Share your Android app with friends for free: limited distribution accounts
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Source checked 1 Nov 2026 · Published 1 Nov 2026 · Last reviewed 1 Nov 2026 · By Ctrl+Z Therapy (how we test)
The short answer
Google's limited distribution guide (last updated October 28, 2026) is for students and hobbyists who want to distribute apps to a small number of users. The account is free, and you can share apps with up to 50 devices that end-users have explicitly authorized. Sharing works through a secure handshake involving QR codes or links, user consent on the device, and registration in the Android Developer Console.
What to do
- Turn on 2-Step Verification for the Google Account you'll use.
- Sign up for a limited distribution account and link a Google payments profile (it holds your legal name and address). Add a contact email.
- Register your package names, then share your app with each person through a QR code or link.
Good to know
- There are no additional verification requirements: you don't need to provide a government ID.
- Since September 30, 2026, protections apply to users installing apps from participating stores in Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand, and Google says verification will be expanded globally in 2027.
- A news card on Google's verification overview page still mentions 20 devices; the guide says 50.
Source
Checked on 1 Nov 2026. Prices, limits and settings change, so check the source before you rely on them.