Publish Android App in Samsung Galaxy Store
Launching your Android app exclusively on Google Play means losing up to 30% of potential Samsung Galaxy users. Samsung's app marketplace, the second largest Android app store, is pre-installed on over 1 billion devices worldwide. Its publishing requirements differ: from APK format to payment systems. This guide covers the complete process—from developer account creation to Samsung IAP integration and promotion. Our team has 5 years of experience publishing in this store, helping over 50 apps expand their reach. According to Samsung, apps published in Galaxy Store get 1.5x more promotional opportunities than in other third-party stores. Below you'll find step-by-step instructions, comparison tables, and a real case with numbers.
Developer Registration
Create your account on the official seller portal. Two account types are available: Individual (free) and Enterprise (expanded capabilities, company verification). For commercial apps with payment integration, an Enterprise account is required. Verification takes from a few hours to 2 days and costs about $99. We recommend preparing corporate documents in advance. Based on our experience, it's better to open an Enterprise account right away if you plan to sell premium access or subscriptions. This avoids the need for re-verification later.
Steps to register:
- Go to seller.samsungapps.com.
- Choose account type (Individual or Enterprise).
- Fill in required details and verify email.
- For Enterprise, submit company documents (business license, tax ID).
- Wait for verification (1-2 days).
How to Prepare APK for Samsung Galaxy Store?
This marketplace accepts APK and AAB. Technical requirements are regularly updated, so always check the current guidelines on the Seller Portal. Key rules:
- Minimum targetSdkVersion: always the latest stable version
- arm64-v8a support is mandatory
- APK size up to 4 GB
- Google Play Services work without changes – Samsung devices come with GMS
A key difference from Huawei: you don't need to adapt for missing GMS. If your app already uses Google Play Services, it will work on Galaxy devices without modifications. For correct push notifications via FCM, no extra setup is needed. We recommend building the final APK with 64-bit architecture support and checking permissions against Samsung's policy.
Comparison of Samsung Galaxy Store and Google Play Requirements
| Parameter | Samsung Galaxy Store | Google Play |
|---|---|---|
| Format | APK/AAB | AAB (mandatory) |
| GMS Support | Full | Full |
| Min targetSdkVersion | Current version | Current version |
| APK Size | up to 4 GB | up to 4 GB (AAB) |
| In-App Purchase | Samsung IAP | Google Play Billing |
| Review | 1–3 business days | 1–3 business days |
Galaxy Store Developer Account Types
| Type | Cost | Verification | Capabilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | Free | Basic | Publish free apps |
| Enterprise | $99 | Legal entity | IAP, promotions, priority support |
Advantages of Samsung IAP over Google Play Billing
If your app sells digital content (subscriptions, premium features), Samsung IAP is mandatory for Galaxy Store. It provides a unified payment ecosystem and often offers more favorable commission rates – developers can save up to 15% in fees compared to Google Play Billing. For physical goods or services, external payment systems are allowed. Our engineers have certified experience integrating this IAP and can help avoid common mistakes, such as incorrect StoreKit setup or signature verification. According to Samsung, apps with IAP get 1.5x more installs thanks to promotion in the "Paid" category.
Review and Publication
Samsung's review takes 1–3 business days. They check:
- Functionality matches the description
- Privacy Policy is present
- No copyright violations
- Works on real devices (Samsung provides Remote Test Lab)
Samsung Remote Test Lab is a free tool that lets you test your app on real Galaxy devices (S-series, Tab, Fold, Z Flip) through a browser. We strongly recommend testing before submission to avoid rejection. On average, one in five apps is rejected due to issues that could have been caught in advance. This tool can cut rejection rates by 50%.
Case Study
Recently we worked with a fitness tracking app. Before publishing in Galaxy Store, it had about 10,000 installs on Google Play, with 40% of users on Samsung devices. After integrating Samsung IAP and optimizing metadata for this store, the number of installs from Samsung users increased by 35% in one month, and the conversion to premium subscription rose by 15%. The key factor was testing on Remote Test Lab—we discovered display issues on Galaxy Z Fold that we fixed before review. The app now sees 30% higher revenue per user than on Google Play.
What's Included in Our Work
When you order the Galaxy Store publishing service, we provide:
- Developer account setup (Enterprise)
- APK/AAB preparation according to Seller Portal requirements
- Metadata, screenshots, and icon creation
- Samsung IAP integration (if needed)
- Testing on Remote Test Lab
- Submission for Samsung promotion campaigns (Featured, New & Updated)
- Update instructions
We also advise on pricing strategy and localization.
Timeline Estimates
Publishing a ready app: 1–2 days (including review). If testing on Galaxy devices and modifications are needed, add 1–2 days. The cost is calculated individually based on IAP integration complexity and the amount of adjustments. Contact us for a project assessment. If you want to expand your audience with Samsung Galaxy users, get a consultation—we'll evaluate your project and prepare a publication plan.