Open Testing Explained: Running a Public Beta on Google Play

Open testing is the public beta track: anyone who finds your app on Google Play — or follows your link — can join the test and send you private feedback. The test version surfaces on Google Play itself, but it stays separate from your production listing and your public ratings.

Because it exposes your app to anyone, open testing only becomes available after you've gained production access. For personal accounts created after November 13, 2023, that means completing the closed testing requirement first.

What you need before starting an open test

Setting up an open test

1. Open Play Console and go to the Open testing page (Testing > Open testing).
2. Select the Testers tab and expand Manage testers. If the section is empty, upload an app bundle first — a release must exist before testers can join.
3. Choose how many testers can use your app: Unlimited (the default) or a limited number, which must be at least 1,000.
4. Provide a feedback URL or email address. This feedback channel is shown to users on the tester opt-in page.
5. Copy the shareable link so testers can join.
6. Save changes, then create and review your release.

After publishing an open test for the first time, the opt-in link may take a few hours to become available to testers. Additional updates you publish can also take several hours to reach testers.

How testers find and join your test

There are three ways into an open test. For early access apps — new apps that haven't been published to production yet — users can find the open test by searching on Google Play and install it directly from the listing. For apps with a live production version, users opt in to the open test from the store listing. And on top of both routes, you can share the opt-in link anywhere: every user with the link can access the test.

One catch applies to the link itself: the opt-in link only shows once the app is in Published status. Apps in Draft or Pending publication won't show it, which is another reason to finish your store listing before you start an open test.

What testers experience on the open track

Tester feedback doesn't affect your app's public rating. Testers can't leave public reviews of the test version on Google Play, but they can send you private feedback through Google Play itself — in addition to the feedback channel you set up.

Two things surprise teams moving from closed testing. First, paid apps still require testers to purchase them on open or closed tracks — the free-install exception applies only to internal tests. Second, testers receive the highest compatible version code across every track they're eligible for. Users in an open test are eligible for both the Production track and the Open testing track, so a higher production version will always reach them first.

Limits to plan around

• You can run one open test at a time, alongside multiple closed tests.
• A user opted into your internal test isn't eligible for an open test — they must opt out of the internal test first, then opt in to the open test.
• If you use a limited tester count, the minimum is 1,000 testers.
• Open testing is available only after production access, so it can't replace the closed test that unlocks your account.

Ending an open test

Open Play Console, go to the Open testing page, select Manage track, and choose Pause track. After you pause, testers stop receiving updates, but the app remains installed on their devices.