Publish private apps
There are three main ways to publish a private app: from the Managed Google Play iframe in your EMM console, from the Google Play Console, or by using the Custom App publishing API. The table below compares the features of each publishing method:
| Managed Play iframe | Google Play Console | Custom App publishing API | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Host APK with Google Play | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Host APK externally | X | ✓ | X |
| Streamlined publishing* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Distribute to multiple organizations** | ✓+ | ✓ | ✓+ |
| Make apps public | X | X | X |
| Transfer apps to another Google Play Developer account | X | ✓ | ✓ |
| Publish without registration fee*** | ✓ | X | X |
| Upload app bundle | ✓‡ | ✓ | X |
| Reset upload key | X | ✓ | X |
| Upgrade signing key | X | ✓ | X |
*Publishing apps from the Managed Play iframe or Google Play Console require only an AAB or APK and title. Publishing apps from the Custom App publishing API requires only an APK, title and app’s default listing language. An app can be published within a few minutes using any one of the methods.
**Distribute up to 1000 organizations.
***Refers to the Play Console registration fee. This fee is waived for iframe users.
+Configurable in the Play Console, after an app is published from the iframe.
‡Only Google-generated app signing keys are supported.
If you don’t have a Google Play console developer account, the easiest way to publish private apps is from the Managed Play iframe.
If you already have a Google Play console developer account, you can use your developer account to publish private apps.
If you plan to allow your enterprise customers to publish private apps directly from your end-user interface, you can use the Custom App publishing API.
An Android App Bundle (AAB) includes all your app's code and resources. Google Play uses it to create optimized APKs for each device, reducing the download size and eliminating the need for developers to manage multiple APKs.
An app bundle is different from an APK in that you can’t deploy one to a device. Rather, it’s a publishing format that includes all your app’s compiled code and resources in a single build artifact. So, after you upload your signed app bundle, Google Play has everything it needs to build and sign your app’s APKs, and serve them to users.
The custom App Publishing API does not support uploading AABs. We recommend using the Play Console or the Managed Google Play iframe to upload AABs.
For more best practices on using AAB, including frequently asked questions related to Play App Signing, read Best Practices for Private apps.
If your EMM console allows you to publish private apps without using the Managed Google Play iframe, consult your EMM provider for details on which private app features they support.
Some third-party developers may have development tools that allow them to publish private apps. If this is the case, contact them for details on which private app features they support.