Watch out, Google Play’s Early Access could become a breeding ground for malicious apps — with no public reviews or ratings, what could go wrong?
Google Play is a go-to for downloading trustworthy apps, but this could change everything
by https://www.techradar.com/author/benedict-collins · TechRadarNews By Benedict Collins Published 10 September 2026
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- Bitdefender finds Google Play Early Access platform could give malicious apps an easy breeding ground
- User reviews and ratings are not publicly displayed, removing the ability for users to evaluate if an app is legitimate
- Games, casinos, and utility apps are being loaded with malicious packages and downloaded thousands of times
Google has unveiled an Early Access program for the Play Store, allowing developers to list early-access apps for testing and feedback.
While great for smaller apps looking to weed out any wrinkles in their apps, Early Access also offers a lucrative way for malicious actors to lure users into downloading apps that look legitimate, but can hide malicious packages inside.
However, new research from Bitdefender notes the fact that the Early Access program hides public reviews and ratings could lead to an app ecosystem filled with scams, fake casinos, and malware-laden packages masquerading as legitimate software.
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Early Access is filled with dangerous apps
When looking for apps on the normal Play Store, one of the first things users are greeted with is an app’s rating. For fake or malicious apps, users can quickly evaluate whether or not to download the app thanks to the star rating and user reviews. While there is the potential for nefarious developers to fake reviews and ratings there is at least some ability to check if an app is legitimate.
But the Early Access system does away with public user ratings and reviews entirely. There is effectively no way for users who fall victim to a fake app to publicly warn other users not to download the app.
Add to this equation that ability for developers to show off their apps through sponsored Facebook and TikTok videos, offering outrageous rewards or using deepfakes of celebrities to entice users to install their apps.
This is especially true for fake gambling apps. Bitdefender has spotted numerous adverts for casino apps using deepfakes of well known celebrities such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Jason Statham, and Andrew Tate. These apps actively push users into the Google Play Early Access store, or direct to the apps website.
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