Hey guys,

Just saw the new "Trader status declaration" banner in Google Play Console (the one with the Feb 2027 deadline). Read through the support docs, but I’m still a bit lost on how this actually impacts solo developers with individual/personal accounts.

Mainly concerned about the privacy side of things. From what I understand:

  1. Does having ads make you a Trader? If my apps are free to download but monetize through AdMob banners/interstitials, does that automatically force me into the "Trader" bucket? Or is it strictly for paid apps / IAPs?
  2. Address & phone number privacy: If I select Trader on a personal account, will Google literally publish my home address and phone number on the store listing in the EU/UK? I really don't want my residential address floating around publicly on the internet.
  3. What are you guys actually selecting? For those of you running solo with free ad-supported apps, did you pick Trader or Non-Trader?
  4. If you chose Trader, how did you deal with the address issue? Did you switch to an organization account, use a virtual office/PO box, or just exclude EU countries altogether?

Would love to hear from anyone who has already dealt with this or figured out a clean workaround. Cheers!

submitted by /u/nitinkanade
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