How to publish an app on Google Play

Your app is ready and you want it on the Play Store. This guide covers what Google asks for, how long it takes and what it costs, in plain words, for a business owner in India.

Updated 2026-10-18

Hinglish mein padhein: Google Play par app kaise publish karein

What you need before you start

• The app as an AAB file. Google Play takes new apps as an Android App Bundle (.aab), not an APK. AppCub’s paid plans include the Play Store bundle and your app’s signing key.
• A Google Play developer account. The registration fee is a one-time US$25, paid to Google.
• A privacy policy link. A web page saying what data the app collects and why.
• An icon, a banner and screenshots. A 512×512 PNG icon, a 1024×500 feature graphic, and at least two phone screenshots.
• An email address that Google shows to your users on the listing.

Step 1: Create a developer account

Sign up at play.google.com/console with a Google account. There are two kinds of account:

• Personal: in your own name. Google checks your identity with a government ID.
• Organisation: in your company’s name. It needs the company’s D-U-N-S number, which is free but can take a few days to arrive.

Only the account owner can complete the identity check, and it can take a few days, so do this first.

Step 2: Create the app in Play Console

Click Create app and enter the app’s name (up to 30 characters), default language, app or game, and free or paid. A free app can’t become paid later, so choose carefully.

Step 3: Fill in the store listing

• Short description (up to 80 characters): what the app does, in one line.
• Full description (up to 4,000 characters): features, who it is for, how it works. Use the words your customers search for, such as “salon booking” or “credit ledger”.
• Graphics: icon, feature graphic and screenshots. Show the app’s real screens.

Step 4: Google’s forms (App content)

In Play Console’s App content section you must complete:

• Privacy policy link.
• Data safety: which data the app collects (name, phone, location…), why, and whether it is shared. Describe what the app really does.
• Content rating: a questionnaire that sets the app’s age rating.
• Target audience: the age groups the app is for. If children are included, Google’s Families rules apply.
• Ads: whether the app shows ads.
• App access: if the app has a login, a test login for Google’s reviewers.

Apps about health, money or children may be asked for extra declarations.

Step 5: The closed test (new personal accounts)

New personal developer accounts must run a closed test before going public: at least 12 testers who stay opted in for 14 days in a row. Only then can you apply for production in Play Console. Google usually doesn’t ask this of organisation accounts or older accounts.

Testers can be friends, staff or regular customers with Android phones. Send them the test link; they install the app and keep using it.

Step 6: Production release and review

Create a release in Production, upload the AAB, write release notes and send it for review. Review usually takes a few days, sometimes longer. If Google asks for a change, it explains why by email and in Play Console; fix it and resubmit.

Time and cost

• Google’s fee: US$25, once.
• Time: about 3 to 4 weeks with a new personal account (identity check, the 14-day test, then review). Often faster for organisation or older accounts.
• Making the app: seeing the plan in AppCub is free; building starts with a 2-day trial for ₹99. The Play Store bundle and signing key come with paid plans (Starter ₹1,599 a month). See plans.

Questions

How much does a Google Play developer account cost?

A one-time US$25, paid to Google. There is no yearly fee.

Can I upload an APK to the Play Store?

New apps must be uploaded as an Android App Bundle (.aab). You can still share an APK directly, for example on WhatsApp, but the Play Store needs the AAB.

Where do I find 12 testers for the closed test?

Friends, family, staff or regular customers with Android phones. They need to stay in the test for 14 days. AppCub’s launch help can run the test for you.

How long does Google’s review take?

Usually a few days, sometimes more than a week. The first review is often the longest.

Can an app made without coding go on the Play Store?

Yes. Google checks that the app follows its policies and works, not how it was made. An AppCub app is published from your own account.

Read next

• Google Play launch help
• How to make an Android app without coding
• AppCub pricing