Building the app is half the work. The other half, the one that catches almost everyone by surprise, is publishing it. Google Play and the App Store are not a simple "upload" button: they have their own requirements, reviews and rejection reasons that can delay your launch by weeks if you arrive unprepared. This is the guide to arrive ready and not hit the review wall.
Most rejections are not because of bugs: they are because of policies, poorly justified permissions or incomplete listings. Almost everything is avoided by preparing well before uploading.
What you need before you start
- Developer account: Google Play has a one-time fee (around 25 USD); Apple charges an annual subscription (around 99 USD).
- Tax details and, if you are going to charge, the bank account for payouts.
- A privacy policy reachable at a public URL.
- Icons and screenshots at the resolutions each store requires.
- Title, description, keywords and the content rating.
Google Play: key requirements
- A complete Play Store listing, with assets and texts.
- Privacy policy and the "Data safety" form.
- Target a recent API level (Google raises the minimum every year).
- Upload an Android App Bundle (AAB), not a loose APK, and use Play App Signing.
App Store: key requirements
- An active Apple Developer account and an app reviewed by people, not just by an automated system.
- Comply with the App Review Guidelines and the Human Interface Guidelines.
- Privacy labels ("nutrition labels") properly declared.
- A test account if the app has login, and TestFlight for the beta.
Common mistakes that cause rejection
Mistake | Platform | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
Missing privacy policy | Both | Public, reachable URL |
Unjustified permissions | Both | Request only what is needed and explain it |
App that looks like a wrapped website | App Store | Provide real native value |
Login without a test account | App Store | Provide credentials for the review |
Charging for digital goods outside the store | App Store | Use in-app purchases where applicable |
Misleading metadata or screenshots | Both | Real screenshots of the app |
Crashes on first launch | Both | Test on real devices |
The process, in order
- Prepare the listings, texts and all assets.
- Upload the signed build (AAB on Android, IPA on iOS).
- Complete the privacy and rating questionnaires.
- Submit for review and answer any remarks.
- Publish, in stages if you want to measure before opening to everyone.
If your app charges for digital goods, get ready for each store’s payment systems and their fees. If you sell physical products or services instead, the landscape of payment gateways is different and has its own rules in Ecuador.
And watch the size and the startup: a heavy or slow app earns bad reviews just like a slow website. App performance is worked with the same criteria as performance optimization on the web.
Where I would start
Where I would start: with the App Store, not Google Play. It sounds odd, but Apple’s review is the strictest and the one that gives the most surprises; if you prepare your app to pass Apple, Google almost always falls into place. Before uploading anything, I would read each store’s review guidelines once (yes, boring, but they save you weeks), have the privacy policy ready and test the app on real low-end devices, not just on the emulator. And I would leave a margin of time: planning the launch for "tomorrow" is the recipe for stress. The first publication always takes longer than you think; the following ones, with the account and assets ready, fly.
Do you have an app idea, or did you already build it and publishing is giving you trouble? At Codegea we develop mobile apps and leave them published on Google Play and the App Store, with the listing, privacy and review paperwork sorted. Tell me about your project.
Written by
Derian Pinto
Founder & Full Stack Developer
Founder of Codegea. Builds custom websites, stores and platforms, and integrates and supports Arc XP for media companies.