Google Play wants 12 testers for 14 days.
We organise them.
New personal developer accounts must run a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 days before Google grants production access. Friends and family rarely make it through. Paid testers do.
What Google actually requires
- Applies to personal developer accounts created after November 13, 2023.
- At least 12 testers must be opted in to your closed test.
- The closed test must run for 14 consecutive days before you can apply for production access.
- Google looks for signs of real engagement, not just installs.
Policy details change. Always check the Google Play Console Help for the current wording.
Why friends and family fail this test
We tried it ourselves with one of our own apps. Ten friends opted in. Most opened the app once, one gave feedback now and then, and after two weeks it went quiet. Nobody owes you 14 days of attention for free. The requirement quietly assumes something most indie devs do not have: a pool of people with a real reason to keep testing.
What TesterPayKit does instead
Paid everyday testers
Students, retail and gastro workers, parents, retirees. They test because it pays, and they keep showing up because validated sessions are what gets them paid.
Evidence, not promises
With our optional SDK you see real sessions: screens visited, time spent, what was actually exercised. You know testing happened instead of hoping it did.
Bug reports included
Testers report what breaks while they are at it, with screenshots, context and reproduction hints, straight into your console.
TesterPayKit is in public beta. Tester capacity is limited and allocated in order of signup.
How it works
- 1 Create a free account and add your app as a project.
- 2 Share your closed-testing opt-in link and tell us what to focus on.
- 3 We match testers from our pool who install your app and use it across the 14 days.
- 4 Watch sessions arrive in your console, then apply for production access.
What it costs
Free during the public beta. After launch, plan with roughly 100 € for 5 to 8 hours of real human testing time. Final pricing is published before anyone pays anything.
Frequent questions
Is this against Google’s rules?
No. Google wants real people genuinely using your app, and that is exactly what happens here. TesterPayKit is not an install farm: testers are paid for real usage time, sessions are validated, and click-farming patterns are filtered out.
Do I need the SDK for this?
No. For the closed-testing requirement your testers simply join via your opt-in link and use the app. The SDK is optional and adds session evidence and structured bug reports on top.
What if a tester drops out during the 14 days?
Drop-outs are normal, which is why a pool beats a friend list. We monitor your opted-in count and match replacements from the pool when someone leaves.
I want to earn money testing apps.
Great, that is the other half of the marketplace. Become a tester and get paid for validated sessions.
Stop begging friends. Get testers with a reason to show up.
Free during the beta. Your first project takes a few minutes to set up.