Develop and upload similar apps, Is that a problem?

Hi, I would want to know if it is a problem to upload similar apps to Google Play.

For example:

  • I can create a app.
  • Then, using the same code (but making the changes to create new packages, new name for the app, new images, etc) create another similar app.
  • Then, another one

Is this a problem?

I can see lots of developers that has 20-30 or 40 similar apps and they have not problems, but I have read at this forum that this can be a problem (someone called it “theming apps”).

If those apps are legal and the people likes them, Why it should be a problem?
Thank you.

It not was problem before, but after new GP terms… who know…

I have not read anything about this in the new GP terms…

yes mostly wallpaper, ringtones, fonts apps have similar code as you mentioned. Google will be idiot to ban them.

Hi javaexp,

Thank you for your answer.

Yes, I know that most of those apps has similar codes, but I mean if it is a problem that i upload lots of similar apps with my developer account, but making some minor changes (in the wallpapers example, changing images, name of the app, package name…).

Is that a problem?

shouldn’t be a problem unless you upload 50 similar apps in one day. Do it slowly.

Thank you for your advices javaexp.

Is there any limit of how many similar apps can we have at our developer account?

On the other hand, which should be a safe upload margin between apps?
One per week? Two apps per week?

Thank you!!

I think in your case it shouldn’t be a problem, i mean, Google will ban people who upload similar content, but since you are changing the images and theme of the wallpapers you are indeed offering something new and possibly valuable to the users

yes till you provide some additional value and are not spamming with fake apps, you are good to go.
2-3 apps per week should be fine.

This German company automatically generates apps by wrapping Facebook fan pages. They currently have 32 developer accounts, all with the maximum number of apps:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Tobit.Software
https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Tobit.Software+GER1
https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Tobit.Software+GER2
https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Tobit.Software+GER3
https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Tobit.Software+GER4
https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Tobit.Software+GER5
https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Tobit.Software+GER6
https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Tobit.Software+GER7

etc…

They probably all have the same code base, just pulling data from different Facebook pages. Apparently Google is fine with that…

:eek:

even I know many forum members here which do use this technique to get more revenue. You can even copy paste app description across such apps. Google will wake up only when someone throws water on their face.