Twelve and a half years after its public launch, Conversations is now free. Developer Daniel Gultsch says F-Droid has become the app’s primary distribution channel. That does not mean the app had already disappeared from Google Play: on September 26, 2026, its public listing still showed a free install.
In a post published on September 24, 2026, Gultsch explains why he no longer wants Conversations to depend on Google Play revenue. He says F-Droid has become the primary distribution channel and that the app is free. The post also says grant funding is secured through the end of 2029.
TL;DR: Conversations is free, and F-Droid is now its primary distribution channel. Gultsch says the project no longer depends on Google Play revenue and has grant funding through the end of 2029. The public Google Play listing still showed a free install on September 26, 2026.
Why Is Conversations Changing Its Google Play Business Model?
Gultsch’s September 24 post, “Breaking Up with Google Play: Why Conversations Is Now Free,” describes a change in the project’s relationship with the store, not a confirmed delisting. He says F-Droid is now the primary distribution method. When checked on September 26, the public Google Play page still listed Conversations with a free install.
Gultsch cites repeated update rejections, a 14-day review wait at the time of writing, delays that can hold up security updates, and the lack of access to a human support contact. He also says Google takes a 15% cut of app sales, amounting to more than €1,000 a year in Google service costs for him.
Gultsch says grant funding is secured through the end of 2029 and names support opportunities involving NLnet and the European Commission. That funding helps explain why the project no longer depends economically on Play Store revenue. The post does not give a date for removing the app listing from Google Play.
The announcement does not give a specific Google Play removal date. In fact, the public Google Play listing still showed the app as free to install on September 26, 2026. The post describes Gultsch’s reasons for changing the business and distribution model, including his difficulties with Google’s review process.
What Is Conversations and Who Is Behind It?
Conversations is a messaging client for the XMPP protocol — a federated messaging standard — designed for Android. Coverage of the announcement describes it exactly that way: “a federated XMPP messaging client for Android.”
The project belongs to Daniel Gultsch, who published his explanation of the distribution and business-model change on his personal site under the Software section of gultsch.de. He has been the public face and decision-maker behind the app.
What does “federated” mean in practice? Unlike closed messaging networks where one company controls every account, XMPP is a protocol that different servers can speak. Anyone can run a server, and users on different servers can still message each other. Conversations is the Android client that connects to such servers.
The 12-year figure gives a sense of the project’s longevity. An app that has been on Google Play since roughly 2014 has outlasted countless messaging products that launched, raised money, and shut down. That endurance is part of why the announcement attracted attention beyond the XMPP community.
The sources don’t provide download counts, user numbers, or a full feature list, so any claims about the app’s scale would be speculation. What’s documented is the app’s identity, its protocol, its platform, and its author.
How Can Users Get Conversations Now?
Conversations is distributed primarily through F-Droid, the alternative Android app repository. Gultsch says F-Droid has become the primary method of distribution; “primary” does not mean exclusive, and the Google Play page still showed a free install on September 26, 2026.
F-Droid is an independent catalog of Android applications with its own client and build process. Conversations was already available there; Gultsch says he previously did not promote its free F-Droid version because he wanted users to choose the paid Play Store version. He now describes F-Droid as the primary channel.
The word “primarily” leaves room for other distribution paths. The announcement does not provide a delisting date or a schedule for future updates through Google Play. At the time of this check, however, the public listing remained available as a free install.
New users can install Conversations through F-Droid, which Gultsch identifies as the primary channel. They can also check the current Google Play listing, since it was still available for free when this article was updated.
One honest gap: the sources don’t describe how updates will be handled day-to-day after the switch, or whether in-app update mechanisms are involved. Readers should treat those operational details as undocumented in the available coverage.
What Does ‘Now Free’ Mean for Existing Buyers?
“Now free” means Conversations can be obtained without paying for the app. Gultsch’s post says so in its title, and the public Google Play listing also showed a free install on September 26, 2026.
For people who previously paid for Conversations on Google Play, the natural question is whether anything changes for existing installations. Gultsch’s post does not describe refunds or a buyer-specific update policy. It does say that F-Droid is now the primary distribution channel; the Google Play listing was still free to install when checked on September 26.
Here’s the honest limit of the available material: Gultsch does not explain refund mechanics or how updates for existing buyers will work. The public listing was still visible as a free install on September 26, 2026. What the announcement does state is that the app is free and F-Droid is the primary channel.
There is a clear change in the business model: Play Store revenue is no longer necessary for the project’s financial stability, and the app is free. That does not, by itself, establish that the Google Play listing has been removed; it was still available as a free install on the date checked.
Until Gultsch provides more detail about existing purchases and updates, the safest reading is that Conversations is free and F-Droid is the primary channel, while the Google Play page remained available as a free listing on September 26, 2026.
How Is the Project Funded Without Google Play Revenue?
The project’s funding no longer depends on Google Play revenue. Gultsch says he has secure grant funding through the end of 2029, which is the time horizon stated in his post.
Gultsch names grant funding opportunities involving NLnet and the European Commission. He also says Google takes a 15% cut on app sales, which means he pays more than €1,000 per year for Google’s services. The post does not provide a complete breakdown of all project income or the total value of its grants.
The distinction matters: Gultsch describes a shift toward grant income and says funding is secured through the end of 2029. Other possibilities, such as donations or sponsorships, should not be assumed unless the project confirms them.
What can be said with confidence: Gultsch connects the change to reduced dependence on Play revenue and says grant funding is secured through the end of 2029. The post does not announce a date for removing the Google Play listing.
The post does not give a complete itemized financial picture or predict what funding will follow 2029. Readers seeking the full account can read Gultsch’s original post at gultsch.de.
Why Did Google Play Matter Less Over Time?
Google Play mattered less because Conversations no longer depends on the revenue it generated there. In his September 24, 2026 post, Gultsch says grants have become more important and that he has secure funding through the end of 2029. F-Droid is now the primary distribution channel, although the Google Play listing still showed a free install when checked two days later.
Gultsch describes repeated update rejections, a 14-day review wait, delayed security updates, difficulty reaching a human support contact, and Google’s 15% cut. He says the fee represented more than €1,000 a year in Google service costs for him. With grant funding available, the economic trade-off changed.
The announcement’s title uses the phrase “breaking up.” It describes the end of economic dependence on Google Play, not a confirmed removal date for the app listing. Gultsch says F-Droid has become the primary distribution method and that funding is secured through 2029.
For a project built around open, federated communication, making F-Droid the primary channel is consistent with its open-source identity. The available evidence supports a shift in priority, not an assertion that the Google Play listing has already disappeared.
What Is XMPP and Why Does It Matter Here?
XMPP is a federated messaging protocol, and Conversations is an XMPP client for Android. That description helps explain why the distribution change attracted attention among people who follow open-source and federated software.
Federation means no single company controls the network. Anyone can run a server, and those servers can talk to each other. The philosophy behind the app is fundamentally decentralized, which sits awkwardly with distribution through one company’s centralized store.
A proprietary app store and a federated protocol have different governance models. The Play Store is centrally controlled, while XMPP allows independent servers to communicate. Gultsch’s post discusses his experience with Google’s review process and revenue dependence; it does not say that XMPP is inherently incompatible with Google Play.
The sources do not provide a detailed technical explanation of XMPP’s history or mechanics, so it’s best not to speculate beyond what the coverage states: Conversations is a federated XMPP messaging client for Android, and making F-Droid the primary channel aligns distribution with that federated, open-source identity.
Should Other Independent Developers Follow the Same Path?
Maybe — but only if they can replace the money. The central lesson from the announcement is that Conversations could reduce its dependence on Google Play because grant funding is secured through the end of 2029. Gultsch says F-Droid has become the primary channel; the Play listing still showed a free install on September 26, 2026.
That ordering matters. Changing a primary distribution channel without a funding plan can put a project at risk. Gultsch’s post connects the shift to grant funding and to his experience with Google’s review process and fees.
For developers considering a similar move, the questions are practical:
- Does store revenue still cover a meaningful share of project costs?
- Can an alternative channel, such as F-Droid, reach the same users?
- Is the app’s identity tied to openness in a way the store conflicts with?
- Are there funding sources that do not require a marketplace middleman?
- Can the project survive the transition period with reduced visibility?
Conversations has twelve and a half years of public history. Not every project has that cushion. The sources do not claim the change will work for everyone, and the long-term outcome is not yet known — financing is secured through 2029, but results remain to be seen.
What Happens to Users Who Bought the Play Store Version?
The sources do not describe the specific fate of existing paid installations, and honest reporting requires saying so. Gultsch does not state whether buyers receive refunds or how updates to existing installations will work.
What the sources do establish is that the app is free and F-Droid is now the primary distribution channel. The Google Play page still showed the app as free to install on September 26, 2026, so users should check both current options rather than assume the store listing has been removed.
Has the Google Play listing been removed? No: the public listing still showed a free install on September 26, 2026. Gultsch’s post does not give a future removal date or transition instructions for existing customers.
That gap is worth flagging rather than filling with guesses. Gultsch’s full post explains his reasoning, but does not provide a detailed refund or migration FAQ for previous buyers.
What Comes Next for Conversations After the Split?
The near-term picture is clear: Conversations is free, F-Droid is the primary channel, and Gultsch says grant funding is secured through the end of 2029. The public Google Play listing remained available as a free install on September 26, 2026.
What the sources do not state is a product roadmap. There is no information in the provided material about upcoming features, release schedules, or changes to how the app itself works. The decision described is about distribution and funding, not about the software’s functionality.
The strategic direction is readable from the move itself. An XMPP client for Android making an open repository its primary distribution channel signals a commitment to the project’s federated roots, while the app was still listed on Google Play as free when checked.
Will the change pay off? The financing provides a runway, but the sources do not report user numbers, revenue targets, or success metrics. Gultsch describes a shift in business and distribution, while the app remained listed as free on Google Play when checked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is F-Droid now the primary channel for Conversations?
Daniel Gultsch says F-Droid has become the app’s primary distribution channel and that Conversations no longer depends on Google Play revenue. He cites problems with Google’s review process and grant funding secured through the end of 2029. The Google Play listing still showed a free install on September 26, 2026.
Is the Conversations app free now?
Yes. Gultsch’s announcement says Conversations is now free, and F-Droid is its primary distribution channel. The public Google Play listing also showed a free install on September 26, 2026.
Where can I download Conversations now?
Gultsch says F-Droid is now the primary distribution channel. The app was also still available as a free install on Google Play when checked on September 26, 2026; see the current Play listing for its latest status.
What is Conversations and what protocol does it use?
Conversations is a messaging client for Android that uses XMPP, a federated messaging protocol. The federation means servers operated by different parties can communicate with each other. The project has been publicly available since March 2014, twelve and a half years before Gultsch’s September 2026 post.
Summary
- Conversations, an XMPP messaging client for Android, is now free, and F-Droid is its primary distribution channel.
- The app is now free of charge, with distribution moving primarily to F-Droid.
- Gultsch says the project no longer depends on Google Play revenue and has grant funding secured through the end of 2029.
- The decision aligns the app’s distribution with its federated, open-source identity.
- Details about refunds and updates for existing buyers are not covered in the available sources; the public Google Play listing still showed a free install on September 26, 2026.
If you use Conversations, read Gultsch’s full post, check the current Google Play listing, and consider F-Droid as the primary channel identified by the developer.