In this article we show you how you can submit your Android App in the Google Play Store. For a better overview you can easily jump to the part you would like to know more about.

The Google Play Store is the other big player on the app market. Apps, which run with the operating system Android, are found in there. There are around 3 Million Apps in the Google Play Store. That's more than there are in the Apple App Store. Worldwide the Android System is used by 80%, while the iOS-System is used by about 20%.

To be able to submit your app to the Google Play Store, you must create a Developer Account. You need to create that one yourself at Google. The Developer Account costs 25 $ one-time.

To be able to create a Google Developer Account you need to create a Google Account. You can create it via this link:

https://accounts.google.com/signup.

Fill in the form and follow the next steps, by clicking on Next (Weiter).
If you already have a Google Account you can also use that one.

One tip: please use a Google Account for the company and not your personal Google Account.

After you have created the Google Account, please change to the Google Play Console. This is the platform where you create your Google Play Developer Account, to be able to submit Android apps at Google.
You get to the Google Play Console via this link:

https://play.google.com/apps/publish/signup/#.

Fill in the form. All fields with stars are mandatory fields. You also need to accept the terms and conditions. Click the checkboxes to to accept them. After that click on Create account and pay.

In the next step you need to add your payment method.

You should enter your credit card details. Fill in all mandatory fields and follow the instructions.

To be able to submit your app to the app store you need to make some additional configurations and need to send an invitation to the Google account with admin rights to our app team.

Please log in in the Google Play Console. You get there via this link: https://play.google.com/apps/publish

In the Google Play Console click on User and Permissions. All the way on the bottom right underneath Manage User, click on the three dots and choose Invite new user.

Enter the email address [email protected], choose the role Administrator (all permissions) in the tab Account permissions. Click on Invite User.

Log in the Google Play Console or just open it again.

Click on Settings > Developer Account > API-Access and on the button Choose project to connect.

Agree to the terms of use displayed and click Create new project, and on the button Connect project.

Click on the grey button Create new service account.

In the pop-up window you now see click on Go to Google Cloud Platform, do NOT click on DONE. The Google Cloud Platform automatically opens in a new tab.

Change the tab, accept the Google Cloud terms of use and click on the button +Create service account.

Enter a name for your service account. You can think of any name. That name is only visible in your Google Console and can be changed later on. You can add a description (optional).
After that click on the button Create.

After you have clicked Create, choose the role Service account user. Click on Next and Done.

You stay in the service account view and you click on Create key within the three dots menu.

Choose JSON and click on Create. Save the generated JSON-file on your device.

Now you change back to the previous tab (API-Access) and you click on Done in the modal pop up.

Now you are automatically in the API-Access part, where you now give the service account access. You do that by clicking on Allow Access.

To allow the access for a user, the user must be invited via Invite User. You can do this via Account permissions > Invite user. The Checkbox "View App-Information and download bulk-reports (read-only) must be checked.

JSON-File for your Android-App

While creating the service account you have also created a JSON-File and you have downloaded it. JSON means JavaScript Object Notation. This file saves program code. The main use of the JSON-FIle is to exchange data between different programs and service-client systems.

Now you open the dashboard and click on PUBLISH > Android > App Data. You upload the JSON File by clicking on Choose file.

After you have gone through all mandatory steps for your Google Developer Account, you need to enter all the mandatory data in the app dashboard, to be able to finally submit the app.

Category

Choose the category of your app. Your app will appear in this category if users are searching for it.

Short description

This is meant as a short introduction text to your app. You can use up to 80 characters for this. If the users click on the text they can see the long description.

Google Play Login E-Mail-Address

Enter the E-Mail-Address which you used to register for the Google Play Store.

JSON-File

Upload the JSON-File to your app, that you have generated before.

Functional grafic

This graphic is shown on the app start page in the store. The size of the graphic is 1024 x 500 px.

First name

Enter your full first name.

Last name

Enter your full last name.

Copyright

Name of the person or organisation, who has the exclusive rights of the app and the year in which the rights were obtained.

E-Mail

Your e-mail address for contact and support requests.

Support URL

Your website for contact and support requests.

Long description

Describe your app more in detail in this unformatted running text. You can use up to 4000 characters.

Afterwards click on the button Save.

Next to the mandatory information in the dashboard, there are more information that you need to add for your app.

Artwork aka App Icon

The Artwork aka App Icon can be uploaded via MY APP > Design > Graphics > App Icon. It will be shown in the Google Play Listing. The Graphic needs to have the size of 512 x 512 px. The maximum file size is 1024 KB.

App Name

The App Name can be entered in MY APP > Design. The name of the app is visible directly underneath the app icon in the app store. The name can have a maximum of 12 characters.

Screenshots

With screenshots you can present your app and the functionalities. Our submission tool automatically generates screenshots of the first modules of your app. Google allows up to 10 screenshots (1080 x 1920 px). The graphics can be in JPEG- or 24-Bit-PNG-format.

Normally you can't submit your app in the Google Play Store if you haven't added all mandatory information via PUBLISH > Status > App Store Checklist.

Here you see, which mandatory information is added, f.e. privacy policy or app icon.Icon.

Other reasons for rejection?

Even if the checklist is green and the submission process can be started, there can be reasons that your app gets rejected:

Corona-or Covid-19-App?

Google doesn't allow if there is content about the Corona Virus in your app. Only official apps are allowed to inform about Corona. More information about that can be found here: https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/9889712?hl=de

You can for sure inform if, because of the virus, your opening hours are changing or upcoming events might need to get changed.

Modules don't offer any added value or only little interaction

Put yourself in the shoes of your app users. No one wants an app that doesn't help them. Please always take care that your app has enough interaction items.
The Fitogram module is an interactive module, so always keep that one in your app.

Before submission: Your app needs to be completely ready!

Make sure that the content of your app is up-to-date before submitting it.

Don't use any placeholder texts like Lorem ipsum. Test content in modules is not allowed as they won't offer any added value to your users.

No references to Google

Don't add any references to Google in your app, f.e. the logo. You can use the Google Play Store Logo on your website to promote your app, but it's not allowed inside the app.

Pornographic content

Pornographic content in apps, which serve sexual satisfaction, are not allowed by Google and will get rejected.

Violence

Any representation of glorified violence against humans or animals, whether in text or video form, is strictly rejected by Google.

Tobacco and Alcohol

Apps that intend to sell tobacco or alcohol or promote the illegal or inappropriate use of tobacco or alcohol will not be submitted.inappropriate

You can also find more information about Google's guidelines here:

https://play.google.com/intl/de/about/developer-content-policy/