How to publish an app on the App Store and Google Play: steps, review and lessons learned
The part of launch nobody puts in the plan, told by a team that went through it with its own app.
What do you need before you publish an app?
Accounts, paperwork and a finished build, all lined up before launch day. The list looks administrative, but each missing item blocks submission or triggers a rejection, and every day lost here is a day without users.
- Developer accounts with Apple and Google, ideally in the company's name, so the organisation appears as the seller.
- A public privacy policy: Google also requires it to complete the Data safety section, which every app must fill in, even apps that collect no data at all.
- Data disclosures in App Store Connect and Play Console that match what the app really does, third-party SDKs included.
- Trader status if you distribute on the App Store in the EU: under the Digital Services Act Apple verifies and displays the seller's address, phone number and email on the product page.
- Listing assets: name, description, screenshots in the required sizes, icon, category, age rating.
- A demo account for reviewers if the app has a login, with the backend live and believable test data.
How do you publish an app on the App Store?
App Store, step by step
Enrol in the Apple Developer Program
Companies need a legal entity and a D-U-N-S Number; allow extra days if you do not have one yet.
Create the app in App Store Connect
Name, bundle identifier, primary language. Names must be available, so check yours early.
Fill in the listing and privacy details
Description, screenshots, keywords, age rating, privacy policy link and data collection details. Guideline 2.3 expects all of it to reflect the app's real experience.
Upload a build and test with TestFlight
Internal testers first, then external ones; the first build for external testers is reviewed too.
Submit for review
Add notes for the reviewer: demo credentials, where in-app purchases live, anything that needs special hardware or a location.
Release
Once approved, release immediately or schedule it yourself, for instance to coincide with a launch event.
90%
Apple adds that incomplete submissions take longer or fail. For a critical bug fix or an imminent event you can request an expedited review, with a reason; treat it as an exception, not a schedule.
How do you publish an app on Google Play?
Google Play, step by step
Open a Play Console account
A one-off 25-dollar fee and identity verification; choose a personal or an organisation account.
Complete app content and the store listing
Privacy policy, Data safety, content rating, target audience, ads declaration, then listing copy and graphics.
Run a closed test if the account is personal
Personal accounts created after 13 November 2023 need at least 12 testers opted in continuously for at least 14 days; then apply for production access from the dashboard.
Meet the target API level
Since 31 August 2026, new apps and updates must target Android 16 (API level 36) or higher; you can request an extension to 1 November 2026.
Release to production
Upload the bundle, choose countries and roll out; there is a review here too before the app goes live.
The closed test feels like a hurdle, but it is useful: a dozen people using the app for two weeks find problems no demo will show. Recruit testers among your earliest users, not friends who will open it once.
Why does Apple reject apps?
Most rejections come from a handful of guidelines you can prepare for. The table collects the ones startups hit most often, with the wording of the App Review Guidelines turned into actions.
| Guideline | What it asks | How to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 App completeness | A final build, complete metadata, working links; with a login, demo credentials and a live backend | Reviewer notes with credentials and a path through the core features |
| 2.3 Accurate metadata | Description, screenshots and privacy information must reflect the app | Screenshots from the real app, privacy details updated with every new SDK |
| 3.1.1 In-app purchase | Unlocking features or digital content requires in-app purchase, not licence keys or your own mechanism | Design plans and subscriptions with Apple's tools from the start |
| 4.2 Minimum functionality | The app must go beyond a repackaged website | Navigation, notifications, offline states and gestures built for a phone |
| 4.8 Login services | Social login for the primary account requires an equivalent option with privacy safeguards | Offer Sign in with Apple alongside Google or other providers |
| 5.1.1 Data collection | If users can create an account, they must be able to delete it in the app | A delete-account option in settings, with confirmation |
What did we learn shipping the Athleex app?
Athleex is our group's SaaS for personal trainers and coaches; its iOS and Android apps are built with Capacitor on the same Next.js web codebase, as we explain in React Native vs Flutter vs Capacitor. Three episodes from the iOS launch apply to any startup.
iOS push notifications: three independent causes
Push notifications on the Athleex iOS app were not arriving, and there were three causes, independent of one another. Fixing one did not fix the others; each had to be checked in turn.
- Configuration. The project and the app identifier must have push notifications enabled, and the device token has to actually reach your server.
- Permission. The user must allow notifications and the system asks only once, so ask at the moment a notification makes sense, not on first launch. Android has required an explicit permission since Android 13 as well.
- Delivery. Even with configuration and permission in order, a notification can arrive late or not at all: Apple's push service does not guarantee delivery of every message. Log the service's responses on your server, so you can tell your own errors from undelivered messages.
Currency and iCloud Private Relay
With iCloud Private Relay switched on, the country our server derived from the IP address could differ from the user's real one. So the currency you show needs a deliberate rule, not an IP lookup alone. Inside the app, the store itself is the reliable source: StoreKit's display price is already formatted for the storefront the device is connected to.
If you are still estimating time and budget for this stage, it is one of the factors in how much it costs to build an app; the full path from idea to store is in how to build a mobile app.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to publish an app?
Apple charges 99 US dollars per membership year and Google a one-off 25 dollars. Publishing a free app carries no further store fees. If you sell digital content, a commission applies to transactions.
How long until my app is live?
Apple typically reviews at least half of submissions within 24 hours and 90% within 48 hours. A new personal Google Play account must first finish a closed test of at least 14 days. Leave room for one rejection and a resubmission.
What happens if Apple rejects my app?
You get a reference to the guideline you did not meet. Fix it, explain the change in the reviewer notes and resubmit. If the rule concerns payments or data, revisit the design rather than only the screen in question.
Do App Store reviewers need a demo account?
Yes, if the app has a login: Apple expects working credentials and a live backend during review. Prepare an account with realistic data and point to the core features. A built-in demo mode can be accepted instead, with Apple's prior approval.
Do I have to declare trader status to sell in the EU?
Apple asks every developer to declare a status, even those who do not distribute in the EU. If you sell as a business, your address, phone number and email appear on the product page. If you are unsure how to classify yourself, ask a lawyer.
Sources
- Apple, App Review Guidelines (19 October 2026)
- Apple, Manage EU Digital Services Act trader requirements (19 October 2026)
- Apple, StoreKit: Product.displayPrice (19 October 2026)
- Google Play Console Help, App testing requirements for new personal developer accounts (19 October 2026)
- Google Play Console Help, Provide information for Google Play's Data safety section (19 October 2026)
- Android Developers, Target API level requirements for Google Play apps (19 October 2026)
- Apple, Apple Developer Program: enrollment (19 October 2026)
- Google Play Console Help, Get started with Play Console (registration fee) (19 October 2026)
Figures and definitions checked on the dates shown.
