The app is ready, testing is done, and the launch date is announced on social media. Then a message arrives from Apple saying the app was rejected, or you find out that Google wants two weeks of testing before it will allow a public release. This happens often, and most of the causes are known in advance and can be handled before you submit.
Whose name should the developer account be in?
Your company's, using an email address the company owns. If the app is published from the developer's or agency's account, the app in the store belongs to their account. Moving it later is possible, but it is an extra procedure you'll wish you had avoided.
A company account at Apple needs a D-U-N-S number, an international business identifier that is issued free of charge but can take days to come through. Google Play also asks for a D-U-N-S number for organization accounts, along with official documents to verify identity. Start this step early and don't leave it for launch week.
How much do Apple and Google developer accounts cost?
The Apple Developer Program is a yearly subscription, currently $99 a year. If the subscription lapses and isn't renewed, your apps stop appearing on the App Store, so put the renewal on the company card and add a calendar reminder. Google Play charges a one-time registration fee, currently $25. Fees can change, so check each platform's page when you register.
What is Google Play's closed testing requirement?
New personal accounts on Google Play can't publish an app to the public straight away. At the moment, they need a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 days in a row, and then they apply for access to public release. Organization accounts are exempt from this requirement, which is one more reason to open the account in your company's name.
- Open the accountsIn the company's name, with D-U-N-S and verification
- Store pageDescription, screenshots and privacy policy
- TestingTestFlight and a closed test on Google Play
- Submit for reviewWith a demo account and notes for the reviewer
- ReleaseImmediately or on a date you choose after approval
How does app review work and how long does it take?
Every new app and every update goes through review before it reaches users. At Apple, most reviews usually finish within a day to a few days. At Google the time varies and tends to be longer for new apps and new accounts. A rejection and resubmission add a full cycle, so we leave at least a week between the first submission and any announced date.
After approval you can release the app manually whenever you want, which helps if the launch is tied to an ad campaign.
What are the most common reasons apps get rejected?
Most of the rejections we see come up again and again, and nearly all of them can be avoided:
- The app crashes during review, or it has placeholder text or broken links.
- The app requires sign-in, and the reviewer wasn't given a demo account with data in it.
- There is no privacy policy at a public link and inside the app.
- The app lets users create an account but not delete it from inside the app, which Apple requires.
- The app is a wrapper around a website and adds nothing specific to mobile.
- Digital content or subscriptions are sold through outside payment in cases where Apple requires in-app purchase.
- The app asks for location, camera or contacts permission without clearly explaining why it needs it.
- The privacy details declared on the store page don't match what the app actually collects.
If your app is rejected, read the rejection message carefully and reply through the platform itself. Sometimes a clarification to the reviewer or a short video showing how the app is used is enough.
Do app updates go through review too?
Yes. Every update is submitted for review just like the first release, and the review is usually faster. Both stores offer staged rollouts, where the update reaches a percentage of users first and then expands. We use this for large updates, so if a problem turns up that testing missed, the rollout stops before it reaches every customer. Urgent fixes go through review as well, so allow time for that in your plan.
What do you need for the app's store page?
An app name and a clear description in Arabic and English, screenshots in the sizes each store asks for, an icon, a privacy policy link, and a support email or link. There are also questionnaires to fill in accurately: the content rating, the Data safety section on Google Play, and the privacy labels on the App Store. Visitors decide whether to install based on the description and screenshots, so write them in your customers' language.
What should you check before submitting your app?
- The accounts are in the company's name, and the yearly Apple renewal is in the calendar.
- A demo account is ready for the reviewer, with notes that explain any feature that isn't obvious.
- Account deletion is available inside the app if it has sign-up.
- The app has been tested on real old and new devices, and in Arabic.
If you are still deciding what goes into the first launch, read the first version of your app.
We set up the accounts, publish the app and follow the review through as part of our mobile app development service. If your app was rejected, send us the text of the rejection message and we'll tell you what needs to change.
Questions our partners ask
How long does app review take?
At Apple, most reviews finish within a day to a few days, and a rejection and resubmission can stretch that. At Google the time varies and is usually longer for new accounts and new apps. Leave at least a week before any announced launch date.
Do I pay the account fee for each app?
No. Apple's fee is a yearly subscription for the account, and Google's fee is paid once at registration. You can publish more than one app from the same account.
Can I move the app from the developer's account to my company's account later?
Yes, both stores allow transferring an app between accounts under certain conditions. It is an extra procedure, though, and you can avoid it by opening the accounts in your company's name from the start.
Written by the Visual Innovate team, the people who build, host and follow up systems, websites and apps for our clients in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Egypt.
