publishing-on-google-play-without-exposing-info/

[giscus[bot]]

publishing-on-google-play-without-exposing-info/

In 2023, Google began requiring verification for Google Play, especially if earning any money. Unfortunately, this required publicly exposing your home address and phone number! Here’s how to earn money without revealing this info.

https://blog.jakelee.co.uk/publishing-on-google-play-without-exposing-info/

[jasharpe]

Thanks a lot for this guide. I'm Canadian, but I was in otherwise exactly the same situation (as many developers are, I'm sure), and also decided to take the path of making a corporation. This article did a lot to help me understand the process and feel more comfortable, so thanks!

[JakeSteam]

No worries! Hope it all went smoothly 🤞

[abdoMous]

Thanks a lot, this helps me move the app to the organization account.

I have a question about the old account; I still have a few old apps that I can't transfer since most of them were unpublished by Google or by me, (violent google play policies)

In this case, do you recommend letting Google remove that account with the apps, since I don't care about them?

Or should I verify the account as a personal account and keep them?

I do have another personal account that has one free app. Do you recommend adding it to the same organization account group or is there no need?

[JakeSteam]

If I was you, I'd put all apps you want to keep on your new, verified, organization account (or on the verified personal account if you want). I'd probably recommend deleting / closing the old account yourself, since then account was "closed" not "banned", which might matter in the future.

It's totally up to you though, your scenario sounds a little more complex than mine (1 account, migrating to another 1 account).

[abdoMous]

wow Jake, thanks for the super fast reply, I reallly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart! 🙏

I’m stuck with 3 accounts:

1- Verified personal account (1 free app, fine showing my info).
2- Unverified personal account (has apps with policy issues, so I can’t transfer them)
3- Verified org account (1 app with in-app purchases)

The unverified personal and verified org accounts are in the same Associated Developer Accounts group. I can’t close the unverified account due to the apps (google don't close any account that have apps), so I might need to verify it to avoid Google closing it.

My question: Before verifying the unverified account, should I add my verified personal account to the same Associated Developer Accounts group? Or keep it separate? Alternatively, should I detach the unverified account from the group to avoid any impact, since I don’t care about it or its apps?

Thanks for any advice! 😊

[JakeSteam]

Hmm, it's hard to give a definitive answer tbh, but in general I'd aim to get all your apps into a "safe" verified place, then close any accounts you're not using.

So, given those accounts, I personally would:

1. If any of the apps in your unverified account can be fixed, fix them then transfer them (to org or personal).
2. Any remaining apps aren't going to be fixed, so you might as well unpublish them (if you haven't already), remove the account from your group, and close this unverified account. I'd definitely recommend fixing the policy issues if possible though to save the apps.

You should then end up with 1 verified personal, 1 verified org, and a fully closed account that won't cause issues in the future.