Closed Testing vs Open Testing: What to Choose
Open testing is easier to set up, but it does not satisfy the production access requirement. Here is why closed testing is the only path that counts.
Open testing is the default in Play Console. Anyone with the Play Store link can join, which makes it convenient for early feedback. But open testing does not satisfy the production access requirement. Google specifically asks for a closed test with 12 testers who have opted in continuously for 14 days.
The reason is control. A closed test has a defined roster, an opt-in link that only the testers you share it with can use, and a track that only those testers can join. That control is what lets Google verify that real people used the app, rather than anyone who stumbled on the store listing.
Open testing is still useful for early feedback, bug reports, and crash monitoring. It is just not useful for the production access requirement. The two tracks serve different purposes, and the requirement explicitly asks for the closed one.
If you want to run both, that is fine. Run open testing for feedback and closed testing for compliance. Just make sure the closed test is the one that satisfies the requirement, with the correct package name, the correct opt-in link, and a roster that stays filled for the full 14 days.
If this matches your situation
12Tests assigns 12 real Android testers within hours, runs the full 14-day window, and delivers a written report you can paste into Google's production access questionnaire. One-time payment per app, no subscription.