Hi Apple Developer community and Apple Review team,
I'm hoping to get assistance with a persistent 4.3(a) rejection for our app ByGate (net.bygate.vpn).
Submission ID: c8278a90-8e90-45b2-9256-d2e6b34e9518 Latest review date: May 19, 2026
Our situation: ByGate is not a generic VPN tool. It is a dedicated client application for ByGate's proprietary server infrastructure. The app works exclusively with ByGate servers - users cannot enter custom addresses, import third-party configurations, or connect to any other provider. It is functionally similar to a banking app or a streaming app: it only connects to one specific service.
We have been operating ByGate as a cross-platform service:
- Android app live on Google Play
- Windows desktop app distributed via our website
- macOS desktop app distributed via our website
Active paying subscriber base across all platforms Our existing users regularly contact our support team asking when the iOS version will be available. They are already using our servers and subscriptions on other devices and want the same experience on iPhone.
Why we believe the rejection doesn't apply: Apple's own guidelines (4.8) recognize "apps that are a client for a specific third-party service" as a distinct, legitimate category. ByGate fits this exactly - the same way Netflix, Spotify, or any banking app is a dedicated client for one specific service.
The concern about "similar binary" is understandable - like many VPN apps, we use an open-source networking library. But using a shared networking library (like WireGuard, OpenVPN, or in our case libbox) does not make an app conceptually identical to others, just as using SQLite doesn't make a database-backed app a duplicate of every other such app.
Unique features of ByGate not found in other apps on the App Store:
- Split tunneling mode specifically pre-configured for Russian-language internet services
- Anonymous account creation (no email or phone number required)
- Freemium model with 100 MB free tier, no registration required
- Access exclusively to ByGate's own server nodes in Europe and USA
- Our 24/7 support on Russian-language
We have responded to every rejection with detailed explanations, but receive only the standard templated response. We are genuinely committed to compliance and would welcome direct guidance on what specifically needs to change, or a review call with the App Review team.
Thank you for your time.
