Build for Instant Access: Creating Android Instant Apps to Improve User Conversion

In today’s mobile-first world, speed isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s everything. Every tap, second, or redirect is a chance to lose a potential user. For Android apps, one of the biggest drop-off points in the funnel is the Play Store itself: asking users to pause what they’re doing, go to the store, install your app, and then open it again. It’s too much friction.

That’s where Android Instant Apps come in.

What are Android instant apps?

Android Instant Apps (technically, “Google Play Instant Apps”) let users run your app without installing it from the Play Store. They tap a link — maybe from your site, a search result, or an ad — and they’re immediately launched into your app experience. No install. No delay. No friction.

It’s like magic: an app that works like a webpage, but still feels native.

But how does it work under the hood?

How instant apps work

To build an Instant App, you’re essentially modularizing your app. Android requires a specific project structure so that it can serve only the necessary parts of your app — keeping the download payload under the strict size limits set by Google Play (currently 15MB for each instant experience).

Here’s the breakdown:

1. The base module

This is the foundation of your app. It contains shared code and resources that are used across all other modules — both your installable app and your instant app experience. Think: utility classes, common layouts, shared assets, network clients, and most importantly—Rownd authentication!

The base module should be small and lean, as its contents will be bundled with all other modules.

2. Feature modules

These are the functional slices of your app. You should have:

• Instant Feature Modules: These are the parts of your app that users can run instantly. In addition to instant authentication with Rownd, include a personalized welcome or a limited experience that gets them engaged fast. You’ll need at least one of these.
  
  

• Installed Feature Modules: These are the full experiences that only activate once the user installs your app from the Play Store. These are optional.
  
  

By splitting your app this way, Google Play can deliver only the code and resources required to run the instant experience, keeping size minimal and loading fast.

3. The installed app module

This is your full app, the traditional installable APK that users get from the Play Store. It references the base module and any installed feature modules.

You can also hook your instant experience into this module — for example, if a user taps a button to “Unlock more,” you can trigger a seamless install flow that transitions them to the full app without losing state or context.

You can find an example of this configuration in our GitHub repository.

Why build an instant app?

One word: conversion.

Let’s say you’re a fintech startup or a social platform. You send a user a personalized referral link. They tap it. Normally, they’d be sent to the Play Store and asked to install your app. That’s where many drop off.

With an instant app, the link brings them directly into the experience — and with Rownd, automatically signs them in! You can authenticate them before asking for the install. This makes it more likely they’ll complete the funnel and become active users. And if they don’t, you now have more context to re-engage them later.

At Rownd, we’ve seen how this kind of seamless authentication and engagement can significantly improve user retention and reduce drop-off. Instant Apps give you the power to meet users where they are — instantly.

Tips for Success

• Keep it lean: Every KB matters. Avoid large assets and unnecessary libraries in your instant feature modules.
  
  

• Design for quick actions: Your instant app should do one thing well — get users signed in, then capture intent, onboard them simply, or push them to the full app.
  
  

• Test your modules independently: Modularization can introduce complexity. Make sure each feature module is fully functional on its own.
  
  

Final Thoughts

Building an Instant App takes some up-front architectural planning, but the payoff is worth it. You reduce friction, capture user intent faster, and boost conversions — all while offering a native experience.

If your goal is to grow users quickly, especially for high-intent use cases like authentication or onboarding, Android Instant Apps are one of the best tools at your disposal.

Want to learn more about how Rownd supports Android Instant apps to enhance authentication and conversion rates? Check out our docs.