Publishing a mobile app to Play Market and App Store

A finished app is not yet a published one. Google Play Market and App Store each have their own process and review rules, and the two differ quite a bit.

Here is what needs to be ready before submission, how the process works in each store, and the most common rejection reasons.

What gets ready before submission

Finished code is not enough — a few more things need to be ready before submitting to a store.

• App name, a short and a full description
• At least 3-5 screenshots for each screen size
• A privacy policy page with a working link
• A test account, if the app requires sign-up
• The app icon in every required size

How the Play Market process works

Google Play's review is usually faster — anywhere from a few hours to 1-2 days. The app is uploaded through Google Console, a category is picked, and the content rating questionnaire is filled in.

Google relies more on automated checks, so technical issues — like permissions requested incorrectly — get caught faster, while content-related rejections are less common.

The App Store process and review

Apple's review is done manually and usually takes 1-3 days. It requires an Apple Developer Program membership ($99/year), and testing through TestFlight before release.

Apple pays closer attention to interface quality, user experience, and strict rule compliance — so its review is more thorough than Google's.

Common rejection reasons

1. The privacy policy link is broken or missing
2. No test account is provided, so the reviewer cannot log in
3. The app crashes or shows a blank screen
4. Screenshots and description do not match the real functionality
5. Permissions like camera or location are requested without reason

Timeline and cost

Publishing to both stores usually wraps up in 3-7 days if there is no rejection on the first attempt. A rejection adds another 1-3 days for the fix and resubmission.

Store submission itself is not priced separately — it is included in the development plan as the project's final stage. The mobile development service page shows what stages make up the price.