Guide
APK vs AAB: Which One Do You Actually Need?
August 12, 2026 · 5 min read
Short answer: you need an AAB to publish on Google Play and an APK for everything else. Both come out of the same build, so the real question is where you plan to distribute.
Side by side
| APK | AAB | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Android Package | Android App Bundle |
| Install on a device directly | Yes | No |
| Google Play | No longer accepted for new apps | Required since August 2021 |
| Amazon Appstore / Samsung Galaxy Store | Yes | No |
| Per-device optimisation | One build for all devices | Play generates optimised APKs |
| Typical size | Slightly larger | Smaller download for end users |
When you want the APK
- Sideloading: share a link or QR code and let users install it directly.
- Amazon Appstore — free account, APK upload, review in roughly 24 hours.
- Samsung Galaxy Store — pre-installed on every Samsung device.
- Enterprise MDM distribution for internal-only apps.
- QA on physical devices before you publish anything.
When you want the AAB
Only Google Play consumes an AAB. You upload the bundle to the Play Console and Google generates the device-specific APKs, which is why users download less than they would with a universal APK.
Signing applies to both
Whichever format you distribute, the build must be signed — and every future update must use the same signing identity. PWAtoApp signs both artefacts with your certificate and hands it to you with the download.
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