Google Play Store $700 million settlement
$700 million: a $630 million settlement fund for consumers and a $70 million fund for the states. source
State of Utah et al. v. Google LLC et al. (In re Google Play Store Antitrust Litigation) 路 3:21-cv-05227-JD (MDL 3:21-md-02981-JD) 路 U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California 路 James Donato
Where it stands
Alphabet reported on October 28, 2026 that the court approved the settlement in August 2026; no official source we could read says whether the automatic payments have gone out or the supplemental claims process has opened. Official update, Oct 28, 2026
Who qualifies
- People whose legal address in their Google payments profile was in a participating state when they bought an app on Google Play or made an in-app purchase, including subscriptions, through Google Play Billing between August 16, 2016 and September 30, 2023. source
- The participating states are all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. source
- Consumers who sent a valid request for exclusion by February 19, 2026 have no rights under the settlement and keep their right to sue Google themselves. source
What each group gets
Key dates
- Jul 7, 2021 States file their antitrust lawsuit against Google source
- Oct 12, 2023 Settlement agreement signed (dated October 11-12, 2023) source
- Nov 20, 2025 Court approves the notice process and the distribution plan source
- Dec 2, 2025 Email notices to eligible consumers begin source
- Feb 19, 2026 Opt-out and objection deadline source
- Apr 30, 2026 Fairness hearing; the court says it will approve the settlement source
What the case was about
On July 7, 2021, a coalition of state attorneys general led by Utah sued Google in federal court in San Francisco over the Google Play Store. The complaint alleged that when people with Android devices buy an app from Google Play, or buy digital content or subscriptions inside an app, up to 30% of what they pay goes to Google. It alleged that Google used anticompetitive tactics to keep that commission in place, including requiring in-app purchases to go through its own billing system, and that consumers paid higher prices and had fewer choices as a result.
The states sued as parens patriae, on behalf of their residents, and the case was joined to a wider set of Play Store lawsuits before Judge James Donato. In December 2023 a jury in a separate case brought by Epic Games returned a verdict against Google over the Play Store; Epic did not seek money damages. The states, lawyers for a consumer class and Google signed their settlement on October 11-12, 2023. The agreement says it is not an admission of wrongdoing, fault or liability, and Google denied the claims. Google paid the money into escrow in May 2024.
The deal has two parts: $630 million for consumers and $70 million for the states, plus changes to how Google runs the Play Store. The court approved the notice plan and the distribution plan on November 20, 2025 and appointed Verita Global to run payments. Notices went to more than 106 million eligible consumers. Fewer than 500 opted out and none objected, according to Courthouse News, which reported that the consumer fund had grown to $660 million with interest. At the April 30, 2026 hearing Judge Donato said he would approve the settlement but questioned the roughly 98,200 hours claimed by the consumer lawyers, who had asked for $85 million in fees.
Payments are designed to need no claim form. The states say the minimum payment is $2, the average is $4.41 and the largest is $20,034, with money sent through PayPal or Venmo to the contact details on each buyer's Google Play account. A supplemental claims process is planned for people who cannot be paid that way. Alphabet said in its quarterly report filed in October 2026 that the court approved the settlement in August 2026. As of November 11, 2026 we could not confirm from an official source whether payments had started.
Questions people ask
When will I get my Google Play settlement payment?
The DC attorney general said most people should be paid automatically in 2026 through Venmo or PayPal once the court grants final approval, and that eligible residents will get an email from PayPal or a text from Venmo. No exact payment date was given. source
How much is the Google Play settlement per person?
The states say eligible consumers will receive between $2 and $20,034, with an average award of $4.41. source
Do I need to file a claim for the Google Play settlement?
In most cases no; payments are made automatically. A supplemental claims process will follow the automatic payments for people who cannot be paid through PayPal or Venmo or did not get an expected payment, and people can sign up on the settlement website to be emailed when it starts. source
Is the Google Play settlement email legit?
Notices about the distribution began going out on December 2, 2025, and payments arrive as an email from PayPal or a text from Venmo sent to the email address or phone number on your Google Play account. The settlement website named by the states is GooglePlayStateAGAntitrustLitigation.com. source
Is this the same as the Google Assistant settlement?
No. The Google Assistant privacy case is a separate $68 million class action settlement over Assistant recordings, which Judge Beth Labson Freeman approved on October 13, 2026. source
Did the Google Chrome incognito settlement pay users?
No. Under the incognito settlement filed in April 2024, Google agreed to delete billions of data records and update its disclosures but paid no damages; users can still sue individually. source
Status history
- Oct 12, 2023 The states, consumer class counsel and Google sign the $700 million settlement. source
- Nov 20, 2025 The court finds the settlement appears fair pending a final hearing and approves the notice and distribution plans. source
- Feb 19, 2026 The opt-out and objection period closes. source
- Apr 30, 2026 At the fairness hearing Judge Donato says he will approve the settlement. source
- Oct 28, 2026 Alphabet's quarterly report states that the court approved the settlement in August 2026. source