Hello, respected Apple Developer Forums community.
SKU: com.apatura.safenet
Apple ID: 6762392582
I am writing here because for almost a month we have not been able to find a solution to the situation with publishing our app, and I sincerely hope to get advice from other developers or Apple representatives.
We are developing a VPN service. Initially, at an early stage, we tried to submit the app to the App Store from an individual Apple Developer account. Later, we understood that for this type of service we should use an organization account.
Over time, the old Xcode project was lost. Because of that, we created a new project with the same name and similar visual materials, and submitted the app from the organization account.
After that, the app was rejected under Guideline 4.3(a) — Design: Spam. The App Review message says that the app shares a similar binary, metadata, and/or concept with apps submitted to the App Store by other developers.
We assume that the system may have linked the current submission to our previous submission from the individual account. It was in fact our own project, not an attempt to create a duplicate.
We already explained this to the App Review Team in App Store Connect and provided information about the previous submission. We were even able to completely remove that app from App Store Connect under the individual account. We also explained that the current submission is being made from the organization account.
After that, App Review requested additional information about the VPN functionality: what data the app collects, why it is used, and whether it is shared with third parties. We answered this in detail.
However, after that we received the same rejection again under Guideline 4.3(a) — Design: Spam, without any additional explanation of what exactly we need to fix.
We tried once again to explain that this is not spam and not a duplicate of someone else’s app. We also removed the old app record from the individual account so that it could no longer create a conflict or be detected as a possible duplicate.
Now we are in a very difficult situation.
We are not trying to bypass the rules. We are not publishing a network of identical apps. We are not using someone else’s template, and we are not trying to clutter the App Store. This is one real VPN service that we want to publish on behalf of the organization that operates it.
It is very difficult when you wait several weeks for review, answer questions in detail, explain the situation, but then receive the same generic response again without understanding what exactly is wrong and what specifically needs to be done.
We truly want to resolve this situation correctly, without conflict and without violating the rules. We just need a clear path forward.
Apple Review Team, please read our thread in App Store Connect before replying with the same response again without real attention to the issue.
I would be very grateful for any help, advice, or experience from developers who have faced a similar situation.
With each new review, we wait 7–10 days and then receive the same generic replies without any real engagement.
Thank you.
