Get Google Play's 12 testers from Cursor, Claude Code or VS Code (MCP)

You built the Android app with Cursor or Claude Code in a weekend. Then Google Play stops you: a new personal developer account needs a closed test with 12 testers opted in for 14 days before you can apply for production.

You can set that up without leaving your editor. Tester Exchange has a remote MCP server, so your coding agent can list the app, open the test and track progress for you.

1. Get an API key

Sign in at testerexchange.com and create a key at testerexchange.com/api. That page also has one-click Cursor and VS Code buttons with your key filled in. Without a key, only the public tools (about, pricing, platform stats) work.

2. Connect your agent

Cursor (~/.cursor/mcp.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "tester-exchange": {
      "url": "https://vvrlxzbngxfxddywidoq.supabase.co/functions/v1/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer tx_YOUR_TOKEN" }
    }
  }
}

Claude Code:

claude mcp add --transport http tester-exchange \
  https://vvrlxzbngxfxddywidoq.supabase.co/functions/v1/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer tx_YOUR_TOKEN"

VS Code (.vscode/mcp.json):

{
  "servers": {
    "tester-exchange": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://vvrlxzbngxfxddywidoq.supabase.co/functions/v1/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer tx_YOUR_TOKEN" }
    }
  }
}

Windsurf, Gemini CLI and other clients: snippets are on the agents page. Clients that only accept a URL can pass ?token=tx_YOUR_TOKEN.

3. Ask for testers

Then just tell your agent something like:

Get 12 testers for com.example.myapp

The agent calls get_testers, which adds the app, opens its test, applies your credits and returns what's left to do (for example, adding the testers' Google group to your closed-testing track in Play Console).

Useful follow-ups:

• campaign_report: testers, daily activity, feedback, and data for the production-access questions
• start_friends_test: free; friends join from your share link, and fill_from_exchange fills only the seats they leave open
• my_apps / my_account: status and credits

Free or paid

The default is a free swap: you install other developers' apps from your phone, and the same number install yours. If you'd rather not test, the agent can return checkout links for credits (buy_credits_links); a human always completes the payment.

After 14 days

Once 12+ testers have stayed opted in for 14 days, apply for production access in Play Console. This guide covers when you can apply.

Questions or a client that doesn't work? Ask in the comments.