Android will get third-party app stores, but Canadians have to wait

The next steps for third-party app stores on Android phones are here, as Google has launched a dedicated page for the Play Catalogue Access Program.

Basically, this program will allow third-party Android app stores to access the Play Store’s app catalogue starting on July 22. It has also notified developers that the app and game listings they submitted to Google will be made available to these external Android app stores, which will be able to offer the app to users.

I know this may initially ring some alarm bells, but app downloads through the third-party stores will still be completed using Google Play, with the company’s service fees still applying to apps downloaded through this external store.

Third-party app stores will also still have to pay Google an upfront service fee of $5,000 for security review during onboarding, as well as $5,000 annually to maintain access to the Play Store’s app catalogue.

Alongside opening up Android to third-party stores, Google has also opened up the Play Store to outside billing, and lowered its commission from 30 per cent to 10, as part of the settlement with Epic Games. Devs can now offer alternative payment links or link users to their own websites to make purchases within their app or game listings.

Now, although most of Google’s documentation states that this is a U.S.-only feature, it is coming to additional markets — just at a later date. Reports dating back to early March indicate that a complete global rollout of all the changes to the Google Play Store structure is expected by September 2027.

Update July 20, 2026, at 11:51 a.m. ET: Google Canada told MobileSyrup it has no details to share regarding a timeline for Canada getting third-party app store access.

Source: Google Via: Engadget