Dependencies of Firebase Android SDKs on Google Play services

Some Firebase Android SDKs depend on Google Play services, which means they will only run on devices and emulators with Google Play services installed. These Firebase SDKs communicate with the Google Play services background service on the device to provide a secure, up-to-date, and lightweight API to your app. Certain Android devices, such as Amazon Kindle Fire devices or those sold in some regions, do not have Google Play services installed.

Which Firebase Android SDKs require Google Play services?

Firebase SDKs can be divided into three categories:

  • Play services required — These SDKs require Google Play services, otherwise they have no functionality.
  • Play services recommended — These SDKs require Google Play services to have full functionality, but they still offer most functionality even without Google Play services.
  • Play services not required — These SDKS do not require Google Play services to have full functionality.

The tables below are accurate only for the latest release of each SDK. Some older versions may have stricter requirements.

Google Play services not required

Product Library Google Play services?
Firebase AI Logic 1 com.google.firebase:firebase-ai:17.2.0 Not Required
App Check custom and debug providers com.google.firebase:firebase-appcheck:19.0.0
com.google.firebase:firebase-appcheck-debug:19.0.0
Not Required
App Distribution API com.google.firebase:firebase-appdistribution-api:16.0.0-beta16 Not Required
App Distribution com.google.firebase:firebase-appdistribution:16.0.0-beta16 Not Required
Authentication com.google.firebase:firebase-auth:24.0.1 Not Required
Cloud Firestore com.google.firebase:firebase-firestore:26.0.0 Not Required
Cloud Functions for Firebase Client SDK com.google.firebase:firebase-functions:22.0.0 Not Required
Cloud Storage for Firebase com.google.firebase:firebase-storage:22.0.0 Not Required
Crashlytics com.google.firebase:firebase-crashlytics:20.0.1 Not Required
Data Connect com.google.firebase:firebase-dataconnect:17.0.0 Not Required
In-App Messaging com.google.firebase:firebase-inappmessaging:22.0.0 Not Required
In-App Messaging Display com.google.firebase:firebase-inappmessaging-display:22.0.0 Not Required
Firebase installations com.google.firebase:firebase-installations:19.0.0 Not Required
Performance Monitoring com.google.firebase:firebase-perf:22.0.1 Not Required
Realtime Database com.google.firebase:firebase-database:22.0.0 Not Required
Remote Config com.google.firebase:firebase-config:23.0.0 Not Required
DEPRECATED OR UNSUPPORTED LIBRARIES

Firebase KTX modules - no longer supported

App Check Do not use; KTX module libraries are no longer supported.
com.google.firebase:firebase-appcheck-ktx:18.0.0
Not Required
App Distribution API Do not use; KTX module libraries are no longer supported.
com.google.firebase:firebase-appdistribution-api-ktx:16.0.0-beta15
Not Required
Authentication Do not use; KTX module libraries are no longer supported.
com.google.firebase:firebase-auth-ktx:23.2.1
Not Required
Cloud Firestore Do not use; KTX module libraries are no longer supported.
com.google.firebase:firebase-firestore-ktx:25.1.4
Not Required
Cloud Functions for Firebase Client SDK Do not use; KTX module libraries are no longer supported.
com.google.firebase:firebase-functions-ktx:21.2.1
Not Required
Cloud Storage for Firebase Do not use; KTX module libraries are no longer supported.
com.google.firebase:firebase-storage-ktx:21.0.2
Not Required
Crashlytics Do not use; KTX module libraries are no longer supported.
com.google.firebase:firebase-crashlytics-ktx:19.4.4
Not Required
In-App Messaging Do not use; KTX module libraries are no longer supported.
com.google.firebase:firebase-inappmessaging-ktx:21.0.2
com.google.firebase:firebase-inappmessaging-display-ktx:21.0.2
Not Required
Firebase installations Do not use; KTX module libraries are no longer supported.
com.google.firebase:firebase-installations-ktx:18.0.0
Not Required
Performance Monitoring Do not use; KTX module libraries are no longer supported.
com.google.firebase:firebase-perf-ktx:21.0.5
Not Required
Realtime Database Do not use; KTX module libraries are no longer supported.
com.google.firebase:firebase-database-ktx:21.0.0
Not Required
Remote Config Do not use; KTX module libraries are no longer supported.
com.google.firebase:firebase-config-ktx:22.1.2
Not Required

1 Firebase AI Logic was formerly called "Vertex AI in Firebase" with the package com.google.firebase:firebase-vertexai.

Product Library Google Play services?
AdMob com.google.android.gms:play-services-ads:24.5.0 Recommended 2
Analytics com.google.firebase:firebase-analytics:23.0.0 Recommended 2
App Check Play Integrity provider com.google.firebase:firebase-appcheck-playintegrity:19.0.0 Required
App Indexing com.google.firebase:firebase-appindexing:20.0.0 Required
Cloud Messaging com.google.firebase:firebase-messaging:25.0.0 Required
Dynamic Links com.google.firebase:firebase-dynamic-links:22.1.0 Required
Firebase ML Vision com.google.firebase:firebase-ml-vision:24.1.0 Required
Firebase ML Custom Model com.google.firebase:firebase-ml-model-interpreter:22.0.4 Required
DEPRECATED OR UNSUPPORTED LIBRARIES

Firebase KTX modules - no longer supported

Analytics Do not use; KTX module libraries are no longer supported.
com.google.firebase:firebase-analytics-ktx:22.5.0
Recommended 2
Cloud Messaging Do not use; KTX module libraries are no longer supported.
com.google.firebase:firebase-messaging-ktx:24.1.2
Required
Dynamic Links Do not use; KTX module libraries are no longer supported.
com.google.firebase:firebase-dynamic-links-ktx:22.1.0
Required

2 The Firebase SDK for Google Analytics can send events on any device, but some automatic insights such as demographics are only available on devices with Google Play services.