Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday outlined how consumers can receive payments from a $700 million multistate antitrust settlement with Google stemming from the company’s unlawful monopolization of Android app distribution.
The settlement resolves claims that Google used anticompetitive contracts and technical barriers to block competition in the Google Play Store between August 2016 and September 2023. Attorneys general from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands joined the lawsuit, which was originally filed in 2021.
Under the settlement, $630 million will be distributed to eligible consumers, while an additional $70 million will be paid to states in penalties.
“I encourage every Texan affected by these unlawful actions to claim their share of the penalty Google had to pay for breaking the law,” Paxton said in a statement. “There will be zero tolerance for any Big Tech company that chooses to ignore the law, drive up costs for consumers, and destroy competition in the Lone Star State.”
Who Is Eligible
Consumers may qualify for a payment if they:
- Purchased apps or made in-app purchases through the Google Play Store
- Lived in any U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands
- Made those purchases between August 16, 2016, and September 30, 2023
Google has denied wrongdoing but agreed to the settlement.
How Payments Will Be Issued
Most eligible consumers will receive payments automatically once the settlement is finalized by the court.
Payments will be sent via:
- PayPal (email notification), or
- Venmo (text message notification)
The notification will be sent to the email address or phone number associated with the consumer’s Google Play account. If that contact information does not match an existing PayPal or Venmo account, consumers may create a new account or redirect the payment to an account under different contact information.
Supplemental Claims Process
A supplemental claims process will open after automatic payments are completed for consumers who:
- Do not have a PayPal or Venmo account and do not wish to create one
- No longer have access to the email address or phone number tied to their Google Play account
- Expected to receive a payment but did not
Consumers may sign up on the settlement website to receive notifications when the supplemental claims process begins.
Opt-Out and Objection Deadlines
Consumers who wish to pursue independent legal action against Google must opt out of the settlement by February 19, 2026. Written objections to the settlement terms must also be submitted by that date.
A federal court in the Northern District of California is scheduled to hold a final approval hearing on April 30, 2026. If approved, the settlement will become final and payments will proceed.
Background on the Case
State attorneys general alleged Google unlawfully monopolized Android app distribution and in-app payment processing by:
- Preventing rival app stores from being preloaded on Android devices
- Paying developers not to launch apps on competing platforms
- Discouraging consumers from downloading apps outside the Google Play Store
The settlement also requires Google to modify certain business practices related to app distribution and billing.
Additional information and updates are available at the official settlement website maintained by the court-appointed Notice Administrator.
