Distribute unlisted Android apps on Google Play

Question

Google Play has something called Private Apps: https://support.google.com/googleplay/work/answer/6145139?hl=en

However, to my understanding this means that only members of my organization can install the app. It doesn't say what "organization" mean but I assume it's members of a Google Workspace or a specific email domain.

I want to achieve something similar to Apples "Unlisted apps": https://developer.apple.com/support/unlisted-app-distribution

This means the app is present on the Appstore, but it's not listed or searchable. Only if you have the link to the app you can download it, and the user will receive automatic updates.

Is there something similar on Google Play? I want to distribute and update the app via Google Play, but only to users that I share the url with.

Bibliomania

Unclear if you are aware of: play.google.com/console/about/closed-testing which references open / closed / internal test – Idou

I believe this is a feature of Android Enterprise/Android Management APIs, which is designed for businesses – Mantle

meta.#272665 – Wuhu

Google Workspace Apps: support.google.com/a/answer/6089179 – Shilashilha

Did you solve this @john-anthony? If yes, how? We're having the exact same problem and we want to distribute link to the users. – Impendent

@Impendent hi! Please, check out my answer. I'd like to also know what you have eventually done in your situation. – Indefectible

Answer 1

Google has nothing on Apple's "unlisted apps" feature. You would have to make your Android app fully public.

All the other answers here talking about internal/closed/open testing are not getting it. "Unlisted app" is not an app under testing. It is a production-ready app that is "hidden" from general public - accessible only via a direct link. AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO INVITE ANYBODY BY PESKY EMAILS FOR IT TO WORK! There are no other distinctions from a normal public iOS app, as far as I know.

With Google, there is another story. The feature simply does not exist.

Internal testing from Google Console is not it. It has a limit of 100 testers.

Closed testing is not it either. A developer has to know all the users in advance and invite them by email.

Open testing is not it as well. Although there are no problems with it mentioned above, users will see "Join beta" dialog when downloading the app from Play Store. Plus, the app would be fully public - discoverable on the Play Store. With Apple's "unlisted distribution" this is not the case.

Private apps from Google Console are also not that. A developer would need to know all the users in advance - actually, users' Google Workspace ORGANIZATION ID. So, again, it is not a counterpart to "unlisted distribution" from Apple.

So, here you have it. Which is NOTHING.

I recommend going fully public with your Android app. Because, if you think about it, Apple's "unlisted distribution" is a public distribution as well, cause we all know that once something is shared on the Internet, it is public (I am talking about a direct link to the App Store listing of your unlisted app that you share with a not-really-tech-savvy colleague who is going to post it on his LinkedIn).

Apple's "unlisted distribution" means the app simply not appears in any App Store listing, charts, search results, etc. You really have to know that it exists to find it, i.e. have a direct link to it.

Just make sure that your Android app handles nicely the situation when some rando downloads the app when he is not really "invited" to do so.

Indefectible

That answer should be accepted as it actually answers the question. Sad that it's the lowest... – Telegraphone

Answer 2

You can publish the app on the Google Play store via the Play Console and while selecting where to launch (publish) the app, add the app/app bundle only to the closed testing option. There you can add specific email ids and only those will be able to see the app, get updates, etc. no one else.

Burrussburry

Answer 3

we use internal testing on playstore to test the app internally before we move to closed and open beta. More details can be access in the below link

https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9845334?hl=en

Bartolome

Answer 4

There is different terminology on different platforms: in App Store, its called to distribute an unlisted app and in play store its open testing. please find the below definition from play store official webpage.

Closed testing: Create a closed testing release to test pre-release versions of your app with a wider set of testers to gather more targeted feedback. Once you've tested with a smaller group of colleagues or trusted users, you can expand your test to an open release. On your Closed testing page, a Closed testing track will be available as your initial closed test. If needed, you can also create and name additional closed tracks.

If you're testing an existing app that you've published before, only users in your test group will receive an update for your closed version.

Open testing: Create an open testing release to run a test with a large group and surface your app's test version on Google Play. If you run an open test, anyone can join your testing program and submit private feedback to you. Before choosing this option, make sure your app and store listing is ready to be visible on Google Play.

Here is the official webpage google play store

Thank you.

Ouidaouija