App Store & Google Play Payment Schedules 2026: Every Date You Need
Every month, thousands of developers search "when does Apple pay developers" — and every month, the answer is more complicated than it should be. Apple doesn't use standard calendar months. Google does, but still takes 15–30 days to release funds. And if you earn from both stores, the overlapping cycles create a cash flow pattern that's nearly impossible to predict from memory.
This guide covers every earning period, expected payout date, and actual delay window for both platforms through 2026. Bookmark it or track dates interactively on our Payment Calendar.
Apple App Store Payment Schedule 2026
Apple structures its financial year using a 4-5-4 fiscal calendar. Instead of standard months, each quarter is divided into three earning periods: the first spans 4 weeks, the second 5 weeks, and the third 4 weeks. Apple's fiscal year 2026 (FY2026) began on 28 September 2025 and runs through 26 September 2026.
After each earning period closes, Apple processes payouts over approximately 33 days. The table below shows all 12 periods with their expected payout windows.
Note: Exact payout dates may shift by 1–3 business days depending on banking holidays and processing. Dates below are based on Apple's established 4-5-4 pattern and historical payout timing.
| Period | Earning Period | Length | Expected Payout | Max Delay* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 Sep – 25 Oct 2025 | 4 weeks | ~27 Nov 2025 | 60 days |
| 2 | 26 Oct – 29 Nov 2025 | 5 weeks | ~1 Jan 2026 | 67 days |
| 3 | 30 Nov – 27 Dec 2025 | 4 weeks | ~29 Jan 2026 | 60 days |
| 4 | 28 Dec – 24 Jan 2026 | 4 weeks | ~26 Feb 2026 | 60 days |
| 5 | 25 Jan – 28 Feb 2026 | 5 weeks | ~2 Apr 2026 | 67 days |
| 6 | 1 Mar – 28 Mar 2026 | 4 weeks | ~30 Apr 2026 | 60 days |
| 7 | 29 Mar – 25 Apr 2026 | 4 weeks | ~28 May 2026 | 60 days |
| 8 | 26 Apr – 30 May 2026 | 5 weeks | ~2 Jul 2026 | 67 days |
| 9 | 31 May – 27 Jun 2026 | 4 weeks | ~30 Jul 2026 | 60 days |
| 10 | 28 Jun – 25 Jul 2026 | 4 weeks | ~27 Aug 2026 | 60 days |
| 11 | 26 Jul – 29 Aug 2026 | 5 weeks | ~1 Oct 2026 | 67 days |
| 12 | 30 Aug – 26 Sep 2026 | 4 weeks | ~29 Oct 2026 | 60 days |
*Max Delay = days from the first day of the earning period to the expected payout date. For a transaction on the last day of the period, the delay is approximately 33 days.
Why this matters for planning
The 4-5-4 pattern creates two effects that catch studios off guard.
Five-week periods (Periods 2, 5, 8, and 11) accumulate more revenue per payout — roughly 25% more than four-week periods. That sounds like good news, but it also means a transaction occurring on the first day of a five-week period waits up to 67 days for payout. For a studio budgeting weekly, one-quarter of the year involves meaningfully longer wait times.
The "33 days" figure that Apple references is measured from the close of the earning period — not from the date of any individual transaction. A subscription purchased on 25 January 2026 (first day of Period 5) won't pay out until approximately 2 April — 67 days later. The same subscription purchased on 27 February (near the end of Period 5) arrives around the same date — just 33 days later. Same product, same price, wildly different cash flow implications.
Track all dates interactively on our Payment Calendar.
Google Play Payment Schedule 2026
Google Play uses standard calendar months for earning periods, which simplifies tracking. Earnings from a given month are processed and paid out in the following month, typically between the 15th and the end of that month. The exact timing depends on your payment method, bank location, and whether you've met Google's minimum payout threshold ($1 for most countries).
| Earning Month | Earning Period | Expected Payout Window | Delay Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 1 Jan – 31 Jan | 15 Feb – 28 Feb | 15–58 days |
| February 2026 | 1 Feb – 28 Feb | 15 Mar – 31 Mar | 15–58 days |
| March 2026 | 1 Mar – 31 Mar | 15 Apr – 30 Apr | 15–60 days |
| April 2026 | 1 Apr – 30 Apr | 15 May – 31 May | 15–60 days |
| May 2026 | 1 May – 31 May | 15 Jun – 30 Jun | 15–60 days |
| June 2026 | 1 Jun – 30 Jun | 15 Jul – 31 Jul | 15–60 days |
| July 2026 | 1 Jul – 31 Jul | 15 Aug – 31 Aug | 15–61 days |
| August 2026 | 1 Aug – 31 Aug | 15 Sep – 30 Sep | 15–60 days |
| September 2026 | 1 Sep – 30 Sep | 15 Oct – 31 Oct | 15–60 days |
| October 2026 | 1 Oct – 31 Oct | 15 Nov – 30 Nov | 15–60 days |
| November 2026 | 1 Nov – 30 Nov | 15 Dec – 31 Dec | 15–60 days |
| December 2026 | 1 Dec – 31 Dec | 15 Jan – 31 Jan 2027 | 15–61 days |
Google's delay is generally shorter than Apple's for transactions late in a month, but longer for transactions early in the month. A purchase on 1 March won't pay out until mid-to-late April — roughly 45–60 days. A purchase on 31 March may arrive as early as 15 April — just 15 days.
A practical note: Google occasionally shifts payout timing around major holidays (Christmas, Chinese New Year) and banking holidays in your receiving country. Build a 3–5 day buffer into any planning that depends on specific Google payout dates.
Apple vs Google: side-by-side comparison
| Apple App Store | Google Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Earning period | Variable: 4 or 5 weeks (fiscal calendar) | Standard calendar month |
| Payout frequency | ~Every 4–5 weeks | Monthly |
| Processing time | ~33 days after period close | 15–30 days after month end |
| Max delay (from transaction) | 67 days (start of 5-week period) | 60 days (start of month) |
| Min delay (from transaction) | ~33 days (end of period) | ~15 days (end of month) |
| Commission | 30% (15% under Small Business Program) | 30% (15% on first $1M/year via service fee) |
| Calendar type | 4-5-4 fiscal year | Standard Gregorian |
| Minimum payout | Varies by region | $1 (most countries) |
For studios earning from both stores, the critical planning insight is that Apple and Google payouts rarely arrive in the same week. Apple's fiscal periods don't align with calendar months, so the two payout streams create an unpredictable staggered pattern.
What this means for your cash flow
If your studio earns from both App Store and Google Play, managing cash flow becomes a timing puzzle that resets every month.
Take a studio earning £80,000 monthly — £50,000 from Apple, £30,000 from Google. In a given month, the cash arrival pattern might look like this: Google pays £30,000 around the 18th. Apple pays £50,000 around the 28th. But next month, Apple's fiscal period shift means the payout moves to the 5th of the following month, while Google stays roughly in the same window. The week-to-week cash position swings between nearly zero and a full month's revenue landing at once.
Payroll is due on the 1st — every month, non-negotiable. Server costs bill on the 3rd. UA campaigns need daily budgets. The revenue is earned and confirmed, but the cash isn't there when the invoices are.
For a studio at this level, the frozen capital — money earned but not yet received — sits at roughly £120,000 at any given time. That's 1.5 months of revenue permanently in transit. You can calculate your exact figure using our App Revenue Intelligence Report, which models the gap based on your specific Apple/Google revenue split.
This is the problem Amps33 was built to solve — bridging the gap between confirmed earnings and actual payout, so your cash flow matches your calendar, not Apple's fiscal year.