Google is now sending out a one-time Google Play credit to eligible customers. This comes as part of a “class settlement regarding automatically renewing Google subscriptions.” The credit is available to “users who paid for at least one renewal term of a Google subscription sold through the Google Play Store from May 30, 2014, to October 27, 2019.”
It’s something
If that sounds like you, you’ll want to check any accounts associated with the Google Play Store. While it might not be a huge payout, it’s better than nothing. For the most part, these settlements never really pay out a whole lot of cash.
But in this case, all you’re getting is a credit on the Google Play Store. But, some would argue that it’s better than nothing, which I would agree with. You can maybe rent a movie, buy some music, or an app at least.
Why is this happening?
If you’re not aware of what’s going on, you can find the details of the class action lawsuit here. But the gist of it is that the lawsuit alleges “that its automatically recurring Google Play Store subscriptions violated California law” by “failing to disclose the full terms of its automatically renewing Google Play Store subscriptions.”
Google agreed to a $5,000,000 settlement to resolve the class action lawsuit. The court granted preliminary approval in January 2026, and the settlement covers anyone in California who paid for at least one renewal through the Google Play Store.
As stated before, this had to occur anytime between May 30, 2014, and October 27, 2019. While you sometimes need to opt in to receive payments, you did not need to for this one. At the time, the settlement stated that each member would receive approximately $5.85.
At the time, the agreement was to issue this as a Google Play Store credit. If the person no longer has an active Google Play Store account, they can receive the amount via PayPal or Zelle. Personally, I’d love to just get this back in cash.
If payments cannot be made, the money left will be “distributed to the California State Bar’s Justice Gap Fund as a cy pres award.” So, again, you’ll want to check your email accounts to see if there’s something there for you.
Personally, I received a $5.53 credit, which, again, isn’t much. The email explains why this credit is being issued and how to redeem it. There’s also a link with more details, which you can read for yourself.
