Google has officially agreed to pay $630 million to settle a massive class-action antitrust lawsuit regarding the monopolistic practices of its Play Store. If you ever bought an Android app or made an in-app purchase over the last several years, you might automatically qualify for a payout.
This settlement resolves claims brought by the attorneys general from all 50 states, along with the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The core of the lawsuit, formally called State of Utah et al. v. Google LLC et al., focused on Google’s control over app distribution and in-app billing services. The states contended that this scheme violated antitrust laws and forced users to pay excessively high prices for digital content.
While Google is paying out this hefty sum, the company has not admitted any wrongdoing in the case. The time period covered by this settlement is quite large. You qualify if you made a purchase through the Google Play Store or used Google Play Billing between August 16, 2016, and September 30, 2023.
This means that nearly seven years of your digital spending history is now up for review. I would say the scope of this case is enormous, covering millions of transactions across the country. The great news for users is how the payout is structured. You are guaranteed to receive at least two dollars, and that’s just the minimum. While everyone gets the $2 minimum, users with a history of heavy spending on the Play Store will see a larger total.
One of the best parts about this settlement is the lack of paperwork. In most class-action settlements, you have to track down receipts and fill out complicated claim forms. This settlement is different. Unlike many settlements, there is zero paperwork here. You don’t need to hunt down old receipts or file a claim. Most eligible users will get paid automatically without needing to opt in. The only exception is if you choose to opt out of the settlement entirely.
You should know that eligibility is tied to where you lived when you made the purchase. Anyone who made a qualifying purchase while living in any U.S. state, D.C., Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands is covered. If you want to make sure the claims administrator has your current information, you can submit an update through the official settlement website.
This lawsuit is part of a larger trend of increased scrutiny against tech giants with large digital distribution platforms. Google isn’t alone here; Apple and other tech giants have faced similar legal challenges regarding their app stores recently. This follows a 2023 jury verdict involving Epic Games, where Google was found to have held an illegal monopoly over app billing.
If you don’t want to receive a payment for some reason, you have until February 19, 2026, to exclude yourself or object to the settlement terms. If you’re happy to take the money, you don’t need to do anything at all right now.
The court will decide whether to grant final approval on April 30, 2026. Once that date passes, we can expect the payments to start rolling out.
Source: Class Action Lawsuits via Pocket-lint