iOS and Android app stores: what it takes to get approved
Getting an app into the stores means accounts, reviews and recurring rules. What to prepare, what gets apps rejected, and what continues after launch.
The short answer
Publishing a mobile app is not the last step of a build; it is the start of a relationship with two stores that have accounts, rules, reviews and fees. Every release is reviewed against published guidelines, most rejections happen for a short list of predictable reasons, and the obligations continue for as long as the app exists. Knowing that in advance turns store review from a source of delays into a checklist.
What you need before the first submission
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Developer accounts in the company’s name | Ownership of the app, its listing and its certificates. Not the supplier’s account |
| Legal entity verification | Both stores verify the organisation; allow time |
| Privacy policy and data declarations | Both stores require an accurate statement of what data the app collects and why |
| App listing assets | Name, description, screenshots per device size, icon, category, age rating |
| A working build with test access | Reviewers must be able to use every feature, including behind a login |
| Account deletion in the app | Required where accounts can be created |
| Payment compliance | Digital goods through the store’s system; physical goods and services through your own |
The predictable rejections
- Privacy declarations that do not match the app. The app uses analytics or location and the declaration says it does not, or the policy link is missing or generic.
- No way to delete an account. If a user can sign up in the app, they must be able to delete their account from within it.
- Payments outside the rules. Selling digital content or subscriptions with your own payment provider instead of the store’s system.
- Features that do not work in review. A login the reviewer cannot use, a screen that depends on data they do not have, a crash on a device they test with.
- Listing that oversells. Screenshots or descriptions showing features the app does not have.
- Minimal functionality. An app that is only a website in a frame, with nothing the site does not already do.
What continues after launch
- Yearly fees for each developer account.
- Operating system updates every year that can break apps and require updates within a window.
- Rule changes that turn a compliant app into a non-compliant one until updated.
- Certificate and key renewals on a schedule.
- User expectations of regular updates; an app without releases for a long time is treated with suspicion by users and stores alike.
What this means for you
Before committing to a store app, confirm three things: the app does something the website cannot, the accounts and keys will be in your name, and there is a maintenance budget for yearly updates and rule changes. Then treat review as a checklist: privacy declarations accurate, account deletion present, payments compliant, every feature testable. Done that way, approval is a step, not a surprise.
Frequently asked questions
How long does approval take?
A first submission commonly takes days, and a rejection with a required change adds a round. Updates to an existing app are usually reviewed faster. Neither store guarantees a timeline, so releases are planned with buffer, and nothing time-critical depends on same-day approval.
Why do apps get rejected?
The recurring reasons are missing or inaccurate privacy declarations, accounts that can be created but not deleted in the app, digital goods sold outside the store's payment system, features that do not work in review, and content or metadata that does not match what the app does. Almost all are avoidable with a checklist before submission.
Do we need both stores?
If your users are on both platforms, yes, which is one reason a single shared codebase matters. If the app is for staff on company devices, you may not need the public stores at all; both platforms offer ways to distribute internal apps.
What continues after the app is live?
Yearly developer fees, operating system updates that can break the app, store rule changes that require updates, certificate renewals, and the expectation of regular releases. An app that is never updated eventually stops working or is removed. Maintenance is a budget line from day one.
Sources
- Apple: App Store Review Guidelines (accessed 2026-09-11)
- Google Play: Developer Program Policies (accessed 2026-09-11)