To publish an app built with Bubble for native mobile apps on the Google Play Store, you need a Google Play Console developer account, an app in Google Play Console, and a Google Cloud project. Bubble then builds your app and, once everything is set up, delivers each new build to Google Play for you.

You connect your Bubble app to Google Play in the Bubble editor, and do the rest of the setup in Google's tools.

To publish an Android app, you need a Google Play Console developer account.

You'll use two of Google's tools during setup:

Google Play Console is for publishing and managing your app on the Google Play Store.

Google Cloud Console is for managing the Google services your app uses.

In short, Google Play Console is where you publish and manage your app, and Google Cloud Console is where you set up the access and services it needs. It can help to have both open in separate browser tabs while you set up your app.

Here's where each setup task happens:

You connect your Bubble app to Google Play in the Settings tab, under Native mobile, in the Android play store section.

Create the app listing your builds will be uploaded to. See Creating your app in Google Play Console below.

The JSON key lets Bubble upload your builds to Google Play on your behalf. You create it from a service account in a Google Cloud project, and then give that service account access to your Google Play Console account. See Creating a JSON key below.

In Bubble, go to the Settings tab, and under Native mobile, open the Android play store section.

Enter your app's details:

If your app uses push notifications, set up Firebase Cloud Messaging. See Push notifications.

In Google Play Console, click Create app.

Enter your app's name and the other details Google asks for. You can change this information later.

Follow the remaining prompts. When you're done, you're taken to your app's dashboard, where you'll manage your builds, store listing, pricing, and visibility.

A JSON key is a secure credential that lets Bubble work with your Google Play Console account on your behalf. Specifically, it lets Bubble upload your Android builds directly to Google Play, without you uploading each file by hand. The key comes from a service account in a Google Cloud project.

In Google Cloud Console, create a new project for your app. It's a good idea to create one project per app, so that API keys, billing, and permissions stay organized.

If you've used a Google API before, for example Google Maps, you may already have a project, but a dedicated project for your mobile app is usually easier to manage.

In Google Cloud Console, go to IAM & Admin and select Service Accounts.

Make sure you're in your app's Google Cloud project. If you're not, use the project picker in the top bar to switch.

Create a new service account and give it a name, like bubble-deploy-access.

When it's created, copy the service account's email address. You'll need it in a later step.

Click Add key to generate a new JSON key.

Select JSON as the key type.

Then, download the file. This is the file you'll add to Bubble.

In Google Play Console, go to Users and permissions.

Click Invite new user, and paste the service account's email address into the Email address field.

Open Account permissions and choose the permissions for the account. To make publishing smoother, we recommend Admin (all permissions), so that Bubble can send your builds straight to Google Play. Then click Invite user.

For Bubble to upload your builds automatically, the Google Play Android Developer API needs to be turned on. In Google Cloud Console, open your app's project, go to Enabled APIs & services, and make sure Google Play Android Developer API is turned on.

A keystore is a file that holds the key used to sign your app. The signature proves that each new version of your app comes from you and hasn't been changed. Bubble creates a keystore for you, so you only need this section if you have a specific reason to manage it yourself, or an existing keystore you want to reuse.

Creating a keystore uses your computer's command line: Terminal on macOS, or Command Prompt on Windows.

You need Java installed on your computer to create a keystore. On macOS, you can install it with Homebrew.

Paste this command, and replace KEY_ALIAS with a name you'll remember, like appname_keys:

Use the arrow keys to move the cursor, since the mouse doesn't work in the command line. Press Enter when you're ready.

Enter a password for your keystore. You won't see the characters as you type, which is normal. Then answer the questions about your name and organization, pressing Enter after each one. Write down your password, since you'll need it in Bubble.

If you see a warning about migrating to a different keystore format, follow the instructions on screen. Your keystore is saved to your computer, usually in your user folder.

In the Android play store section, upload the keystore file, and enter its alias (what you replaced KEY_ALIAS with) and its password.

In Bubble, deploying your mobile app means generating a build: the packaged version of your app. For Android, this is an Android App Bundle (.aab) file.

Your first deployment works a little differently from later ones, because Google requires the first build to be uploaded by hand:

In the Bubble editor, click Deploy. Your first deployment is expected to fail. This is how Bubble generates your first Android App Bundle.

You'll get an email shortly after you deploy, with a link to download the .aab file.

In Google Play Console, open your app, and upload the .aab file in a new release, for example under Testing or Production.

After the first manual upload, Bubble uploads future builds to Google Play automatically, as long as the Google Play Android Developer API is turned on.

Before you go live, test your app on different devices and in different situations. Google Play Console offers several testing tracks:

To test, create a release in the Testing section of Google Play Console, upload your build, and invite testers by email or with an opt-in link. Check that your app's main features work, and that it performs well on different Android devices.

When your app has been tested, you can prepare it for Google's review. This includes your store listing:

You'll also need to fill in forms about your app's content rating, target audience, and data safety.

Take your time here, and check that everything is accurate and follows Google's Developer Program Policies. Incorrect or incomplete information, especially about user data and permissions, can lead to delays or rejection. Reviews usually take a few business days, and can take longer for new developer accounts.

When your app is approved, you can publish it from the Production section of Google Play Console. You can choose how to roll it out:

Once it's live, your app appears in the Google Play Store. From then on, keep an eye on user reviews, crash reports, and usage data in Google Play Console.

After your app is live, you'll likely want to update it, whether to fix bugs, improve performance, or add features. There are two ways to update your app:

To publish a new build:

Make your changes in Bubble, and test them.

Deploy your app and choose a release type for the new version. Bubble uploads the build to Google Play.

Create a new release with the build, and write release notes that sum up what's new or improved.

Even for small changes, it's a good idea to test a new version before you release it. For bigger updates, consider a staged rollout.

Bubble sends push notifications to Android devices through Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM). To set it up, you need two files from Firebase: a google-services.json file, and a Firebase service account key.

In the Firebase Console, create a new project.

Give the project a name.

Google Analytics is optional, and not needed for push notifications.

In the project overview, click the Android icon to add an app.

Enter your app's package name, which needs to match the package name in Bubble.

The app nickname and debug signing certificate are optional.

Click Register app, then download the google-services.json file and store it securely.

In the Firebase Console, go to Project settings and open the Service accounts tab.

Click Generate new private key and confirm.

Download the .json key file and store it securely.

Go to the Settings tab, and under Native mobile, open the Android play store section.

In the Firebase Cloud Messaging settings, upload your google-services.json file and your Firebase service account key.

To publish your app on iOS too, see iOS App Store.