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External Payments Arrive on Android in Europe

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
As of August 19, 2025, Google permits app publishers in the European Economic Area to guide users to external websites for purchases via the External Offers Program (EOP) to comply with the Digital Markets Act.
02
Publishers enrolled in the EOP are prohibited from using Google Play Billing or User Choice Billing within the same app.
03
All external links must route through a mandatory Google-controlled disclosure screen, which introduces user friction and potential conversion rate risks.
04
Publishers must report all external transactions to Google within 24 hours, and Google continues to collect a fee on these transactions even when they do not process the payment.
05
Google’s new framework restricts marketing; publishers cannot mention external offers directly on their Play Store listings and are prohibited from passing personal user data through the external links.
06
The program utilizes a tiered fee system that provides financial incentives for publishers who pay for increased visibility within the Google Play Store.

Summary

In August 2025, Google introduced the External Offers Program (EOP) for the European Economic Area in response to the Digital Markets Act. This regulatory shift allows mobile app publishers to direct users to external websites to complete transactions. While this represents a significant change in the mobile ecosystem, the program is governed by a restrictive framework that maintains Google’s oversight and financial interest in transactions occurring outside its native billing system.

The EOP imposes several operational constraints on publishers. All external links must be preceded by a mandatory Google-controlled disclosure screen, which is expected to introduce friction and potentially lower conversion rates. Furthermore, publishers are prohibited from mentioning external offers within their Play Store listings, cannot pass personal user data through these links, and must report all external transactions to Google within 24 hours. Additionally, apps enrolled in the EOP are barred from simultaneously utilizing Google Play Billing or User Choice Billing.

Despite the ability to bypass traditional in-app purchase flows, publishers remain subject to a tiered fee structure. Google continues to collect a commission on these external transactions, even when it does not process the payment itself. Because of these ongoing costs, combined with the increased administrative burden of managing external payment infrastructure and customer support, the industry anticipates a cautious adoption rate. Ultimately, while the EOP provides a new pathway for direct-to-consumer monetization in Europe, it does not represent a complete removal of platform-imposed barriers, leaving Google with significant control over the mobile payment landscape.