App Store vs Google Play—same list price, who nets more?

Both stores take a cut. Narratives, tax display, and settlement rhythm often differ. Pricing both ends from a single “thirty percent” story is how list prices go sideways.

Do this instead: lock list price and currency, estimate each side in Storecut, then decide whether prices should match or intentionally diverge.

Indie dual-store launches waste time arguing which store is “fairer.” Fairness is not a pricing input. Estimated net under the same list is. Once you see both nets, you can choose matching stickers for brand simplicity—or different lists for similar profit. Either choice is fine if it is conscious.

Before you open a spreadsheet fight, write one sentence: “We compare estimated net at list X in currency Y.” That sentence keeps the meeting short. If someone wants to change X or Y mid-discussion, start a new compare instead of editing cells live.

1. Same list price + currency first

You’re comparing shopper-facing list in one currency. One side in dollars and a mental FX conversion on the other is not a compare.

Storecut’s currency switch is estimate convenience—not a live bank rate. Lock currency, then read both nets.

Write the locked list on a sticky note before you open the tool. It sounds trivial. It stops the habit of nudging one side mid-compare because “it looked nicer.” If you want to explore alternate lists, run a second compare—do not mutate the first mid-flight.

When you expand to more storefront countries, repeat the lock rule per currency you care about. A home-market compare does not automatically answer a second-currency storefront.

2. Run both estimates in Storecut

App Store–oriented estimate (SC-1).
Same list, Play preset (SC-2).
Compare estimated nets—not headline commission folklore.

Illustrative ≠ contract or statement. [email protected]

Record three numbers per store: list, estimated net, and any console notes you already know (tier eligibility, tax display quirks). The third column is where real life lives. Without it, the compare stays theoretical.

Save a dated screenshot or short note after each compare. Launch week numbers go stale after tier or tax changes. Re-running takes minutes; arguing from memory takes hours.

3. One-time vs subscription—compare like with like

One-time vs one-time. Subscription vs subscription for a named period (e.g. first year vs a renewal window you actually care about).

Don’t crown a winner by stacking one-time net against first-year subscription net in one row.

If you sell both shapes on both stores, make a tiny matrix: two rows (one-time, subscription) × two columns (App Store, Play). Fill estimated nets. Pricing debates go faster when everyone stares at the same matrix instead of competing anecdotes.

Label the subscription window on the matrix. “First year” and “a renewal year” are different rows if your illustrative rules treat them differently. Mixing them is another silent compare error.

4. Traps

% only: ignores tax display, tier eligibility, refunds.
Mixed currencies: error stacked on error.
Presets as contracts: console wins.
First-year as lifetime: renewals and promos change the long game—label the window you compare.

Two more traps indie teams hit:

Copying a competitor’s dual-store list digits without knowing their nets or tiers.
Changing only one store’s list after a promo without re-running the side-by-side under the new list.

When something feels “off” after a price change, re-lock currency and re-run both presets. Do not patch the gap with a spreadsheet guess.

5. How to use the compare for pricing

If one store’s estimated net is thinner, raise that storefront’s list a notch—or accept “same list, different profit.”
Matching list digits is optional; matching clarity about net is not.
A five-minute pre-launch scan beats guessing after launch.

Practical order: pick a minimum acceptable net → estimate both lists in Storecut → then decide whether marketing says “same price everywhere.”

Some teams keep list matched for support simplicity (one price in help docs). Others allow a small storefront delta so nets sit closer. Neither is universal. Choose based on your support load and how much your audience notices cross-store price gaps.

After you choose, update the help center and refund scripts so support quotes the same story as the storefront. Mismatched “same price everywhere” claims and different live lists create tickets that cost more than the fee gap you were trying to close.

Revisit the compare when you change tiers, tax settings, or subscription periods. A side-by-side from launch week can go stale after one console change.

6. Store cut ≠ processor fees

Out-of-store Stripe/PayPal fees are another ledger. Use Feecut—don’t mash them into store commission.

If you sell the same digital good on web and in stores, run Storecut for stores and Feecut for web checkout separately. Then decide whether web list should undercut, match, or sit above store list. That is a go-to-market choice—not something a single mixed “fee” figure can answer.

FAQ

Contract or tax basis?
No.

Must both stores share one list price?
No. Decide after you see net magnitude.

Currency switch = FX quote?
No.

Disclaimer

Not Apple/Google official. Illustrative rates change. Not tax/legal advice. [email protected]