What about "Paid Apps" as Alpha/Beta testing...
I am uploading one "alpha_version" apk under "Alpha" tab... I have tagged application as "Paid" app and also configured specific prices... (As Google does not allows to change from "Free" to "Paid"). I have also added "Tester" for this alpha version..
My Questions/Confusion:
As my application is "Paid" one - do my "tester group" needs to pay before downloading this "alpha" version
Can I set application mode as "Free" for "Alpha" and latter on make is "Paid" for Production build?
Once I publish this "alpha" version - does it view-able/visible on Google Play store (I am sure it will be for visible for tester only
not for all users - right?)
Any help/pointer would be greatly appreciated - Thank You.
AFAIK all users of a paid app, will need to pay for it. So also Alpha/Beta users. If you want them to test the app without paying for it, then you can distribute the app through e-mail or web, etc... without using the Play Store
NO. You also can't change a free app to a paid app in a later stage.
yes, but only test users will get the alpha/beta version.
If you want users to test your app for free in the Play store and sell your app to the general public, then you could distribute your app in an obfuscated name with irrelevant description for free for testers, and the real app, with the real name/description etc will be paid
It's annoying but you could just create another app in your developer console that is free and load your APK there. You will have to change the package name though and maybe give it a test name. Keep this free app in beta and then they can test it for free.
Then when you want to release it you create a new app that is paid and release that.
Please see my answer here:
https://stackoverflow.com/a/35352421/5916188
Yes, you can use a promo code to give beta testers (and others) a free copy at install time.
Related
I posted an app into google play production section and now I want to download it for testing. It's not free. I don't want to buy it. How can I do that?
Uninstall your current app on your device
Go to play store and search your app
If you were an alpha or beta tester, renounce to it
Install your app again
I think the correct way is to have two applications, one for testing and one in release. It is really a mess because package name must be unique within the market...
But it is the only way I can imagine right now. Release one only for alpha/beta restricted users (you) and publish as paid one when done.
I´ve read also here How do I allow android app alpha/beta testers to download the app for free?
and here Google Play developer console: beta test paid apps for free?
I developed an Android app and added it as a beta app to the play store. Then I discovered that my beta testers would have to buy the app, so I changed it to free (oops). I now understand that I can't change a free app to a paid app and that I need to add a new app to the developer console.
However, when I try to add a new app, the Google Developer Console reports that the title has already been used (obviously). But that's the name I need (i.e., I have the same-named app available on other platforms). What should I do? If I delete the existing (beta) app will it let me reuse the name? I don't want to try doing this without knowing, because I suspect I'll break the versions that are being used by my beta testers.
Thanks!
Make sure to use a different package name for your paid version. Rename the free beta version and then use the intended name for the paid one.
I am wondering can you create a .apk file for download without putting it on the play store? I am looking to get a couple of my friends to test an app i created but dont want to release it on the play store yet? I have tried to find different ways to do it but pretty much all of them are saying that i have to put it on the play store and then can directly download the app from a url. Thankyou for your help.
Definitely yes. It can be done. Send over your APK File. When they click it, it will ask for necessary permissions and upon user clicking Accept, the app will be installed.
But, "Install from unknown sources" options should be enabled in the mobile security settings.
Email the apk for instant share.
If you are planning to go alpha- and beta-testing route, it’s best to start with a small group of alpha testers (perhaps employees of your company, or a few fellow developers) and then move on to a larger group of beta testers.
In the APK section of your Google Play Developer Console you’ll find the Alpha Testing and Beta Testing tabs. Here you can upload versions of your apps’ APK files and define a list of testers as a Google Group or Google+ Community. Once this is done you’ll receive a URL that you forward to your testers, from which they can opt-in to the testing program.
After opting-in, your testers then go to your app’s product page and when they download the app Google Play will deliver them the alpha or beta version as appropriate. Incidentally, if a user happens to be opted-in to both your testing groups, Google Play will always deliver them the alpha test version.
Through alpha- and beta-testing functionality, Google Play Developer Console lets you test two different versions of your app at the same time in addition to your production version. Here’s how:
Select an APK for your alpha or beta test.
Select the group of users for each test.
Publish your alpha- or beta-test APK.
Ask your testers to opt in.
IMPORTANT:
Alpha- or beta-test apps will only appear in Google Play for testers
that opt-in and not to any other users.
A production APK is not required to publish an alpha- or beta-test
app.
It may take up to 24 hours after publishing for the test link to
become active.
Any change you make to your app's Pricing and Distribution page
affects Alpha, Beta, Production, and any future versions; this also
applies to setting the price of your app (Free or Paid).
The same is mentioned at Beta-testing and staged rollouts.
If you use Android Licensing API to protect your app, then you'll need to add the beta testers emails in the list of test accounts in the Google Play console > settings > Gmail accounts with testing access.
you can send the APK to them directly via email or something else and they can install it but need to have Unknown Sources option enabled in their devices.
I'm planning to start a beta test for a new Android app.
Is it allowed to upload a beta version of an app to Google Play with the purpose to remove it after 3 weeks?
The user would be informed that the app is only available for 3 weeks, it would be a free download and marked as Beta.
Google Play Store's Alpha/Beta testing feature allows you to upload APKs whose access is limited to a group of testers. These testers should be a part of a Google Group or a Google+ community.
But what you are trying to do is not for testing purpose, is it? For you, it would be more suitable to upload a free (beta) APK. After 3 weeks, unpublish the app from Play Store and then reupload a premium version. Remember that once you publish an app as Free you cannot make it Paid. So you will have to upload the premium version with a different package name.
You can do this, but are you planning on charging for the app in the final production release?
If so, you won't be able to charge for the app under the same Google Play Store product listing. You'll have to create a new Play Store listing with a new package name for your APK (this is a Google Play Store restriction: you can't go from free to paid with the same APK).
See this or this for info on how alpha/beta works and how price changes apply to alpha/beta. Basically:
Any change you make to your app's Pricing and Distribution page
affects Alpha, Beta, Production, and any future versions; this also
applies to setting the price of your app (Free or Paid).
If you still want to use the same product listing (and not have a different package from beta to prod), then you'll have to release the beta version with a price, and then just refund all the beta purchases from your Google Wallet account. This could make your beta testers a bit wary though, so just doing different packages might be your best option.
I created my first Android app and wanted to let some users take part at the new Google beta testing feature. Unfortunately my app got published as a production APK and is visible to everyone now. That was not my intention, because my app is far from being released.
If I unpublish my app it also get's inaccessible for the beta testing users. So I have to keep it published to run the beta test.
What are my possibilities to make the best of this situation?
Using a dummy app as production APK?
Keep it unpublished and start with a new package name all over again?
Easiest way would be to delete the published app, but Google says NO.
You can put your Google Play Developer Console into "Advanced Mode" by clicking the button in the top right corner. Then you can activate/deactivate APKs as necessary, and upload APKs specifically for beta testers only. You do not need to change the package name.
After filling in all the details, In your developer console dont upload your APK to the production tab, only upload it in the Beta tab and click publish. Now wait for it to get published and find the playstore link which you can find after clicking the "Manage list of testers" link which is under the "Beta testers". Share this link with your beta users.
Even I made similar mistake before and then unpublished my app. Started again the publish process with different package name as Google remembers your app by the package definition. You won't be able to delete an unpublished app. That needs to be unique. When you create your app, don't upload the apk first, just prepare store listing. Once done, you will see all the panes, production, beta, alpha under APK menu. hope this helps.
Provided the constraints you have, I guess your best option is to set the filter of the APK to no devices if allowed; if not, set it to a single device (one you figure there are almost none in the market).
Additionally, you can change your publishing options for no country (or, again, to a single small country), although I think that might impact the beta testers as well...
I've just found myself in a similar situation (app was published to production prematurely, and I need to do some beta testing). Jorge's answer got me thinking. I found an option under "Pricing and Distribution" which allowed me to restrict distribution to my organization.