APK vs AAB: which file do you need?

Every Android build produces a file you can install or upload — and choosing between the two formats confuses almost everyone the first time. Here's the short version, then the details.

The short version

• APK installs directly on a phone. Use it to test your app and to share it outside the Play Store.
• AAB (Android App Bundle) is what Google Play requires when you upload. You never install an AAB on a phone yourself.

Same app, two containers. If you built your app with AppifyWebsite, you always get both: APK for testing, AAB for the Play Console.

What an APK is

The APK (Android Package) is the finished, installable app file. Copy it to a phone, tap it, and it installs. That makes it perfect for:

• Testing your app on your own device before publishing.
• Sharing with a small group (send the file, or a QR code).
• Distributing outside Google Play — for example a company-internal app.

What an AAB is

The AAB is a publishing format. You upload it to the Play Console, and Google generates optimised, device-specific APKs from it — so a user with a small phone downloads only what their device needs, which usually means a smaller download. Since August 2021, new apps on Google Play must be uploaded as AABs.

What Google Play requires beyond the format

• 64-bit support — every submission must include a 64-bit version. 32-bit only builds are rejected.
• Target API level — new apps and updates must target a recent Android API level; Google raises the bar roughly every year.
• Increasing version code — every update needs a higher internal version number than the previous upload.

AppifyWebsite builds with these requirements built in, so the AAB you download is already Play-compliant on all three counts.

Do APK and AAB need different signing?

No — both are signed with the same key, so your users and Google see one identity. You can use your own keystore or have a key managed for you; either way the signature carries over to every format and every update. If you're new to keystores, the glossary explains the terms.

Which one should you download?

Both, honestly — they're produced together. Install the APK on your phone, test, then upload the AAB to the Play Console when you're happy. That's the whole workflow.