App store submission

Submitting an app to the Apple App Store and Google Play is a genuinely separate process from building it, with its own requirements, review timelines, and, for Apple specifically, a more involved manual review than most people expect. We handle the submission process as a standard part of any build we quote, so it's not an unplanned extra step at the end of the project.

Apple's review process checks an app against a detailed set of guidelines covering everything from functionality and content to how in-app purchases and data collection are described. Reviews typically take a few days, though a first submission sometimes needs a round of minor fixes if a reviewer flags something unclear, which we account for when setting launch expectations rather than promising an exact date. Google Play's review is generally faster and less manually intensive, but still has its own set of requirements around permissions, content, and data handling that an app needs to satisfy.

Both stores require a developer account (an Apple Developer Program membership and a Google Play Developer account), each with their own annual or one-off fees, billed directly by Apple and Google rather than included in our pricing. We tell you exactly what to expect there before you commit to a plan, since it's a cost outside our control.

Beyond the initial submission, both platforms periodically change their requirements (a new privacy disclosure format, an updated minimum OS target, a new review guideline) and an app that isn't kept current can eventually be removed or blocked from updates. Store compliance is included in every app plan, so we keep the app compliant with evolving store requirements on an ongoing basis, rather than leaving you to notice a compliance issue only when the app suddenly stops being available.

If you already have an existing app store presence (an existing developer account, or an app already live that needs replacing or rebuilding), that's a normal starting point we scope around during the discovery call, rather than something that needs unwinding first. We'll tell you plainly what carries over and what needs rebuilding.