Android: Is using the same applicationId for multiple stores a good practice?

Question

I am setting up different app flavors for my Android app in order to generate different app versions for different app stores.

Now, I am wondering whether I should better use the same applicationId for all stores, or whether I should always use a new applicationId for a new store?

Will I run into any pitfalls when using the same applicationId for all stores?

Answer 1

Some more research led me to the conclusion that using the same applicationId (as proposed by oemel09) is the best option (at least in my case).

• That way, the app can't be installed twice on the same phone. (Two apps with the same applicationId can't be installed on one phone.)
• However, an app installed from Store X can then be updated with another version of Store Y. This can lead to problems if the app version from Store X is slightly different to the one form Store Y.
• Using different certificates (app signing) for the two app stores solves this problem. Different certificates won't allow one store to overwrite the app version of another store. (In case you, like me, activated App signing by Google Play you won't be able to use the same certificate anyway.)

Answer 2

I'd suggest you to use the same applicationId. Otherwise users would be able to install multiple versions of your app.

This is from the android documentation about the appliation id:

Every Android app has a unique application ID that looks like a Java package name, such as com.example.myapp. This ID uniquely identifies your app on the device and in Google Play Store.