Android requires a one time fee to develop and publish.
You can develop and distribute android apps anyway you wish without paying a fee. It's only if you want to distribute via Google Play that you have to pay. Also, the payment is only there to help reduce the amount of crap that gets posted (steam does the same with Greenlight).
I always avoided it because I had read repeatedly that there was a $100 fee. Though, I still have no reason to use it as I don't use anything but a kindle and then it is just to read tech books and watch netflix. For example, as I type this I'm programming and listening to Might Morphin Power Rangers Season 1.