Google Play Banned Us Before Launch. A Ghost From 10 Years Ago Pushed Me to PWA.

Google Play blocked my new app before it even launched. Here's why that - and a ghost from 10 years ago - pushed me to PWA.

I had just finished the MVP for my new project: a language-learning app built with Compose Multiplatform. Its core feature is practicing through AI-generated stories, with the AI providing grammatical feedback. This isn't "just another startup" - I'm learning Estonian, built a tool for myself, realized it could help others, and quickly developed an MVP. I even made it open-source (link at the end).

I was ready to launch on Android and... I fell into the classic moderation trap.

The Quest: "Publish Your App, If You Can"

Attempt 1: I submit for review. Rejection: No login credentials provided. My mistake, I admit.

Attempt 2: I message support: "Just use any Google account." I figured they had universal access. Rejection. My second mistake.

Attempt 3: I finally provide a test username and password. Another rejection.

Attempt 4: This rejection was technical. I forgot that Google re-signs the app with its own key, and I hadn't added their certificate fingerprint to Firebase. I fixed it, double-checked it on an internal track, and submitted it...

And almost instantly, I received a COMPLETE BAN on the app for "repeated violations".

The system saw three consecutive rejections and passed its final verdict. It didn't matter that these were three different, iterative errors, not a malicious attempt to break the rules.

This whole situation threw me back 10 years.

I had an app with 15,000 DAU. Google banned it for "copyright infringement". We had explicit permission from the copyright holder, but our appeals hit a wall of automated scripts. We eventually managed to reach a high-level Google employee who helped us. I'll never forget his words: "We'll unban the app, but there's nothing I can do about the search penalization."

He was right. We went from being TOP-1 in search results for our main keywords to permanently dropping to TOP-10+. The business was, for all intents and purposes, destroyed.

Ten years have passed. Has anything changed?

I appealed the ban on my new app, explaining each of my mistakes in detail. The response I received was an automated email asking me to... rate my support experience. The ticket was closed. The ban remained.

Only after I sent another, incredibly submissive email - essentially saying, "Forgive this fool, you are right about everything" - was the app finally unbanned. But the "strike" on my developer profile (verified EU company), which affects my app's visibility, remains.

And that's when I made my decision.

I am done being at the mercy of opaque algorithms and humiliating procedures.

Let's just compare two models:

• The country where I live takes 22% of my app's NET profit. For that money, I get roads, security, military, healthcare, and transparent laws. I can challenge any official's decision in a court of law and receive a reasoned judgment.

• Google/Apple take 15-30% of my app's GROSS revenue. For that money, I get the risk of a sudden ban, opaque processes, and no real way to defend myself against an algorithm or an anonymous moderator having a bad day.

What exactly are we paying for?

The problem with Big Tech isn't the technology. It's the complete lack of transparency and accountability. They are an oligopoly that can destroy a business with a single click, and there are few alternatives.

So I rewrote my app. It's now a PWA.

It's no longer dependent on the stores. It's accessible via a direct link, is easy to update, and works everywhere. I have taken back control of my product.

I'm not calling for everyone to abandon native development. I still do it for my main project, Actinis, where it's truly necessary. But I am urging developers to soberly assess the risks. For me, PWA has been a breath of fresh air.

My language-learning app now lives on the web. I'd be grateful if you checked it out. It helps you practice languages through AI-powered stories. I guarantee: it will never be banned without a clear explanation 😉

Try the app here: https://toritark.com

And here is the source code for the now-abandoned "native" version: https://github.com/Toritark/toritark-mobile-app