Ask HN: Is it possible to ditch Google Play as a solo mobile app dev?
Hey everyone! I need some advice..
I am a student and solo app dev, and I recently made a game on iOS that reached the top of the front page on Hacker News. I want to bring the game to Android, but am struggling with Google Play's policies for solo devs.
The one that is bothering me most is having to display my physical, home address on the play store for paid apps. I personally think this would be a pretty big security and privacy hazard, but there isn't any way around it that I have seen. There are also other things like requiring solo devs to test any new app with 20 testers for 2 weeks.
My Point Is: If I launch the app instead on the Epic Game Store / Amazon App Store, or even both, do you think the app can still be successful? Is it really possible to get good reach without the Play store, or will users just ignore the app if it's not on Google Play?
I am on iOS and don't know too much about the Android stores / user behavior, so any advice is appreciated.
Thanks!
Link to app for reference: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6720712299
I’ve personally decided to just ignore Android all together for my app. As a solo developer that is all in on the Apple ecosystem, supporting Android just doesn’t appeal to me.
Would it be possible to port your app to WASM and support Android via a browser?
Thats what I had been doing so far, but got some requests for android this time which is why wanted to make it there too. The app relies on haptics so I don't think a browser would work...
There’s this…
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Vibration_A...
I’m not sure it would work for what you need.
Oh that is interesting, I did not know something like that existed! Will take a look for sure :)
Thx
I'd imagine getting a PO box number would be significantly cheaper than the process you have to go through on the Apple Store, if Google accept that. If you are serious at making money you probably want to register a company identity as well, which also requires an address (at least in the UK, and I think USA).
PO box doesn't work. It needs to be an address associated with your business's DUNS listing, and they block any PO box type services. Needs to be a real physical address.
> with your business's DUNS listing
Shouldn't be a concern for OP, don't need DUNS for personal accounts?
Exactly, thats the main issue
Yes eventually I want to register as a company, but I am a little too early for that and Google is not allowing us to use a PO Box which is the main issue.. :/
I know next to nothing on the subject, but I won't let that stop me :) If this has been sitting here for three hours with no response I might as well pipe in...
Reddit link discussing topic:
https://www.reddit.com/r/androiddev/comments/17w3pgz/google_...
If you think the app might make some real money you might want to think about registering an account with a business name and virtual mailbox address. I didn't read the whole thread above, but that comes up early in the thread as one option.
Lol thanks for the response. I have unfortunately gone over this thread and others a ton, and also reached out to google, and they seem to not allow PO Boxes. There is a way to buy a physical mailbox that some people have mentioned and may try that.. they pull the address from the payment profile section or ur account though so don't know if they will allow using a mailbox address there..
Virtual mailbox is not allowed unless you somehow trick D&B into accepting it. But they try their best to block them all.
I'm really confused by this policy - isn't security and enforcement the value prop of the app store in the first place? Why are they offloading the work of accountability to user mob-rule by basically saying "here's where they live, go get them"? Who does this actually benefit? No sane disgruntled user is ever physically showing up at a developers home.
I agree it doesn't make sense - especially since scammers will get around it easy anyways so really does not benefit anyone..
IMO, most users will ignore it if it's not on Play store, they have never heard of side-loading or F-Droid or alternative app stores and dealing with trying to get them to install an APK or otherwise, no thank you.
Boy am I glad I published my app before the 20 tester rule came in, and am slowly moving everything to a corporation to deal with having to make an address and phone number public -- this is primarily due to Apple and EU "trader" rules.
If you plan on making any real money, I would bite the bullet and go with org/corp.
Yup. that seems like the unfortunate hard truth. It's just I am super early and wanted to make the app before competitors, but right now going through all the "company making process" would take a lot of time, and also some money probably..
The one that is bothering me most is having to display my physical, home address on the play store for paid apps
Fun fact, it's actually not just for paid apps, it's for free apps too!
I just said fuck it and listed my home address, cause if someone really wants to find me it's not like that info is actually hidden in other public records.
Really? Online it said just paid but thats not good if its for free too.. Ya it isn't really completely hidden it just feels weird giving it out so openly to everyone. :/
Yeah, the new Google Play requirements around Personal accounts are extremely hostile to solo developers. The "simple" workaround is to start a company with a virtual address, and sign up for an Organization account. They'll still publish your company's address, but at least you won't have that ridiculous 20-tester rule.
I don't have much experience with alternative app stores - and I suspect most of your users won't have either. It's hard enough to monetise on Google Play as it is, let alone on an app store that significantly fewer users.
Thats the issue, asking users to download and use another store just for my app seems like it will not work out well, and I don't think any other store has the reach of google. Wish they would be nicer to solo devs.
I would like to start a company eventually, but the thing is right now it just seems too early.
Starting a company might be easier than you think.
Where I'm at, registering a business and getting a D&B number was cheaper than the $99/year Apple makes you pay for the app dev account.
This depends on where you are based in and your current situation, of course.
Good luck!
Definitely something to look into then - My thought was that I would have to open an LLC or something which would cost a couple hundred - will research about it more as a real option tho, thx :)
You could release it as a pwa on android. Android allows a pwa install prompt, unlike ios. Charging for it with a 1€ price would seem tricky, though.
just comply and get the money, then move homes and offices someday
Curious, how well can they verify this info, why not submit some fake address to preserve privacy?
It would actually be quite easy to verify, even though there are always workarounds.
They could text or call the number you provide and give you a code that you have to enter into your developer account for verification. They could do the same with the address by sending a code via postal mail.
I doubt they’ll go to the trouble, but it would be trivial for them to verify.
Google My Business does/did send a letter with a code to the given address to verify the business so I'm sure they could easily do the same for Google Play as well.
Exactly, but they are pulling it from your payment profile section directly and so it probably has to be real..
You really don't want to give Google any excuse to suspend your account, especially if you're monetising it.
They are pulling it off of the billing address you give in your payment profile.. so I think it has to be real..