Published: 19:11 BST, 31 August 2026 | Updated: 19:18 BST, 31 August 2026
Apple and Google are raking in more from an ‘app tax’ on Britons than they pay in corporation tax, analysis shows.
A study found Apple shelled out £322million in UK corporation tax last year (2025) while Google paid £146million in 2024 – the latest accounts available for both tech giants.
This is equivalent to about £55 annually for a family household with four smartphone users, the research found.
But this is projected to rise to as much as £1.2billion in five years – or the equivalent of £91 for the same household.
Over the next five years, the ‘app tax’ of up to 30 per cent on in-app purchases is projected to cost Britons £4.1billion.
While the ‘tax’ is paid by app developers, including dating platforms such as Tinder and Hinge, campaigners say it is passed on to consumers. This forces them to pay up to a third more for their favourite services.
Apple shelled out £322million in UK corporation tax last year (2025), according to its latest accounts
Research found Google paid £146million in corporation tax in 2024, the latest accounts available for the tech giant in the UK
Former Tory tech minister Damian Collins said the figures show 'we need a new level playing field to stop tech firms from overcharging and underpaying'
The analysis found that for every £1 Apple and Google have contributed to the public purse in corporation tax, they have charged Britons around £1.50 for in-app purchases made on Apple and Google-powered devices.
Former Tory tech minister Damian Collins said: ‘This shows how Google and Apple extract value from UK taxpayers.
‘They pay far less tax than they should compared to other UK-based businesses and still overcharge business and consumers for using their products.
‘We need a new level playing field to stop tech firms from overcharging and underpaying.’
Dominic Fean, of campaign group the Coalition For App Fairness, said: ‘Apple and Google have been extracting more from Britons through their “app tax” than they have been paying the Treasury in corporation tax.
