If this article caught your interest, check this out too:
https://zmsoft.org/ja/apps-info-ja/androiddeveloperspayforward/
There's a survey for feature requests, app publishing know-how, and feedback on Google's policy changes.
Background
In 2023, Google updated its app publishing policy, making it harder for indie developers to get started. Having struggled with this myself as a new solo developer, I built an app for developers that aims to be:
- Free to use
- Hassle-free for finding testers, so you can focus on building apps
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andro.zm.tools.androidtesterspayforward
How It Works
The app lets you register your own app by accumulating credit from testing other developers' apps. The system is designed to hold developers accountable as testers, creating a mutual review environment where developers support each other.
| Here's the general idea | No social media hustling needed |
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App Details
Watch this video for a full walkthrough: https://youtu.be/vv9BBN3LInI
Tech Stack
Kotlin
Since this was a new app, I chose Kotlin — Google's recommended language for Android development — over Java.
Firebase
The backend runs on Firebase. It handles database design, permissions, and user management with minimal setup. Extremely powerful. https://firebase.google.com/
BillingLibrary
I use BillingLibrary to handle in-app donations. https://developer.android.com/google/play/billing/integrate
Multi-language Support
To reach as many developers as possible, the app supports multiple languages:
- Japanese
- English
- German
- French
- Spanish
- Portuguese (Brazil)
- Hindi
- Chinese (Simplified)
Translations were done with DeepL and Google Translate. https://www.deepl.com I plan to continue adding support for widely-used languages going forward.
What's Next
The immediate goal is to get the app in the hands of as many developers as possible. From there, finding a way to cover maintenance and operating costs — without compromising the user experience — is the first milestone.