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APK vs AAB (Android App Bundle)

A side-by-side feature comparison.

Summary

APK is the file Android devices actually install. AAB is the upload format Google Play asks developers for, then converts into per-device APKs at install time. The split makes downloads smaller for users but means you can no longer sideload directly from the bundle.

Bottom line: AAB for Play Store distribution. APK for sideloading and self-hosted distribution.

Feature comparison

Feature APK (Android package) AAB (Android App Bundle)
Installable directly Yes No — needs bundletool
Per-device optimization No Yes (split APKs)
App size on device Larger Smaller
Required by Play Store Optional Required for new apps
Signing APK signing Play App Signing keys
Self-hosted distribution Easy Convert to .apks first

About APK (Android package)

An APK is the package format Android uses to install apps. Internally it is a signed ZIP file containing compiled DEX bytecode, native libraries, resources, and an AndroidManifest.xml. APK Signature Scheme v2/v3/v4 protects the file with cryptographic signatures appended after the ZIP central directory.

Read the full APK (Android package) guide →

About AAB (Android App Bundle)

AAB (Android App Bundle) is the format Google requires for new Play Store submissions since August 2021. It is a ZIP-based publishing format from which Google generates per-device APKs, keeping installed app size much smaller than a universal APK.

Read the full AAB (Android App Bundle) guide →

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