Hey everyone, Happy Showcase Saturday!
Over the past couple of years, I’ve managed to get 14 apps into production on Google Play as a solo indie developer. Going through the Play Console process so many times taught me two major lessons:
Coordinating Google's mandatory 14-day closed testing with 12–20 testers is by far the biggest operational headache for solo builders.
Building focused, utility-driven tools with clean UI consistently gets better long-term retention than bloated projects.
For Showcase Saturday, I wanted to share the 2 recent tools I built (both using Flutter) to solve problems I ran into while building:
---
### 1. DeviceLab12 (14-Day Closed Testing Companion)
After failing closed testing on an earlier project because friends forgot to open the app and dropped out midway, I got tired of chasing people down on WhatsApp and spreadsheets. I built **DeviceLab12** to streamline the closed testing phase:
* **For Devs:** Connects your closed track and Google Group, tracks tester assignments, and keeps progress organized in one central dashboard.
* **For Testers:** Lets testers access Play Store testing links and submit structured daily reports and bug feedback with proof.
* **The Goal:** Making sure testing activity is actually documented so developers have real feedback to cite when applying for production access.
---
### 2. Teleprompter & AI Speech Coach
While creating video demos, walkthroughs, and onboarding videos for my apps, I couldn't find a lightweight teleprompter that wasn't locked behind an expensive $15/month subscription.
* Built a floating, customizable teleprompter designed for smooth camera recording.
* Added AI-assisted speech pacing and coaching cues to help practice natural delivery without freezing or stumbling over scripts.
* Great for solo devs recording store previews, video creators, or students practicing pitches.
---
### Tech Stack & Architecture:
* **Frontend:** Flutter across both apps (custom responsive layouts, Provider state management)
* **Backend:** Firebase (Auth, Firestore, Cloud Functions)
* **Key Focus:** Fast load times, zero UI bloat, and minimal permissions.
Would love to get feedback on the workflows and UX from fellow developers!
For those of you who have multiple apps in production, how are you currently managing the 14-day testing cycle across your releases?