How to publish an app on the App Store and Google Play
On this page
Publishing is part checklist, part patience. Do the preparation while the app is still being built.
Before you start
- Developer accounts. Join the Apple Developer Program for iOS and create a Google Play Console account for Android. Use an account owned by your business, not an individual developer.
- Legal pages. A privacy policy at a public URL, and terms if relevant.
- Assets. App icon, screenshots for required device sizes, a short and long description, and keywords.
- Support details. A support email or URL and, if your app has accounts, a way to delete the account.
Publishing to the Apple App Store
- Create the app record in App Store Connect with its name, bundle ID, and category.
- Build and upload a signed release version from Xcode or your CI system.
- Distribute to testers with TestFlight and fix issues.
- Complete the listing: screenshots, description, keywords, age rating, and App Privacy answers.
- Provide a demo account if the app requires login, plus review notes.
- Submit for review and respond quickly if reviewers ask questions. Follow the App Store Review Guidelines.
Publishing to Google Play
- Create the app in the Play Console and set its category and contact details.
- Upload a signed Android App Bundle to a testing track (internal or closed) first. New personal developer accounts may need to complete a closed test before production, so check current requirements.
- Complete the store listing, content rating questionnaire, and the Data safety form.
- Confirm you meet the current target API level requirement.
- Roll out to production, ideally a small percentage first.
See Google’s official Play Console help for current rules.
After you submit
Expect questions or rejections and treat them as normal. Fix what is requested, resubmit, and keep a launch buffer. Once live, improve discoverability with our App Store Optimization guide and plan your promotion.
Store listing checklist
Prepare these before you submit so review is not delayed.
| Item | Apple App Store | Google Play |
|---|---|---|
| App name and subtitle / short description | Yes | Yes |
| Full description | Yes | Yes |
| Icon | 1024 x 1024 | 512 x 512 |
| Screenshots | Required for the device sizes you support | Phone screenshots, plus tablet if supported |
| Feature graphic or preview video | Optional preview video | Feature graphic 1024 x 500 |
| Privacy policy URL | Required | Required |
| Privacy disclosures | App Privacy details | Data safety form |
| Age or content rating | Age rating questionnaire | Content rating questionnaire |
| Support contact | Required | Required |
| Test account for reviewers | If login is needed | If login is needed |
Image sizes and requirements change, so confirm them in App Store Connect and the Play Console.
Why apps get rejected, and how to avoid it
- Crashes or bugs in review. Test the release build on real devices.
- Broken or missing login for reviewers. Provide a working demo account and notes.
- Incomplete content. No placeholder text, empty screens, or “coming soon” features.
- Misleading descriptions or screenshots. Show real functionality.
- Privacy mismatches. Your disclosure forms and privacy policy must match actual data use.
- Payments outside the rules. Digital goods and subscriptions usually must use store billing.
- User-generated content without moderation. Provide reporting and blocking.
If you are rejected, read the message carefully, fix the issue, and reply in the review thread. It is a normal part of publishing.
A staged release plan
- Internal testing with your team.
- Closed beta with invited testers.
- Soft launch to a smaller market or a small percentage of users to catch issues.
- Full release once crash rates and feedback look healthy.
- Post-launch: monitor reviews daily for the first weeks and ship a quick fix update if needed.
After approval
Announce the launch to your waitlist and customers, link directly to your store pages, and ask happy users for ratings. Connect your pages to your analytics so you can see which channels bring installs.
Launch-day checklist
- Crash reporting and analytics are on.
- Support email is monitored.
- Store listing text and screenshots are final.
- Backend capacity and monitoring are ready.
- A plan exists for the first update.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to publish an app?
At the time of writing, Apple's developer program costs $99 per year and Google Play charges a one-time $25 registration fee. Check the stores for current prices.
How long does app review take?
Apple reviews are often completed within a day or two, and Google Play review times vary. First submissions and apps with issues can take longer, so leave buffer time.
Why do apps get rejected?
Common reasons are crashes, incomplete features or content, missing privacy information, misleading descriptions, and not following platform guidelines.
Do I need a company to publish an app?
Individuals can publish, but organization accounts add credibility and may avoid extra testing requirements on Google Play. Requirements change, so check the current rules.
Need help with this? Tell us what you're building and we'll reply within one business day with a clear plan and price.