Google finds a way to avoid Apple ‘tax’ on its Play Books app on iPhone

Google Play Books app

Google has found a way to bypass Apple’s 30% commission on in-app purchases for its Play Books app on iOS devices. In a blog post, Google said that it has introduced a new feature that allows users to click on a “Get book” button within the Google Play Books app. This will redirect users to the Google Play website to complete their purchase. By processing transactions on its own website, Google avoids paying Apple’s commission.

“Now, we are making purchases easier in the Play Books iOS app by introducing the “Get book” button. This button will take you directly to the Google Play website where you can purchase your selected ebook or audiobook,” said Google in a blog post.

On the Google Play website, by signing in with their Google account and using their preferred payment method, users can complete their purchase, and the book will instantly appear in the Google Play Books app.

This approach helps Google bypass Apple’s commission fees, which typically range from 15% to 30% on in-app purchases. The change is possible due to Google Play Books being classified as a reader app under Apple’s guidelines. Google applied for this entitlement, which has been available since 2022, but it remains unclear why the company waited until 2025 to implement it.

Google also said that users can also use Google Play Family Library to share books with their family group, and create a digital book collection that’s easily accessible whether reading on an Android device, an Apple device, a web browser or any combination.