Frequently Asked Questions
The Claim
The claim was about Google’s conduct in the market for the distribution of third-party apps via the Play Store. The claim alleged that Google held a dominant position in the licensable smart mobile operating system market and the Android app distribution market, and that it had abused its dominant position by intentionally hindering other ways for developers to distribute their apps, and by charging app developers an excessive and unfair commission of up to 30% on user payments.
Professor Rodger’s case was that Google’s policies caused substantial loss to UK-based app developers that received revenue from the sale of their apps via the Play Store (or through transactions within their apps).
The claim was against Google and specifically the various companies that form part of the Google group.
Depending on the territory of the end-user, these companies act as the agents for the marketing and end-user downloads of apps developed by UK-domiciled developers or are otherwise connected to the UK developer’s sale of apps on the Play Store.
Professor Barry Rodger is the class representative. He is a prominent competition law academic and has been a Professor at Strathclyde University Law School since 2001.
Geradin Partners worked with Professor Rodger to bring this claim. Geradin Partners is a leading pan-European law firm specialising in competition law and digital markets, with extensive experience in collective action claims before the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
Collective proceedings are commonly referred to as a class action, class claim, group claim or group action. This is a form of court or tribunal procedure which enables a class representative to bring proceedings on behalf of numerous people affected by an infringement of EU or UK competition law.
This claim has been filed at the Competition Appeal Tribunal. The Tribunal is a specialist judicial body that is based in London but covers the whole of the UK and hears certain competition law and regulatory disputes. The Tribunal publishes its Rules and Guidance, together with information about what it does, on its website www.catribunal.org.uk.
As class representative, Professor Barry Rodger is responsible for representing members of the class before the Competition Appeal Tribunal. This includes making decisions with respect to the conduct of the claim, exercising independent judgement and acting fairly and adequately in the best interests of the class. In exercising this role, Professor Rodger is supported by an experienced team of legal, economic and other professional advisers.
Professor Rodger is also responsible for keeping class members informed and issuing formal notices, including updates and announcements via this website, email communications, and written notifications.
Professor Rodger has secured a settlement of £260m on behalf of UK app developers. That settlement has been approved by the Competition Appeal Tribunal and will be distributed to entitled developers following the claims process and the Tribunal’s approval of the distribution arrangements.
Details of how the compensation will be distributed to app developers, and their entitlements, will follow in the coming weeks. Register here to receive updates on the compensation process.
You do not need to pay anything for this claim or to participate in the distribution process. This is a funded claim which means that you will not need to pay any legal fees to be included in this claim and instead a third party is paying for these costs. The funder, Bench Walk Advisors, has committed to fund all elements of the claim.
The Settlement
The settlement benefits all “Represented Persons”. Broadly speaking, this includes all UK-domiciled third-party app developers who, during the period between 22 August 2018 and 31 July 2026, made one or more sales via the Play Store or in-app sale on which Google charged a commission. More detail of what qualifies as a Represented Person can be found here.
If you think you are a Represented Person, the most important thing you can do right now is to register on our website here to receive updates about the claim and how to apply for any payment.
You will be notified when the claim period opens. When it is open, you will receive further details about your entitlement and how to claim.
Compensation will be for losses as a result of Google’s alleged anti-competitive conduct. Professor Rodger has secured a settlement of £260 million with Google, from which class members will be compensated for their alleged losses.
The amount each affected developer receives will depend on their qualifying sales on the Play Store during the relevant period and the commission that Google charged them.
Under the proposed distribution arrangements, each eligible developer who submits a valid claim will receive a minimum payment of £200, subject to approval by the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
Details of how the compensation will be distributed to app developers, and their entitlements, will follow in the coming weeks.
Register here to receive updates on the compensation process.
The claims process has not yet opened, so you cannot submit a claim at present.
We will publish details of how to claim when the process opens. Register here to receive updates on the compensation process.
Class members will be given the opportunity to claim a portion of the settlement sum during a four-month “claim period”.
Class members will be notified when the claim period opens. Before any payments are made, the Tribunal will be asked to approve the proposed distribution arrangements. Payments will therefore follow the four-month claim period and the Tribunal’s approval of those arrangements.
Register here to receive updates on the compensation process.
You will receive updates about the progress of the settlement distribution – including any active steps you need to take to claim your entitlement – when you sign up to follow the case using the Register button above.
In addition, you can track the updates of the claim via this website and via social media channels.
In most cases, we expect to be able to assess eligibility using public information (such as Companies House records) and Google’s data without requiring the developer to provide further evidence.
We may ask a developer to provide further evidence where, for example:
- public records indicate that the developer did not exist on the relevant “domicile” dates (for more information on these dates see here)
- the developer was incorporated or formed outside the UK
- the developer cannot be identified in the transaction data Google provided for UK developers
- the developer has subsequently merged, been dissolved or undergone another corporate reorganisation
Even where the developer is eligible, we may still ask for information to confirm that the person making the claim is authorised to act for the developer and receive its settlement payment, and to arrange payment.
If you do not opt out by 18 January 2027, you will be bound by the settlement and will give up the right to bring the claims covered by the settlement against Google. This applies whether or not you submit a claim for payment.
To receive a settlement payment, you will need to follow the claims process once it opens.
While the distribution process runs its course, the settlement sum has been placed into a secure interest-bearing bank account. Any interest that the settlement sum accrues before distribution will be applied proportionately to each developer’s entitlement.
Professor Rodger has secured a settlement of £260 million with Google, under which UK app developers will be compensated for their alleged losses as a result of Google’s conduct.
The settlement delivers certain and substantial compensation for developers now, at no cost or financial risk to them, avoiding a trial and a potential appeals process that could last several years, with no guarantee of a better result for the class. It also means Google is held to account, with money returned to the developers affected.
The Competition Appeal Tribunal approved this settlement on the basis that it is satisfied that the terms are just and reasonable for the class.