The Google Play Console is where apps go from a signed .aab file to a live listing visible to 3 billion Android users. It's not designed for non-developers — but it's navigable once you know which sections to fill, in which order, and what Google actually checks.
This guide covers everything from account creation to production submission. No Android experience required.
Step 1 — Create your Google Play developer account (25 USD, one-time)
Go to play.google.com/console and sign in with the Google account you want to use as your developer account. This account will be permanently linked to all apps you publish — choose a professional Google account, not a personal one.
Pay the 25 USD one-time registration fee. This is the only cost — there is no annual fee, no per-app fee, and no percentage taken from free apps. Google takes 15% on in-app purchases and subscriptions (down from 30% in 2024).
You'll be asked to verify your identity with a government-issued ID (passport, national ID, or driver's license). This is mandatory since 2023 for all new accounts. Verification takes 24–48 hours. You can set up your app listing during this time, but you can't submit builds until verification is complete.
Account checklist
- □Professional Google account (not personal Gmail)
- □25 USD payment method (credit/debit card)
- □Government-issued ID (for identity verification)
- □Developer name (shown publicly on Play Store — choose carefully)
- □Privacy policy URL (required before submitting any app)
Step 2 — Create your app shell
In the Play Console dashboard, click "Create app". Fill in:
- App name — ≤30 characters. This is the primary name shown in search results. Cannot be changed easily after publishing.
- Default language — The language of your primary store listing (English recommended for global reach)
- App or game — Select "App" unless you're publishing a game
- Free or paid — You can never change a free app to paid after publishing. Start free, add in-app purchases later if needed.
Click Create app. This opens the Dashboard — a checklist of everything you need to complete before production submission.
Step 3 — Complete the store listing
Go to Grow → Store presence → Main store listing.
| Field | Limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| App name | 30 chars | Shown in search — include main keyword |
| Short description | 80 chars | Shown in search results — CTA + keyword |
| Full description | 4000 chars | First 167 chars visible without expanding |
| Screenshots (phone) | 2–8 images | Min 1080×1920 or 1920×1080 (landscape), PNG or JPEG |
| Screenshots (7-inch tablet) | Optional | Strongly recommended for higher ranking |
| Feature graphic | 1024×500 px | Required. PNG or JPEG. Shown in search and Play Store featured sections |
| App icon | 512×512 px | Same as your SaasToStore build icon. PNG, max 1MB |
| Category | Select | Choose the most accurate primary category |
💡 SaasToStore generates an AI store description from your website content automatically — available in the build email.
Step 4 — Content rating
Go to Policy → App content → Content rating → Start questionnaire.
For a website wrapper (no user-generated violence, sexual content, gambling, or drugs), select the appropriate app category in the questionnaire. For most business, portfolio, e-commerce, or tool apps: answer "No" to all sensitive content questions. You'll receive an Everyone rating — the broadest audience.
Submit the rating. It takes effect immediately.
Step 5 — Data safety form (mandatory since 2022)
Go to Policy → App content → Data safety. This section requires you to declare what personal data your app collects, how it's stored, and whether it's shared with third parties.
For a SaasToStore app that wraps a website with no additional native tracking:
- Does your app collect or share any of the required user data types? → No (if no analytics SDK is added)
- Is all user data encrypted in transit? → Yes (HTTPS)
- Do users have the option to request deletion of their data? → Depends on your website's data practices
⚠️ If your website uses Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or any tracking, you must declare those data types. Misrepresentation in the data safety form is a policy violation.
Step 6 — Testing track (required for new apps since 2023)
Since November 2023, new personal developer accounts must complete a closed testing period before publishing to production: minimum 20 testers for at least 14 days. Organization accounts (NGOs, businesses) may be exempt.
Go to Release → Testing → Closed testing → Create new release. Upload your .aab. Invite at least 20 people via email or an opt-in URL. After 14 days with 20+ active testers, you can apply for production access.
Step 7 — Upload your .aab and submit for production
Go to Release → Production → Create new release.
- Click Upload → drag your
.aabfile (from the SaasToStore build email) - Play Console parses the bundle and shows the version code and version name
- Add release notes ("Initial release" works for v1.0)
- Click Review release — Play Console checks for known policy violations
- Click Start rollout to Production
Google reviews new apps in 1–3 business days. Updates are typically reviewed within 24 hours. You'll receive an email when the review is complete.
Most common rejection reasons (and how to avoid them)
❌ Missing or invalid privacy policy
Fix: Host a privacy policy at a public URL on your domain. Link it in the Play Console and in your app (accessible from within the app). SaasToStore apps link to your website's privacy page automatically.
❌ Incomplete data safety form
Fix: Fill all sections of the data safety form completely. Partial submissions cause automatic rejection.
❌ Low-quality app (policy 4.3 — thin wrapper)
Fix: This applies to TWA apps without a service worker. SaasToStore switches to Capacitor automatically when the PWA score is insufficient. Check your PWA checker result.
❌ Screenshots don't match app functionality
Fix: Use actual screenshots of your app running on an Android device or emulator. Do not use mockups or decorative graphics as screenshots.
❌ Missing content rating
Fix: Complete the content rating questionnaire before submitting. Apps without a rating are automatically rejected.
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