Platform fee shifts and dev moves

Google’s March 4 settlement with Epic replaced the old 30% Google Play take with a 20% service fee on in-app purchases for new installs, plus a separate 5% billing fee in the United States, United Kingdom, and European Economic Area if a developer uses Google’s billing system. (support.google.com) Google said the lower-fee model will roll out on a staggered schedule, and it now applies whether a transaction uses Google Play Billing, alternative billing, or an external web link, with “new installs” and “existing installs” treated differently during the transition. Existing installs can also reach a 20% rate for non-recurring items through Google’s new Apps Experience Program or revamped Games Level Up Program. (support.google.com) The same settlement left in place changes Google began applying in the United States on October 29, 2025: developers can link users to outside transactions, use payment methods other than Google Play Billing, and tell users about those options inside apps. Google said on March 4, 2026 that its current policies and programs remain in effect while the court considers a revised injunction. (support.google.com) That puts Google closer to the fee language developers already compare across other stores. Epic says developers keep 100% of the first $1 million in net revenue per product per year on Epic Games Store payments, then shift to an 88% to 12% split after that. (store.epicgames.com) Steam still pitches a different tradeoff: a much larger audience and a mature back end. Valve says Steamworks includes business, reporting, marketing, and player-service tools, and the company says Steam reaches 132 million monthly active users, 36.8 million players online, 29 or more languages, and 35 currencies. (partner.steamgames.com) Roblox runs on a different model because creators usually build inside Roblox’s own ecosystem rather than ship a separate app store product. Roblox says creators can use Roblox Studio for free, cash out earned Robux through Developer Exchange if they meet eligibility rules, and need at least 30,000 earned Robux, a verified email address, and an account in good standing to submit a payout request. (create.roblox.com) (en.help.roblox.com) Roblox’s marketplace rules also show why monetization arguments flare up so often among creators. Roblox says 2D clothing uploads cost 10 Robux per submission, many 3D items require a 300 Robux upload fee, and published items can require advances ranging from 600 Robux for some clothing to 2,500 Robux for bodies, with revenue then split among the creator, Roblox, and sometimes the experience owner. (create.roblox.com) In Roblox’s own example, an item sold inside an experience at 400 Robux sends 30% to the creator, 40% to the experience owner, and 30% to Roblox, with Roblox’s share first used to repay the publishing advance. That structure is not the same as a mobile app store fee, but it lands in the same spreadsheet for developers deciding where their next project can make money. (create.roblox.com) Roblox has also become big enough that those comparisons are no longer theoretical. The company said in September 2025 that creators earned more than $1 billion through Developer Exchange in the prior 12 months, turning platform policy changes into business questions for studios that can now choose between building inside Roblox, shipping on Steam, or testing Epic’s lower-take storefront. (ir.roblox.com) So the current debate is less about one viral post than about arithmetic. Google just cut a headline fee, Epic is advertising a 0% tier up to $1 million, Steam is selling reach and tools, and Roblox creators are still weighing whether its audience offsets the costs and splits built into its platform. (support.google.com) (store.epicgames.com) (partner.steamgames.com) (create.roblox.com)