Android apps beta testing: The definitive guide

Our mission at TestingCatalog.com is testing applications, being them in alpha or beta stages. To make your lives easier, our website has been undergoing a plethora of optimisations regarding the simplification of the process of applying for testing programs and we were certainly able to achieve some remarkable results. There are always a couple of steps that you have to follow, depending on the application, plus some problems and workarounds for them we noted down, so without further ado, let’s see what they are in detail.

To enter a testing program you can choose between one of the following four methods listed below 📲

How to join any beta testing program for Android

1. Join a beta testing program from TestingCatalog’s Android app

Install the app from the Play Store either by clicking on Beta TestingCatalog, or searching for “TestingCatalog”.
Log in with your Google account in the initial setup.
Search for an app, or select one from our top picks.
Tap the "OPT-IN" button.
Log in with your Google account again and select "BECOME A TESTER" from the next screen.
That is it! Now go ahead and install/update the chosen app.

2. Join a beta testing program directly from the Google Play Store app

Open an app description page on the Play Store.
Scroll down and look for a section named ‘Become a beta tester’.
Hit the "I'm in" button and wait for a couple of minutes until you get signed up for testing.

3. Join a beta testing program from TestingCatalog website

Update: Due to migration to a new website, we encourage you to use our Android app instead (point 1) because the web version will be redesigned and restructured.

There are two types of apps here. You may see an app having the Alpha word in its name and there are always special steps included in the description about how to apply for alpha testing for the particular application. Sometimes there is a requirement about joining a dedicated Google Group. Please follow instructions on the dedicated app page to proceed.

4. Join a beta testing program outside of TestingCatalog

If you know that an app has an ongoing testing program in Google Play and you can’t find the link to its beta application form, here is how you can do that.

Get the app's package id from its Play Store link
Then, add the package id of the app after the URL
At the end it should look like this

5. TGPS Browser Extension

Another way is by installing a browser extension called Toolbox for Google Play Store™ made by Android Police. TGPS adds optional APKMirror, Android Police, and Appbrain buttons to all Play Store desktop web pages and additionally, there is a feature that gives the users information about an application offering a beta program and whether they are a part of it.

Toolbox for Google Play Store™ is available for:

How to find Android apps for beta testing

Search for apps via TestingCatalog

Update: Due to migration to a new website, we encourage you to use our Android app instead because the web version will be redesigned and restructured.

Filter apps inside the TestingCatalog app

Filtering inside the TestingCatalog app for Android works a tad different. To sort apps by dating/rating hit the FAB button, and to see apps by category, just tap on the menu button on the top left and select a desired category from there.

Note: The categories listed on our website/mobile app do not 100% match the ones on the Play Store. Also, we do only have one section for games, because they are not our priority.

Try unreleased apps through early access on Google Play

Early access apps are apps which have not been released yet. To find and join an early access app:

Open the Google Play Store on your Android device.
At the end of the row where you see ‘Top charts’, select ‘Early access’.
Choose an app and install it.

Note: If you install an unreleased application, you may be automatically enrolled in the beta program when it launches.

Limits in early access and beta programs

Some app developers set a limit on the number of users in early access and beta programs. If there’s no more space left, you will see a message saying that it is full. More space may open later if the current testers leave or if the developer decides to allow more users to join. If you do not want to wait, you can personally ask the app developer to open up more slots.

Waiting after joining a beta testing program

Sometimes users will not be able to install/update an app immediately after signing up for testing. In some cases, it may take even up to 4 hours for the install button to be available again. To overcome this tricky situation, you can use the ‘Install’ option in Google Play on the web.

See your installed early access and beta apps

To see a list of apps that you are an early adopter of / beta tester:

Open the Google Play Store app.
Tap on the menu button on the top left.
Then select ‘My apps and games’, and then ‘Beta’.

Note: There is an issue where the Play Store may not always show all of your installed apps in beta.

Give feedback to developers

The simplest way of giving feedback is by using the Play Store’s direct feedback option, listed in every app page in testing. To access it:

Open the Google Play Store on your Android device.
Find the app that you want to provide feedback for.
Tap the app icon to open the details page for it.
Scroll down to the ‘Enter feedback about the app’ section of the page.
Leave your feedback for the developer.
Hit ‘Submit’.

Frequently asked questions

For extra information about beta testing on the Play Store: Official FAQ about testing on Google Play

There are two common types of feature releases being favored by all popular developers/companies:

Client-side releases - With an app update you get all of the baked in features and changes. For example, Telegram releases only these types of updates for its Telegram and Telegram X apps, where everything new comes with the installation of an update, no matter if it is downloaded from the Play Store or other sources.
Server-side releases - This is indeed a different approach, where feature releases go live in batches, being it for a specific device model, OS, region, or a combination of all. They get enabled through a server-side switch and this is the most favoured type of releases across the board. Some of the big companies that prefer this method are Google, Facebook, and Instagram.

Leave Play Store beta testing programs

Leaving a testing program is just like entering one. The difference is that you have to select ‘Leave the program’ or ‘Leave’ on the web form and in the Play Store app respectively. After that, you may need to reinstall the particular application to remove its experimental version from your device.

The role of Google+

There are four different scenarios where Google+ comes into play:

The alpha/beta app does not have a community in Google+ - the "Join" button is going to be disabled/hidden.
The alpha/beta app has an open Google+ community, but testing is open for everyone - joining the community is not mandatory to get access to the testing program.
The alpha/beta app has an open Google+ community and it is mandatory to join it before getting access to the testing program.
The alpha/beta app has a closed Google+ community - you need to send a membership request first, which needs to be approved for you to be able to join the testing program.

Transitioning away from Google+

After Google announced Google+'s demise coming in 2019, many communities started shifting towards other platforms such as Facebook, Telegram, Twitter and Discord.

Please, go ahead and follow us on our social media accounts. Testing Catalog has a/an:

If you have any other questions, please, do not hesitate to ask. Happy Testing!