Conversations, a federated instant messaging client for Android, launched as a paid app on Google Play in March 2014. Developer Daniel Gultsch adopted a monetization approach where the source code remained freely available but users paid for the convenience of compiled binaries through the platform—a model he noted 'was certainly unusual in 2014.' He described this early revenue as 'a blessing' that provided 'regular income—especially in the early stages, when you have not yet built up any savings,' helping sustain development during his time as a student and allowing him to transition from dormitory project to full-time work.
Over time, Gultsch's experience with Google Play became increasingly frustrating due to systemic issues with the platform's processes. He reported that 'app updates have been rejected more times than I can count for incomprehensible reasons' and noted that 'Conversations has been removed twice from the Play Store' without clear justification or explanation from Google's automated systems. At the time of writing his announcement, he had 'been waiting 14 days for Google to review an app update,' characterizing review times as 'never good or anything close to what I would deem acceptable' and worsening over recent years. Critically, he highlighted the absence of meaningful developer support: 'so many misunderstandings could have been cleared up in no time if I wasn't going up against AIs and click workers,' emphasizing that the platform's 15% revenue cut—amounting to 'more than 1000 Euro per year for their services'—did not include access to human assistance when issues arose, comparing this unfavorably to how 'When my internet breaks, someone drives to my house and fixes it. When my notebook breaks, someone drives to my house and fixes it. When Google fucks up, there is absolutely nothing I can do.',
This image illustrates the revenue base from which Google Play's 15 % cut is taken, supporting the developer's claim about the fee amount.
The developer's path forward involved diversifying both income sources and distribution channels to reduce reliance on a single platform. He explained that 'over time, the source of my income has shifted more and more towards grants,' specifically naming NLnet and the European Commission as providers of funding that 'have secure funding via various grants until the end of 2029,' providing long-term financial stability. Regarding distribution, while Conversations 'was always available on F-Droid,' he initially avoided promoting this free option to 'steer users towards the paid version' and maintain revenue flow. As his frustrations with Google grew and his sentiment shifted 'from bad to worse,' he began linking to F-Droid, which eventually 'become[d] the primary method of distributing the app.' The F-Droid version is now 'built reproducibly and signed with my personal signing key,' ensuring authenticity and integrity. Having achieved financial independence from Play Store revenue, Gultsch concluded with resolve: 'Google doesn't deserve me and my money anymore. I'm done. Fuck the gatekeepers.'