Publishing an app on the App Store and Google Play

The first submission takes more than a build

Companies need a D-U-N-S number for both developer accounts. Under the Digital Services Act, Apple also asks whether you act as a trader, and without this information it doesn't accept updates for the EU storefront.

Both stores require a link to the privacy policy, and Google also wants the “Data safety” section, even if the app collects no data at all. If the app has a login, the reviewers need access: a demo account for Apple, credentials in the “App access” section for Google. If users can create an account in the app, they must be able to delete it there too (guideline 5.1.1(v)), and Google also wants a web link for that.

If you created your personal Google developer account after November 13, 2023, you have to run a closed test with at least 12 testers who stay opted in for 14 days without interruption before the first release. Then you apply for production access, and that review usually takes at most seven days.

Review was quick, a buffer still pays off

According to Apple, at least 50% of submissions are reviewed in under 24 hours and 90% in under 48 hours. Google states a few hours to seven days and recommends a buffer of at least one week before a fixed launch date.

Our experience matches. We submitted Tactio 1.2.0 to both stores on the morning of August 30, 2026: Google approved it that same morning, Apple the same day. Update 1.2.1 followed at noon the next day and was live in both stores the same day. If something is really on fire, say a critical bug or a fixed event date, Apple offers an expedited review on request.

Every rejection costs a review round

Our submissions failed on three points, all fixed quickly. Tactio 1.0 asked for permissions up front, all at once instead of where they're needed, and Apple requires that nobody be pushed into unnecessary permissions (guideline 5.1.1(iv)). The corrected build was live two days later.

LeasePilot 1.0 had an entitlement without a feature: Apple Pay (PassKit) was included but not used (guideline 2.1). In LeasePilot 1.2.0, the link to the terms of use was missing on the subscription's payment screen (guideline 3.1.2(c)).

Updates have deadlines too

Since April 28, 2026, uploads to Apple must be built with Xcode 26 and the SDK for iOS 26. Anyone who hasn't answered Apple's new age rating questions can't submit updates; the deadline was January 31, 2026.

At Google, new apps and updates have had to target Android 16 (API level 36) since August 31, 2026, with an extension until November 1, 2026 available on request. Existing apps need at least API level 35 so that new users on newer Android versions can still get them.

What we take away

Test exactly the build that goes live. TestFlight and Google's internal test track get exactly the build we release afterwards, and the store information refers to that build too. We upload manually, not automatically from CI.

Permissions belong where they're needed. Two of our three rejections came down to permissions: once requested up front, once included and not used. The third was a missing link on the payment screen, more on that in Combining Stripe subscriptions and in-app purchases.