I'm building my first mobile app with a developer, and I'm trying to understand the full App Store publishing process before making a decision on how to move forward. Another developer I'm considering working with instead of my current developer told me the following: "If you do it yourselves, your developer will have to learn everything for the first time. Registering a business and getting the corporate key takes about a week, getting a D-U-N-S number can take up to a month, rebuilding a web app into a mobile UI is a skill in itself, Capacitor is a skill, push notifications can be very challenging, then there's App Store compliance, submission, possible rejection and resubmission. You'll also realistically need a Mac to publish to the App Store. Overall, expect 2–3 months and well over $2,000 before you might be on the App Store." My situation is: I'm a solo founder. The app already exists as a web app. We plan to wrap/build it into a native mobile app (likely using Capacitor or a similar approach). I'm happy to publish under an individual Apple Developer account for now if that simplifies things. I don't necessarily need an organization account at this stage. My biggest priority is speed. I'm not trying to build the perfect long-term company structure right now. I want to get my app into people's hands as quickly as possible so I can validate the product, learn from real users, and iterate. If there are trade-offs that let me launch faster without creating major technical debt or problems later, I'm very open to that. I'm hoping to understand from developers who have actually been through this process: Which parts of the statement above are accurate? Which parts only apply if you're publishing as an organization rather than an individual? Is 2–3 months a realistic estimate for someone who already has a working web app and an experienced developer? If your goal was simply to get an MVP into users' hands as quickly as possible, how would you approach it? Are there any hidden hurdles or costs that first-time founders commonly underestimate? Also for better context: this developer who made this comment to me said they're charging $1100 AUD to ONLY convert our web app into a mobile app. They also proposed a $450/month retainer after the migration for maintenance, tweaks, etc. I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who's published apps to the App Store recently. Thanks!

Hello, We are a registered software company and have been unable to publish our iOS game for approximately three months because of repeated rejections under Guideline 4.3(a). The first rejection stated that our app shared a similar binary, metadata, and/or concept with apps previously submitted by a terminated Apple Developer Program account. Later rejections repeated similar general wording but did not identify the application, account, source-code component, asset, SDK, metadata element, or design considered similar. Our game is an original Unity project developed by our own team for more than two years. It was not purchased as a template, cloned, reskinned, or repackaged from another application. We possess the complete Unity project, client and server source code, Git development history, design source files, custom assets, backend infrastructure, and all related project files. Our core code, game systems, UX/UI design, and custom visual work were created by our team. Any limited third-party assets or SDKs used by the project were obtained from legitimate sources, and the relevant licenses and purchase records are available. The game also includes substantial custom functionality: • A server-authoritative real-time multiplayer architecture developed by our team • A 51-point opening rule that forms the core of every match • Custom scoring and penalty rules for plays made on other players’ opened tile groups • Matchmaking, table management, reconnect, timeout, and authoritative game-state recovery systems • Multiple game modes and competitive tables • Tournaments and leaderboards • Friends, private messaging, in-game chat, and direct table invitations • Player progression, daily rewards, missions, collectible profile icons, and virtual gifts We use only one Bundle ID and one App Store Connect record. We have not submitted duplicate versions of this application through multiple Bundle IDs or unrelated developer accounts

Hi everyone, I'm looking for some advice regarding an App Store review delay. Our app was submitted for review on 22 July at 10:30 AM IST. At the same time, we also submitted an Expedited Review Request because this release contains a critical bug fix affecting our live users. As of now: The app is still showing "Waiting for Review" (it has not moved to In Review). It has been more than 48 hours since submission. We have not received any response regarding the expedited review request. We also opened a Developer Support case but the acknowledgment came from a no-reply email address, so we're unable to follow up there. This update is important because our client has informed us that the issue being fixed is currently impacting production users, and they're waiting for this release as soon as possible. Has anyone experienced a similar delay with an expedited review request? Is there any other way to contact the App Review team or check the status when the app remains in Waiting for Review for this long? Any suggestions or experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hello, I’m writing you because my app submission has been in ‘Waiting for Review’ for longer than expected. My app id its : Apple ID: 6792376349 can you help me please? Best regards!

Hey, I’m working on a notes app and thinking about letting people keep a note visible with Picture-in-Picture while they use other apps. For example, floating a todo list while shopping with Safari or scrolling socials... It would only start if they tap something like “Float Note”, never automatic. They can stop it anytime. Would be using the usual public PiP APIs (AVPictureInPictureController + AVSampleBufferDisplayLayer), similar to some existing note/PiP apps already on the Store. Would App Review be okay with that as an optional, user-started feature in a notes app? Thanks.

My app has been stuck in the “Waiting for review” 8th circle of hell for 6 days now. No response from Apple support either when I submitted a ticket about this. And all this for a simple incremental feature update I wanted to push. Anyone else dealing with ridiculous wait times? Any strategies for getting someone to actually look at your submission? Not even sure how to proceed at this point so posting here.

We are releasing new app, and review process is like day for day for over 20 days, and each response after submit is sometimes more than 24 hours. On each rejection there is some different issues, that can be reviewed before, we fix them some times in 20 min and then wait for a day. So process is taking to much time. We respect process, but is little bit frustrating to do it repeatedly, and then get reports that something not working which is explained in video, etc.

My iOS app's first submission (ThymeBlock, Apple ID 6779269775) was rejected under 2.3.2 solely over the OPTIONAL promotional images on my two auto-renewable subscriptions. The required fix, deleting the images, was impossible: both subscription records were locked in "Waiting for Review" and the image field disabled. My reply in the submission thread went unanswered for 48+ hours, so I cancelled the submission (standard advice). The cancel completed, no submission exists anymore, and both subscriptions REMAIN locked in "Waiting for Review", held by nothing. I cannot edit them and cannot delete the flagged images, so resubmitting the app version cannot satisfy the rejection: the change App Review required is impossible to make. Developer Program Support has so far responded with unrelated information, and on a call suggested the subscriptions are in review due to "pending charges from July 18", which seems impossible since the app has never been released and has zero customers. This matches threads 705460 and 717024 (same lock; resolved only by Apple server-side). Case number: 20000117635283. Could App Review or App Store Connect staff release my two subscription records to an editable state, or remove the two promotional image as the rejection requested?

Hello. I submitted a new version of my app, Currency++ (DCAvg), for review several days ago. The review process is usually quite fast, but this time it's taking unusually long. Could you please look into the status of my submission?

Hello, My app Phonema: English Pronunciation (Apple ID: 6791111822, iOS, version 1.0) has been in "Waiting for Review" since July 18, 2026. As of today, July 27, that is nine calendar days without moving to "In Review". Timeline: July 15, 2026 — Prepare for Submission July 18, 2026, 17:50 — Ready for Review July 18, 2026, 17:51 — Waiting for Review July 27, 2026 — still Waiting for Review There are no messages in the Resolution Center, no requests for additional information, and no email from App Review. All required metadata was accepted at submission (export compliance, age rating, privacy details, screenshots). This is not a new developer account. I have another app already live on the App Store, submitted and approved without incident. Could you confirm whether the submission is simply in the queue, or whether there is anything blocking it that requires action on my side? Thank you.

Hi all, Does anyone have the solution,; my app is not available in the EU, where I am based, due to the "La législation sur les services numériques" and the verification of it. I gave all the information the 23/7 and no news. Impossible to know if the app will be soon available in the EU what's problematic cause we want to start to provide it to students (it is a free education app with no in app purchase).

I'm looking to distribute multiple versions of an iOS app, each customized with different branding for various clients. I understand that for public App Store submissions, guideline 4.3(a) prohibits multiple Bundle IDs of the same app to prevent spam. My question: Do these same restrictions apply to Custom App Distribution (unlisted apps)? Is it permissible to submit multiple white-labeled versions of the same core app through Custom App Distribution? I've reviewed the Custom Apps documentation but couldn't find clear guidance on this specific scenario. Any insights from developers who have experience with similar situations would be appreciated. Thank you in advance for your help!

我首次在2.0.0版本新增 App 内购买项目。此前将 2.0.0 版本连同全套内购一并提交审核，后续 App 版本审核被拒。 当前所有内购项目状态均为【准备提交 Ready to Submit】，App 版本 2.0.0 处于准备提交状态，已正常上传并选中构建包；付费协议、税务、银行信息全部生效。 但是版本详情页面完全缺失【App 内购买项目与订阅】板块， 官方老拿没用的话糊弄我，请问这个问题怎么解决？

我首次在2.0.0版本新增 App 内购买项目。此前将 2.0.0 版本连同全套内购一并提交审核，后续 App 版本审核被拒。 当前所有内购项目状态均为【准备提交 Ready to Submit】，App 版本 2.0.0 处于准备提交状态，已正常上传并选中构建包；付费协议、税务、银行信息全部生效。 但是版本详情页面完全缺失【App 内购买项目与订阅】板块， 官方老拿没用的话糊弄我，请问这个问题怎么解决？

Hi everyone, My app E-Forward (v4.4.10) has been in Waiting for Review for a week now, which is longer than the usual turnaround I've seen. I haven't received any messages requesting more information, and everything in App Store Connect looks complete on my end. Has anyone experienced a similar delay recently? And if any Apple staff happen to see this — I'd greatly appreciate any guidance on the status or on what I can do to help move things along. Thank you!

Hello, I'm experiencing a very unusual issue with App Store Connect and would appreciate any advice. Timeline: I submitted version 1.1.2 of my macOS app "Wallpets" for review. I received the notification that the app status changed to "In Review". Shortly after that, App Store Connect became completely inaccessible. A few minutes later, I received another notification that the app was "Rejected". However, App Store Connect is still unusable. Submission ID: 956a336e-1862-4abe-9bbd-c700a654f3df Current symptoms: • On the App Store Connect website, the Apps page displays: "Sorry, something went wrong. Try your request again." and it incorrectly shows "No Apps", even though my app has existed for some time. • The App Store Connect iOS app displays: "App Store Connect is currently unavailable." • TestFlight on macOS also reports: "TestFlight is currently unavailable." • The "View in App Store Connect" link from the rejection email also fails because App Store Connect cannot load. I can still log into my Apple Developer account and the Apple Developer website works normally. The issue only affects App Store Connect and TestFlight. Has anyone experienced this before? Is this likely to be: a temporary App Store Connect backend issue, an account-specific problem, or something that can happen after an app review rejection? I've attached screenshots showing: The review status notifications. The App Store Connect website error ("No Apps"). The App Store Connect iOS error. The TestFlight unavailable error. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Update: This issue started immediately after my app entered review, before I received the rejection notification. Additional information: I can successfully sign in to developer.apple.com. Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles are all accessible. The issue only affects App Store Connect and TestFlight.

Hello, My app was reviewed and rejected on June 26, 2026 (3:48 PM). I fixed every issue mentioned by the App Review team and submitted a new build. After about one week, the app was still stuck in "Waiting for Review" and had never moved to "In Review." Thinking there might have been an issue with the submission itself, I canceled it and submitted it again. Submission ID: 0e03f336-27f3-42d0-9d15-a0df4e8ac77a Unfortunately, even after re-submitting, the app is still in "Waiting for Review", and I haven't received any communication explaining the delay. Has anyone experienced a similar situation? If so, how did you get the review process moving again? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Hi everyone, I’m currently stuck with a blocking issue in App Store Connect and would really appreciate any guidance or insight. Issue: My app version (iOS App 1.0) is missing the “In-App Purchases and Subscriptions” section entirely. Because of this, I cannot attach my subscriptions to the version, which is preventing me from submitting the app for review. Additionally, I also do not have the option to create a new version, so I can’t work around the issue by moving to 1.0.1. What happened before this: I uploaded a build (Build 24) Submitted the app for review Then removed the submission After that, the IAP section disappeared completely Since then, I cannot attach subscriptions or create a new version Current state: Subscriptions are created and show “Waiting for Review” New Build is attached to Version 1.0 All metadata and screenshots are complete “In-App Purchases and Subscriptions” section is missing “Add Version” option is not available What I’ve tried: Removing and re-adding the build Waiting for UI refresh/processing Contacting Apple Developer Support (case has been escalated for 6 days with no response) Impact: This is currently blocking my app launch because I would be rejected since the subscriptions are not linked, as I cannot submit my first subscription with the app. Questions: Has anyone experienced a missing IAP section after removing a submission? Is there any way to force reset the app version state from the developer side? Is this a known App Store Connect issue? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I previously asked in the Network Extension forum about the supported architecture for local, user-controlled domain blocking on unmanaged consumer iPhones. Apple Developer Technical Support explained that using NEPacketTunnelProvider for a purpose other than a VPN is not a DTS-supported use case. DTS also noted that App Review has the final say regarding what may or may not be distributed through the App Store and directed me to App Review for clarification. URL Filters do not provide the intended device-wide domain visibility and user-controlled blocking. At the same time, the deployment restrictions described in TN3134 prevent the use of the relevant content-filtering provider types on unmanaged consumer iPhones. The proposed app is a consumer privacy and security app. It would use NEPacketTunnelProvider to identify destination domains locally and allow the user to block selected domains. The app would not provide a remote VPN service. Network traffic would not be routed to a remote VPN endpoint, and the app would not offer location changing, anonymous browsing, IP address masking, or access to a private network. My questions are: Would this use of NEPacketTunnelProvider be eligible for distribution on the App Store, even though DTS does not support this packet tunnel use case? Would App Review classify this as a VPN service, or could it be classified as a security or content-blocking app under App Store Review Guideline 5.4? If it is classified as a security or content-blocking app rather than a VPN service, may it be submitted by an individual Apple Developer Program member, or is enrollment as an organization required? I understand that a forum response cannot guarantee approval of a future submission. I am trying to clarify the likely classification and account requirement before proceeding with further development.

We currently have version 1.2.0 live and in the middle of its 7-day phased release (automatic updates), currently around the 5% stage. We now want to submit version 1.3.0. I want to confirm the exact behavior before we submit, because I've heard conflicting claims internally. My understanding is: Submitting 1.3.0 for review does NOT affect 1.2.0's ongoing phased release. 1.2.0 continues ramping (10% -> 20% -> 50% -> 100%) undisturbed while 1.3.0 is in review. If 1.3.0 is set to "Manually release this version," it will sit in "Pending Developer Release" after approval and still not affect 1.2.0's rollout -- nothing changes until I actively release it. Only when I tap "Release" on 1.3.0 does 1.2.0's phased release stop, at which point 1.3.0 begins its own phased release from 1%. If 1.3.0 were instead set to "Automatically release this version," it would go live the moment Apple approves it and would interrupt 1.2.0's rollout at that point. Questions: Is the above correct? Specifically, does the act of submitting/approving a new version have any effect on the currently live version's phased rollout, or is the rollout only ever interrupted by the release action? When 1.3.0 is released and 1.2.0's phased release is interrupted, what happens to the users who had not yet received 1.2.0 via automatic update? Do they get queued for 1.3.0 instead? Thanks in advance for clarifying.