From "Where should we go today?" to Google Play suspension: My unexpected journey building the travel app

The Problem That Started It All

I travel constantly, and I'll admit it - I'm terrible at planning. Every single trip, I'd bombard my wife with the same questions: "What time is our flight?" "Where did you save that hotel confirmation?" "What are we doing today?"

After years of this routine, she finally snapped: "If you ask me one more time where we're going, you're making your own travel app!"

Challenge accepted. Little did I know what I was getting into.

Building the Solution

I dove into React Native with Expo and Instant DB, focusing on solving my actual problem: a dead-simple travel planner that even I couldn't mess up. No bells and whistles - just quick itineraries, document storage, offline access, and collaboration so my wife could actually contribute instead of fielding my constant questions.

The development went smoothly. My wife tested every feature (she had strong opinions about the UI), and after months of iterations, we had something that genuinely solved our travel chaos.

Real-World Testing in the Dolomites

The real proof came during our recent trip to the Dolomites. We put Lovotrip through its paces while hiking between mountain huts, dealing with spotty cell service, and coordinating multiple hiking routes. The offline functionality was clutch - we could access all our trail maps, Airbnb reservations, grocery shops, and daily plans even when completely disconnected.

My wife actually used the collaboration features to update our itinerary in real-time as we discovered new trails and changed plans on the fly. For the first time in years of traveling together, I didn't ask "what's next?" every five minutes. The app had all our answers.

The App Store Success

Apple's review process was straightforward. Lovotrip got approved without issues, and we started getting users who appreciated the simplicity-focused approach. Everything was going according to plan.

Then Came Google Play

Here's where things got interesting. Google Play rejected my submission and requested login credentials for testing. But here's the catch - Lovotrip only uses Google Sign-In authentication. There are no separate app credentials to provide.

I explained this in my appeal: "Reviewers can use the Google Sign-In button with their own accounts. The app has a 3-day trial, so full functionality is accessible for testing."

Google's response? They suspended my app entirely.

The Contradiction

Think about this for a moment: Google's own security guidelines advise against sharing account credentials, yet their Play Store review process seemed to require exactly that. I refused to violate Google's own Gmail security policies just to pass their app review.

The Lesson Learned

After researching this issue, I discovered I'm not alone. Many developers face this OAuth authentication review challenge. The "solution" seems to be creating dummy credentials that violate Google's security principles, or accepting suspension and resubmitting with a new app name.

I chose to stick with Apple for now while I figure out the Google Play maze.

Current Status

Lovotrip is thriving on iOS. My wife no longer gets pestered with travel questions (relationship saved!), and we're helping other travelers simplify their planning process. The irony isn't lost on me that Google suspended a travel app that uses their own sign-in technology.

For Fellow SaaS Builders

If you're building apps with OAuth authentication, be prepared for this Google Play review challenge. Document your authentication flow clearly, and provide creds from first app submit.

Sometimes the most unexpected problems come from the platforms we depend on, not the technical challenges we anticipate.

The Silver Lining

My wife's frustrated comment led to a SaaS that's actually solving real problems for travelers. Sometimes the best business ideas come from the most mundane daily frustrations.

And yes, she finally admits the app was worth all those annoying questions.

P.S. Happy to share our Dolomites hiking video if anyone's curious about how we used the app during the trip - just let me know!