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Ask HN: Is it possible to ditch Google Play as a solo mobile app dev?

by appsDev on 10/17/24, 8:39 PM with 31 comments

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

  • by dlachausse on 10/18/24, 3:12 AM

    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?

  • by thorin on 10/18/24, 2:51 PM

    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).

  • by ldx1024 on 10/18/24, 12:26 AM

    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.

  • by mcsniff on 10/18/24, 12:45 AM

    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.

  • by yen223 on 10/18/24, 12:32 AM

    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.

  • by gsuuon on 10/18/24, 7:44 PM

    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.

  • by streptomycin on 10/18/24, 6:17 PM

    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.

  • by mejutoco on 10/19/24, 3:51 PM

    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.

  • by eviks on 10/18/24, 6:44 AM

    Curious, how well can they verify this info, why not submit some fake address to preserve privacy?

  • by inquisitor27552 on 10/20/24, 11:25 AM

    just comply and get the money, then move homes and offices someday