What you need to know
- There’s an update on the Google Play Store settlement, which will put roughly $700 million in the pockets of affected users.
- Each user will get at least $2 automatically in their PayPal or Venmo accounts.
- If you spent money on the Google Play Store between Aug. 16, 2016 and Sept. 30, 2023 while living in the U.S. or some districts and territories, you’re eligible for the payments.
Google found itself facing considerable antitrust scrutiny a several years ago, and multiple lawsuits against the company are now nearing a resolution. One such case, filed by the attorneys general in all 50 U.S. states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, accused Google of monopolizing app distribution and in-app billing methods.
Google settled the case in 2023 and denied any wrongdoing, but now, there’s new information about when settlement payments will go out to users — and how much they’ll get. The official settlement website confirms that payments from the $700 million fund will go out automatically to affected users via PayPal or Venmo.
You’re eligible to receive money from the settlement if you bought an app from the Google Play Store, or made an in-app purchase using Google Play Billing, between Aug. 16, 2016 and Sept. 30, 2023. Users need to have an account located in a U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands to be a part of the settlement. That’s quite a large scope, and most Google Play Store users active during that timeframe will likely be eligible for settlement payments.
According to settlement documents, the minimum settlement payments will be at least $2 each (via ZDNet). You could receive a higher amount depending on how much you spent on the Google Play Store between 2016 and 2023. Crucially, most payments will go out automatically. There’s no need to file a claim or take any action — you’ll get an email or text with the address or number associated with your Google Play account when the payments are ready.
When will affected Play Store users get their cash?
The settlement details also outline when you’ll start receiving money. There are a few key dates to remember: Feb. 19, 2026 is the exclusion and objection deadline, while April 30, 2026 is the fairness hearing. You may want to exclude yourself or object to the settlement if you want to forfeit your settlement and keep your right to sue Google over these claims individually.
The fairness hearing is where a judge will consider whether to approve the settlement. If approved, the payments would begin going out automatically shortly after the hearing on April 30, 2026. So, in about five months, you might get a few bucks from this Google Play Store settlement in your PayPal or Venmo account.
