Hey everyone,

I wanted to come back here and say thank you.

After a few weeks of testing, fixes, and learning the Play Console the hard way, my app MantraMala – Counter & Timer is now live on Google Play 🎉
This wouldn’t have happened without help from Reddit testers and fellow indie devs.

Play Store link:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mantramala.timer

A quick note about the app

MantraMala is a simple meditation utility — nothing fancy:

• Mantra Counter + Timer
• No ads, no accounts, no tracking
• Works fully offline
• All data stays on the device
• Calm, distraction-free UI

I built it for my own daily practice first, then decided to polish it enough to share publicly.

Beta testing — thank you 🙏

Some quick numbers from testing:

• 63 testers installed the app
• 67 device acquisitions
• 56 first opens
• 69 monthly active users
• Tested across Android 11 → Android 16 (including beta)
• Devices ranged from Pixels to Redmi, Realme, Motorola, Nothing, Vivo, etc.

The feedback was simple but encouraging — things like “clean UI,” “peaceful,” “works well,” and a couple of real bug reports that genuinely helped.

Things I learned (sharing in case it helps someone else)

1. Set up a Google Group early — and make it public

This was my biggest mistake at the start.

Closed testing becomes much easier if you:

• Create a public Google Group
• Let testers self-join
• Avoid managing emails manually
• Easily meet Google’s 14-day testing requirement

I struggled with this initially, then figured it out and later wrote a step-by-step guide that helped others too:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AndroidClosedTesting/comments/1ptyqc5/stepbystep_instructions_to_create_a_google_group/

If you’re about to start closed testing — seriously, do this first.

2. Test other developers’ apps too

While asking people to test my app, I also spent time:

• Installing other devs’ apps
• Leaving honest, respectful feedback
• Reporting bugs without being harsh

What came out of it:

• Better feedback in return
• Actual conversations
• A few new dev friends
• Learning things Play Console docs never mention

It didn’t feel transactional — it felt like a real community.

3. Appreciate testers, even for short feedback

Not everyone writes long reviews — and that’s okay.

Someone installing your app and opening it is already giving you their time and attention, and that matters.

Final thoughts

Shipping to production feels good — but honestly, the best part was:

• Learning from mistakes
• Getting help from strangers
• Realizing most devs are happy to help if you’re respectful

If you’re:

• Struggling with closed testing
• Confused about Play Console rules
• Looking for testers

Feel free to ask. I’m happy to give back the way others helped me.

Thanks again ❤️
Good luck to everyone building and shipping.

Thanks and Regards,

Quiet Forge Studio

🌐 https://quietforgestudio.org

✉️ support@quietforgestudio.org