Google quietly made it easier for new developers to release apps on the Play Store

Before releasing an Android app on the Google Play Store, developers are required to test their app with a number of different users. This became a requirement late last year when Google implemented a rule that forced developers to test their apps with a minimum of 20 people over a 14 day period. A lot of indie app developers complained about this rule as they felt that it was too much of a burden. Fortunately, Google has heard these complaints and has quietly relaxed the rule a bit.

In an update to the support page outlining Google Play’s app testing requirements, Google says that developers who have a personal account created after November 13, 2023 must run a closed test of their app with a minimum of 12 testers over a 14 day period. Previously, the page said that developers with personal accounts had to run a closed test with a minimum of 20 testers over the same period.

Old:

If you have a newly created personal developer account, you must run a closed test for your app with a minimum of 20 testers who have been opted-in for at least the last 14 days continuously.

New:

If you have a newly created personal developer account, you must run a closed test for your app with a minimum of 12 testers who have been opted-in for at least the last 14 days continuously.

While this policy change might not seem like a big deal at first glance, it could result in more indie app developers getting their apps published on Google Play. Many indie app developers work solo and may only have a few friends or family members they can ask to test their app. Previously, this limited pool of testers could be a significant hurdle due to Google’s app testing requirements.

Indie app developers who don’t personally know enough people to test their app would have to turn to social media platforms like X or Reddit to find additional testers. This extra step — recruiting testers through social media — at best delays the launch of an app and at worst discourages the developer from publishing on Google Play, potentially leading them to choose a different platform or abandon the project altogether.

To be fair, the idea behind this policy is sound, as it forces developers to test their app with real users and potentially find issues before they launch it to the public. This, in turn, improves the overall quality of the apps available on Google Play, as developers are more likely to deliver great Android apps when their apps have been subjected to real-world testing by actual users over a two-week period. However, forcing developers with personal accounts to find 20 real testers was a bit too much of an ask, and it seems that Google now agrees, as it’s lowered the number of testers needed to 12.

Developers with business accounts aren’t impacted by this policy change, as business accounts aren’t subject to the same app testing requirement at all. Signing up for a business account on Google Play requires officially establishing a business, which involves providing Google a D-U-N-S number. Google likely waived the app testing requirement for business accounts as the barrier to entry to make them is a bit higher, reducing the chances that an app published will be malware.

At Google Play’s scale, it’s hard to satisfy everyone, so policy changes like this will undoubtedly continue to happen as Google receives feedback and tries to adapt to new threats. Some indie app developers feel that Google Play is becoming more and more hostile to them, so this change should no doubt be welcomed by them. If you’re an indie app developer who felt the old policy was too much of a burden, let us know what you think of this change in the comments below!