Industry

Making Sense of Google's Payment Programs: ECL, Billing Choice, Level Up, and the Global Model

Itamar NadelAdv. | Account Manager, Appcharge

June 30, 2026•10 min read

Editor's note: Google's payment policies are moving fast, and this landscape is shifting in real time. We built this guide to make sense of where things stand today, June 30, 2026. As programs roll out, fees get published, and Epic v. Google moves through its final hearing, we'll keep this guide current. Check back for updates, or reach out to your Appcharge contact for the latest read on your specific market.

On June 24, Google announced the Billing Choice Program, the implementation of the new business model it first unveiled in March 2026. It begins rolling out on June 30. Meanwhile, the final hearing in Epic v. Google is set for July 16, which may reshape the US picture. And sitting underneath all of it: the External Content Links program (ECL), the External Offers Program, Level Up, and the Apps Experience Program, each with its own scope and fee structure.

The volume of announcements is real. The programs are separate.

Before getting into the details, here's where we land.

Use Payment Links to the fullest in the US. On both iOS and Android, Payment Links in the US run at 0% fees today. This is the clearest opportunity in the market, and publishers should be leaning into it as hard as they can while the window is open.

Build and ramp your Web Store, always. This is the one channel that is not subject to platform regulation, court rulings, or shifting fee structures. Regardless of how Epic v. Google resolves, and given the direction of fee pressure on both Apple and Google, every publisher should be investing in their Web Store go-to-market strategy. The goal is simple: own and operate your direct relationship with your players, on infrastructure no platform controls.

Why So Many Programs?

These programs did not emerge from a single global strategy. They come from three different sources:

Court orders: ECL in the US exists because a federal court required it
Regional regulation: the External Offers Program in the EEA was created under the Digital Markets Act
Corporate decisions: the Billing Choice Program is Google's own global rollout

The result is a map that does not line up neatly across regions. Understanding which layer governs which region is the whole game.

Glossary

Regulatory / Regional Programs

ECL (External Content Links): Google's framework for External Linking / Payment Links in the US, created in response to the Epic v. Google court order. Governs External Linking / Payment Links in the US.
External Offers Program: Governs both External Linking / Payment Links and in-app alternative billing in the EEA, created under the Digital Markets Act. When enrolled, Google Play Billing is not permitted.
Billing Choice Program: Google's global rollout (from June 30, 2026) covering alternative in-app billing and external links. Active in the UK and EEA; does not replace ECL in the US.
Level Up and Apps Experience Programs: These are additional Google Play programs expected to sit on top of the new billing choice and external link options. They may reduce applicable Google service fees for eligible developers who meet Google’s program requirements. Based on the current policy language, qualification will likely depend on specific eligibility criteria, UX requirements, and technical integrations, but Google has not yet fully published the details.

Payment Methods / User Flows

External Linking / Payment Links: A link inside the app that directs the user to an external website to complete a purchase. The transaction happens on the web, outside the app. No payment processor integration required, no side-by-side obligation in the US, and currently 0% fees in the US, making this the most accessible and cost-effective option available.
In-app alternative billing: A third-party payment processor integrated directly inside the app, replacing or running alongside Google Play Billing. Requires heavier technical integration, carries higher fees on existing installs (up to 25%), and in most markets where it is available, side-by-side with Google Play Billing is mandatory.
Google Play Billing: Google's native in-app payment system, subject to standard service fees.
Side-by-side billing: A requirement in some programs that Google Play Billing must always be offered to the user alongside any alternative. When this applies, a developer cannot offer only an alternative; both options must be present.

The Programs, by Region

United States: ECL

ECL is Google's response to the US District Court's injunction in Epic v. Google. It is the operative framework for External Linking / Payment Links in the US.

Key facts:

Fee: 0% currently. Activating fees would likely conflict with the court order.
Side-by-side: Not required. Developers may offer External Linking / Payment Links alongside or instead of Google Play Billing.
Enrollment: Required, with per-app approval.

What this means for publishers: In the US you can convert players to DTC via External Linking / Payment Links, under ECL, at 0% fees today (until further notice). This is the most favorable external linking condition in any market globally.

United Kingdom: Billing Choice Program (from June 30, 2026)

The Billing Choice Program is the governing framework for both alternative in-app billing and External Linking / Payment Links for users located in the UK. This is the first time external linking has been available to publishers serving users located in the UK.

Key facts:

Fee (new installs): 20% on most purchases / 10% on subscriptions / 10% on first $1M annual earnings.
Fee (existing installs): Not yet published by Google.
Side-by-side: Mandatory. Users must always be offered a choice between Google Play Billing and the alternative.

What this means for publishers: In the UK, you can convert players to DTC via External Linking / Payment Links, under the Billing Choice Program, at 20% on most purchases from June 30, 2026. This is a new channel that did not exist before.

EEA: External Offers Program + Billing Choice Program

In the European Economic Area, both programs are available, but they operate under different rules and cannot be combined.

External Offers Program

Covers both External Linking / Payment Links and in-app alternative billing
Google Play Billing is not permitted when enrolled; developers give up Google Play Billing entirely
Created under the Digital Markets Act

Billing Choice Program (from June 30, 2026)

Also covers both External Linking / Payment Links and in-app alternative billing
Side-by-side with Google Play Billing is mandatory; users must always be given a choice

The key difference is the Google Play Billing question. Developers who want to keep Google Play Billing alongside external linking use the Billing Choice Program. Developers who want to drop Google Play Billing entirely use the External Offers Program.

Fee under both programs: 20% on most purchases / 10% on subscriptions.

What this means for publishers: In the EEA you can convert players to DTC via External Linking / Payment Links under either program, at 20% on most purchases. The choice of program depends on whether you want to keep Google Play Billing available to your users or not.

The Information Screen ("Scare Screen")

Before a user follows an External Linking / Payment Link out of the app, an information screen is shown notifying the user they are leaving the app. How this screen works depends on the program:

ECL (US) and External Offers Program (EEA):

The screen is rendered by Google through the external links API
It is not built or customized by the developer
The content and design are controlled by Google

Billing Choice Program (UK and EEA):

Developers have the option to build their own user choice screen instead of having Google render one
However, any custom screen must comply with Google's UX guidelines, which limits how much can actually be changed
In practice, the result looks similar regardless of who renders it

Bottom Line

Our Recommendations

The US is the anomaly here, not the model. Its 0% rate exists only because of a court order; every other region covered above is converging on 20% (10% for subscriptions) as the steady state. That makes the US window valuable precisely because its future is unpredictable. The July 16 hearing could change it, so use it while it's open.

Build your web store no matter what happens to that window. Every program above lives inside platform rules that a court or regulator can rewrite. Your web store can't be. It's the one place where the relationship with your players is actually yours.

What to watch next: the July 16 ruling, the UK's existing-install rate once Google publishes it, and Level Up's eligibility criteria from September 30. We'll update this guide as each lands.

At Appcharge, tracking these frameworks as they shift is part of what we do. If the distinctions feel blurry, that's because Google has released a lot in a short window. We're here to help our partners stay compliant and understand what needs to be done, how to do it, and when to do it - while maximizing profits.

If you have any questions, contact your account manager for further guidance.