In this article (15 sections)
In short: to publish an app you need a developer account on each store (USD 99 per year with Apple and a one-time USD 25 fee with Google Play), a privacy policy, complete store listings and a build that meets the review rules. On Google Play, new personal developer accounts must also run a closed test with at least 12 people for 14 consecutive days before applying for production. If your company has its paperwork in order, the process can be done in a few weeks, and most of the time goes to reviews and corrections.
This article walks through the full path in business terms, what your company needs to prepare, and the most common reasons an app gets rejected.
Before you start: the accounts
Store | Cost | Who opens it | Key requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
Apple App Store | USD 99 per year | An individual or a company | Apple account with two-factor authentication; for a company, a D-U-N-S number and your own website |
Google Play | USD 25, one-time | An individual or a company | Government ID and a payment card in the account holder's name; closed test if it's a new personal account |
The Apple details come from its developer program enrollment page, and the Google details from its account registration help.
Individual or company
If the app belongs to your business, the account should be opened in the company's name, not an employee's or a contractor's. It's a decision that often gets made badly: if the account sits under the developer who built the app, the company depends on that person to publish updates. Ask that the account be yours and that the developer be added as a collaborator.
For Apple, a company account requires a D-U-N-S number, issued by Dun & Bradstreet. Request it as early as possible, because it doesn't come instantly. Apple also requires a working website of your own, not just a social media page.
The closed test on Google Play
According to Google Play's help center, personal accounts created after November 13, 2023 must run a closed test with at least 12 enrolled people for 14 consecutive days before requesting production access. If someone leaves the test and comes back, their day count starts again. Build that time into the plan from the beginning.
What you need to prepare
Before you submit the app, gather these items:
- Name, icon and description of the app, in every language you'll offer it in.
- Screenshots in the sizes each store requires.
- A privacy policy published on a web address you control, stating what data is collected and why.
- Contact and support details that actually work.
- A test user with a password, so the reviewer can access every feature.
- Data declarations, which each store asks you to complete describing the information the app collects.
With that list complete, the most administrative rejections are avoided.
How to test before publishing
Both stores have a pre-release testing channel. On Apple it's called TestFlight: it allows up to 100 internal testers and up to 10,000 external testers, and the first build for external testers goes through an Apple review. On Google, the equivalent is closed and open testing, mentioned above.
Always use it. Giving the app to a small group of real people for one or two weeks finds things no internal test will.
The review: what they check and why apps get rejected
Apple publishes its App Review Guidelines, and it's worth reading them before you design the app, not after. These points are the ones most worth watching:
- Minimum functionality. An app that is just your website wrapped in a shell isn't accepted: it has to offer more than a repeated web page.
- Payments outside the store's system. To unlock digital content or features inside the app, Apple requires its in-app purchase system; you can't use license keys or your own mechanisms for that purpose.
- Missing privacy policy. It's mandatory, both inside the app and on the listing.
- No way to delete the account. If the app lets users create an account, it must also let them delete it from within the app.
- Incomplete information or bugs. A test user that doesn't work is a surprisingly common cause.
One detail to understand when designing: charges for physical products or services consumed outside the app (an order, a delivery, an appointment) can follow different rules than digital content. Check your case against the guidelines before you choose how to charge.
Realistic timelines
Stage | What it usually takes |
|---|---|
Opening the accounts | A few days to a few weeks (the D-U-N-S number is what takes longest) |
Preparing listings and screenshots | A few days |
Closed test on Google Play | 14 days minimum, if it applies |
Review on each store | Varies; plan with a margin |
Fixing rejections | Depends on the reason |
Review times change over time and with the season, so don't tie a commercial launch to an exact date. Leave a buffer and don't announce anything until the app is approved.
After publishing
Publishing doesn't close the job:
- Store changes (new operating system versions, new rules) can require an update.
- Accounts are paid every year. If you let the Apple account lapse, the app is removed from the store.
- Reviews need replies. They are part of how the store ranks results.
The cost of keeping an app on the stores is broken down in how much it costs to develop a mobile app. And if you're deciding between a store app and an alternative, read native app, PWA or responsive web: sometimes you don't need to go through the stores at all.
Who does what
A healthy division of work: your company provides the account, the documentation and the content decisions; the development team prepares the build, uploads it, responds to the review and fixes what's requested. Atomix's price for an app project is USD 5,000 to 10,000, with a free working demo in 24 to 48 hours before we quote. See Atomix's app development service.
Frequently asked questions
Can I publish on only one store?
Yes. Many companies start with the platform most of their audience uses and add the other later. If your audience is mixed, launching on both at once avoids splitting your users.
Does the account have to be in my company's name?
It's the recommended setup. If it sits under the developer's name, ownership of the app is tied to that person. Ask for the account to be yours and give your technical team access as a collaborator.
How much does it cost to have the app on the stores?
Apple charges USD 99 per year and Google USD 25 once. Separately, the app needs maintenance and updates, which is a different cost.
What happens if the app is rejected?
It's normal on the first submission. The store gives the reason, you fix it and resubmit. With a complete checklist, the fixes are usually minor.
Is a privacy policy required?
Yes, on both stores. It has to be published at a web address and describe what data the app collects, what it's used for and how to request its deletion.
If you need help organizing your app's launch, you can book a call.