and 5% in platform fees on web store transactions. That's a 15-point margin difference that doesn't disappear because Google moved.
The right answer, Gil argued, isn't to choose between the two channels. It's to use both intelligently. In-app payment links serve as an on-ramp, capturing player emails and payment details and building the habit. The web store is where the margin lives.
"You shouldn't go all in on one over the other. These tools work extremely well when you combine them."
On Apple
Don't expect movement before Q3 at the earliest. Apple won't act until compelled by regulation or a court ruling - and even then, slowly. The App Store represents a disproportionate share of Apple's net margin. They'll hold it close.
What to do now
Gil's closing message was straightforward: don't panic, don't rush, and don't drink the full Kool-Aid. Cherry-pick what works for your studio. The settlement - if approved - opens new tools. How you use them is still your call.
We're tracking the technical requirements Google has yet to fully release, and the April 9 court hearing closely. If you want to talk through what this means for your monetization strategy, we're happy to help.
