Tinder owner sues Google in bid to avoid 30 per cent in-app purchase fees

Dating app conglomerate Match Group has sued Google in a bid to block it from charging hundreds of millions in fees on purchases made through the Google Play Store.

The Tinder owner said it had filed its lawsuit as a “last resort” in its bid to block Google from charging a 15 per cent “tax” on all subscriptions and a 30 per cent tax on in-app purchases.

The firm – that owns 45 dating including Hinge and Plenty of Fish – said Google had “monopolized the market for Android app distribution,” as it claimed the tech firm was “abusing its power” by such high fees.  

Match Group said it had been left with “no choice but to take legal action,” after Google threatened to remove its apps from the Google Play Store.

The lawsuit notes that 90 per cent of all downloads of Android apps are made through the Google Play Store, as it claims Google’s fees are nearly 10 more than those charged by competitors.

Google has claimed Match is seeking to dodge paying the fees it charges for its services. The firm claims its payments platform helps protect users against fraud.

Match Group is claiming Google breached competition laws by “illegally” foreclosing competition in the world’s biggest mobile device ecosystem.