As someone who recently submitted Apps to the App and Play store, I must say Google's process is far worse. Yes, Apple charges 99$ and Google only 25$. But Google made me get 12 beta-testers opt-in to a google group accepting beta testing and downloading the app via a special link. Then I needed those 12 beta-testers to keep the app installed for 14 consecutive days. A single drop under the 12 user limit and the test resets all over. As a non-profit (not even ads) hobby project, I had to rely on sending emails via our newsletter, add in-website banners to our webapp etc, bother family members to download the app etc. to recruit enough testers.

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randyrand 21 hours ago | parent | next [-]

You can avoid the 12 beta testers if you create an LLC.

Most states offer an LLC for a few hundred $ and 1 day processing time.

You can then dissolve the LLC later if you no longer want it.

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littlecranky67 19 hours ago | parent [-]

> You can avoid the 12 beta testers if you create an LLC

Yeah that is an easy option. In my jurisdiction that costs above 500€ for legal paperwork (notarized stuff) and now you have to submit double-entry bookeping records and tax forms every year. THAT is not an alternative to anything. Dissolving costs around 300€ just the notary appointment. Again, am in Europe.

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iamnothere 16 hours ago | parent [-]

You can create a Wyoming LLC without any physical presence, although you’ll have to pay a service to receive any legal/court notices in state and you’ll still have to pay any taxes owed in your own country. Wyoming has no income tax, and any US federal taxes from future revenue would be owed whether you’re an LLC or not.

The cost of the registered agent is usually the biggest cost (unless you can find someone who will do it for free).

	▲	littlecranky67 9 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Doesnt matter. In most EU countries, you are not taxed where the company is registered, but where the majority of "management decisions" are made - in that case, where the sole director of that company lives. That is why any LLC founding still results in the same paperwork as if you would found a corporation in Europe. I know 100% for sure in Germany in Spain, you will have to declare your majority stake in your tax filings and thus trigger tax filings for the LLC - even if that LLC owes 0€ in taxes, paperwork must be filed. Such a stupid discussion to have in the first place, suggesting forming a buisness entity to fast track your hobby app into the play store.

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conradfr a day ago | parent | prev | next [-]

One time 25$ vs 100$ every year though (and your app disappears when you stop paying).

And the 12 beta-testers is rather knew and doesn't apply to older accounts.

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littlecranky67 21 hours ago | parent [-]

It applies to new apps, not accounts. The google account I used is over a decade old.

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conradfr 21 hours ago | parent [-]

I don't think that's true and it certainly didn't apply to me. Was it already a Google Play account or just a Google account?

https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answ...

> Developers with personal accounts created after November 13, 2023, must run a closed test for their app with a minimum of 12 testers who have been opted in continuously for at least 14 days.

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littlecranky67 19 hours ago | parent [-]

Why the hell would I have a google play account?

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conradfr 19 hours ago | parent [-]

... to add your app in the Play Store.

	▲	anigbrowl 11 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		This is just absurd. The whole point of your Google account is single sign-in, but they put so much garbage around their different services that maintaining a Google account is becoming unmanageable. I recently gave up on them after paying some money for Gemini only to receive dreadful API reachability, and then being asked to onboard and pay to a different Google service after I installed antigravity, with the credits not being transferable. Apparently (per Gemini itself) this is because there are two different AI units within Google who refuse to talk to each other and are trying to win position inside the company based on revenue.
	▲	littlecranky67 9 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		So I say "you need 12 testers to submit an app" - you answer "you dont need testers if you have a play store account -which you have if you already published an app". So we are basically back at: "You cannot publish an app unless you already published an app, else you need 12 testers".

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__natty__ 20 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

This may be unpopular opinion, but IMO this is a good approach from Google. If you can't get 12 people to download your app then there is no reason to spam and keep it in the Google Play. I went through this process a few times as well and while I found it frustrating as well, I believe it's a good initial filter for spammers.

	▲	littlecranky67 9 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		All it does is have people pay a couple of hundred bucks on Fiverr to get chinese clickworkers do install your app.
	▲	SkiFire13 13 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		Except Google is now also starting to block apk installs so the only way to share toy apps is now the Play Store. Want to share your app with 10 other people? Too bad you're less than 12.