User choice billing

Also called UCB, billing choice

Google Play's program that shows players a choice between Google Play Billing and the studio's own payment system inside the app, with a lower service fee on the studio's option.

User choice billing is Google’s name for alternative billing offered side by side with Play Billing, so the player picks. In Japan, Google expanded it in December 2025 to “encompass all applications”, including games, to comply with the Mobile Software Competition Act (Google). Japan also has a separate external payments program for web links, which an app cannot combine with user choice billing. It closed to new apps on 30 September 2026 and ends after 31 March 2027; games already in it must move to billing choice by then to keep their links (Google).

In the EEA, in the UK since 30 June 2026, and in Australia and Japan since 30 September 2026, the equivalent is Google’s billing choice program. A studio can offer alternative billing or web links alongside Play Billing and may design its own choice screen. Alternative billing there costs 20% on new installs and 25% on existing installs above the first $1M, and the 5% Play Billing fee does not apply to the studio’s option (Google).

The fees are still moving. Google’s new fee model reached Australia and Japan on 30 September 2026 and reaches South Korea on 31 December 2026, and the European Commission’s July 2026 decision against Google’s steering fees may bring further EEA changes. See Google Play rules.