Huawei AppGallery Publishing & HMS Core Integration Guide

Why Publish on Huawei AppGallery?

Huawei AppGallery is the third-largest app marketplace globally with 730+ million active users. Since the US trade restrictions removed Google Play from new Huawei devices, AppGallery has become the primary app source for all Huawei and Honor users.

• 730M+ active users across 170+ countries
• Dominant in China — The only way to reach Chinese Android users (Google Play is blocked)
• Growing in Europe & Asia — Huawei still holds significant market share
• Free registration — No developer fee (both individual and enterprise)
• 85/15 revenue share — Developers keep 85% (vs. 70% on Google Play for most developers)

HMS Core vs Google Mobile Services

The biggest technical difference between Huawei and Google Play publishing is the service layer. New Huawei devices use HMS (Huawei Mobile Services) instead of GMS (Google Mobile Services).

What HMS Core Replaces

• Maps — HMS Map Kit replaces Google Maps API
• Push Notifications — HMS Push Kit replaces Firebase Cloud Messaging
• Authentication — Huawei Account Kit replaces Google Sign-In
• Analytics — HMS Analytics replaces Firebase Analytics
• In-App Purchases — HMS IAP replaces Google Play Billing
• Ads — HMS Ads Kit replaces AdMob
• ML Kit — HMS ML Kit provides similar on-device ML capabilities

Developer Registration

1. Visit developer.huawei.com and click "Register"
2. Create Huawei ID — Email verification required
3. Choose account type — Individual or Enterprise
4. Identity verification — ID document for individuals, business license for enterprises
5. Bank account — Required for monetization (supports international transfers)
6. Approval — Individual: 1-3 days. Enterprise: 3-7 days

Enterprise accounts get access to additional HMS Core services and higher API quotas. We recommend enterprise registration if you plan serious monetization.

HMS Core Integration Setup

Setting up HMS Core in your Android project:

Step 1: AppGallery Connect Configuration

Create your app in AppGallery Connect (similar to Google Play Console). Download the agconnect-services.json file and add it to your app module (equivalent to google-services.json).

Step 2: Gradle Configuration

Add the Huawei Maven repository and AGConnect plugin to your project-level and app-level build.gradle files. Huawei provides detailed documentation for each SDK.

Step 3: SDK Integration

Add the specific HMS Core SDK dependencies your app needs. Only include the kits you actually use — each kit adds 1-5MB to your APK size.

Step 4: Testing

Test on a Huawei device or use Huawei's cloud debugging service (free for registered developers). The HMS Toolkit Android Studio plugin helps identify GMS dependencies that need migration.

GMS to HMS Migration

If your app currently uses Google services, you have three migration strategies:

Strategy 1: Dual SDK (Recommended)

Maintain both GMS and HMS in the same APK. At runtime, detect whether the device has GMS or HMS and use the appropriate service. This supports all Android devices with a single binary.

Strategy 2: Separate Builds

Create separate APKs for Google Play (GMS) and AppGallery (HMS). Uses Gradle build flavors. Simpler code but requires maintaining two build configurations.

Strategy 3: HMS-Only

Full migration to HMS. Only suitable if you are targeting Huawei devices exclusively or if your app does not use many Google services.

App Submission Process

1. Log into AppGallery Connect
2. Create new app — Fill package name, category, supported devices
3. Upload APK/AAB — Huawei supports both formats
4. Complete app information — Description, screenshots, video (supports localization)
5. Privacy declaration — Similar to Google Play's Data Safety form
6. Content rating — Huawei's own rating system
7. Set pricing and distribution regions
8. Submit for review (2-5 business days)

Monetization on AppGallery

• Paid downloads — 85/15 revenue share (developer keeps 85%)
• HMS IAP — Consumables, non-consumables, and subscriptions. 85/15 split
• Huawei Ads — Banner, interstitial, rewarded, and native ads. Competitive eCPM
• Petal Ads — Huawei's advertising platform for user acquisition campaigns

Best Practices for Huawei AppGallery

1. Test on real Huawei devices — Emulators do not perfectly replicate HMS behavior
2. Localize for Chinese market — If targeting China, Simplified Chinese localization is essential
3. Use Huawei cloud testing — Free access to 300+ device models for compatibility testing
4. Implement HMS fallback — Gracefully handle cases where specific HMS kits are unavailable
5. Track both platforms — Use HMS Analytics for AppGallery and Firebase for Google Play