“This is a huge deal with Apple self-dealing,” Cark says, “… And Google is just as guilty in this area.” How To Avoid Overpaying for Apple and Google Apps Justice Department complaint related to alleged monopolistic practices and has been sued by 36 states and Washington, D.C., in a case that challenges the commission fees the company levies on app developers who sell through the Google Play store. One of the issues at play is Apple’s so-called “anti-steering” policy, which forbids app developers to “steer” users to app platforms where their products may be cheaper. This issue is part of a broad antitrust lawsuit brought by Epic Games, the maker of the popular Fortnite app, against Apple as well as a complaint Epic has filed against Google. How Legal Troubles Facing Apple and Google Play a Role In other cases, you may find apps that are less expensive on Apple rather than Google or cheaper still on an entirely different app store. It costs $9.99 a month via Google Play, the same as it does on Pandora’s website.
When you download a game or service that comes with a subscription or in-app purchase, it’s common for the price to be marked up, as much as 30%, in Apple’s App Store or in Google Play, Clark says.įor example, the Pandora app’s Premium service costs $12.99 a month on iOS. You may be wondering how the two dominant app stores may be getting over on you when you use their platforms on your mobile phone or tablet. “In a lot of cases, you’re not even aware how much you’re being ripped off.” “What these two have been doing is they’re using their shared monopoly control over the ecosystem of phones to put up ‘toll gates’ to rip you off,” Clark says. Saddled with these high fees, the app developers sometimes pass these charges along to consumers.Ĭlark says what Apple and Google are doing restricts freedom of choice for consumers and burdens the app makers. Google has a similar policy for placement in Google Play. To understand why, we have to take a look at the pay structures that Apple and Google have required app developers to abide by.Īpple mandates that developers pay a commission fee between 15 and 30% to have their apps housed in the App Store. In-app purchases and the revenue they generate have become controversial topics for the two tech giants.
Are You Overpaying for Purchases Inside Apple and Android Apps? “Know that with apps you’re using, you’re usually paying much more than you have to,” Clark says. He says both Google and Apple have made a habit of overcharging users who pay to download apps as well as those who make in-app purchases in Apple’s App Store and the Google Play store. If you regularly download apps to your iPhone or Android device, money expert Clark Howard has a simple warning that can protect your wallet.