How Long Does It Take to Publish Your App?

After creating an app, you need to get it published in your preferred app store. Google Play Store and Apple App Store are the two major app stores where app developers launch their apps. There is a certain duration for both the app stores to review and approve your app.

Do you know how long it takes for an app store to accept your app?

Or, how much buffer do you need between submitting your app and going live?

If not, you are in the right place!

In this post, we have gathered all the information that you would need to get your app approved by the app store. Also, we have listed things that you can do to re-submit your app, in case it gets rejected.

Common Reasons Why Your App Can Get Rejected by App Stores

Even if you know how to submit an app to the app store, you still miss out on a few things. Here are a few major reasons why your app can get rejected on any of the app stores.

Incomplete Information

Make sure your app has updated contact information and all the details. If your app has a login portal, you must add a demo account for the review team to look at the app performance.

Bugs and Errors

App stores are a little uptight when it comes to app quality. If your app has bugs and it crashes, they won’t approve it. Make sure your app is free of errors and bugs.

Broken Links

App Stores don’t accept the apps with non-functional and broken links. All the apps should have user support and contact information link. A Kids app must include a link to the privacy policy.

Inaccurate Descriptions

Your app description must have detailed information about your app. And, the screenshots in the app must convey your app functionality. Mention the relevant keywords in the description and avoid unnecessary keyword stuffing.

Performance Issues

No matter how great your app looks and how entertaining it claims to be, if there are issues with its performance there is an issue. If the welcome screen on your app is confusing, or navigation is choppy, or the pages within the app take a long time to load – users are not going to enjoy it. Hence, the app stores would want to prevent that from happening by rejecting your app.

Top Reasons Why Your App Could Be Rejected by Apple App Store

Apart from the common reasons for app rejection, there are certain specific reasons why your iOS app may get rejected by Apple App Store.

Privacy Issues

Apple has a very stringent privacy policy requirement from iOS apps. In particular, this includes the following:

• Privacy policy statement in app metadata

• Explanation of data retention policies

• Letting users withdraw their consent to data collection, and more

Additionally, all apps must have a direct link to the Support with accurate contact information. Another important thing to remember is that if you have an app for children or if your app offers a subscription service, a link to your Privacy Policy page must be included in it.

Incompatibility with Hardware and/or Software

If your app does not function well on any of the devices or is incompatible with the software, it is a solid ground for rejection by Apple App Store. There is some importance placed on the ability of the app to work on iPads, so make sure your app is compatible with the device.

Apart from this, apps should not put undue stress on device resources like battery and that they do not overheat the device.

If your app doesn’t work efficiently on every type of Apple mobile device, it is going to get rejected.

In-App Payment Systems

In case you are planning to accept payments through your app, you need to make sure that all the transactions are done through official Apple in-app purchasing system. This is a requirement in order to make sure that all transactions are done safely through Apple’s marketplace.

This issue often becomes concerning when you convert a website into an app.

Duplication of Content

Though it may sound like a no-brainer, but it is easy to be tempted to remodel one of the more successful apps. Plagiarism is never a good idea and Apple definitely does not care for copycats. Only when you create a unique app with original and engaging content, will you stand a chance of making through the scrutiny.

Bad User Interface

Apple provides some basic Human Interface Guidelines to help you design your app in the best way. These guidelines give you a great place to start when you are starting work on designing the user interface of your mobile app.

Mentioning Other Stores

If you give away in any way that your app was not built exclusively for the iOS platform, your app is in trouble. It is wise therefore to make sure that you do not mention Android or any other app store that you may be building for. Also, make sure that the screenshots you add are taken on an iOS device.

Placeholder Content

It is a common practice to put in placeholder content during the app development phase. However, when you are submitting your iOS app for review by the team, make sure that you double check. If the team finds any placeholder content on your app, your app is going to be rejected for sure!

Top Reasons Why Your App Could Be Rejected by Google Play Store

Like Apple App Store, Google Play Store has a number of reasons why your Android app may be rejected.

Intellectual Property Rights violation

It is a serious offence to violate or infringe upon the intellectual property rights of any other mobile application particularly in the form of patent or trademark. In case you are partnering with a different entity and using their trademark with their express consent, make sure that you produce the appropriate documentation otherwise your app will get rejected.

Issues with the quality of the design

Google offers design guidelines to help app publishers with all the basic principles of good app UI design. If you make sure that your app adheres to these guidelines, you do not have to worry about the app getting rejected by the Play Store.

Inappropriate app content

If the app you submitted contains graphic violence, racist or sexual commentary and content or any other inflammatory content, it is a solid ground for rejection.

In case there is any mature content in the app, it should be mentioned while defining the rating of the application. Failing to do this will definitely get your app rejected swiftly.

Questionable products

If, in any circumstances, your mobile app poses any kind of a danger to the user’s data security or privacy, the Play Store is going to reject it outrightly. If there is any type of malware, a Trojan horse, or any other bug or virus linked in the description or within the app, Google will find it and reject your app for it.

Wrong metadata

In the process of submitting an Android app to the Play Store, one has to write the metadata of the application. This metadata is of special importance when it comes to publishing an app. The information you are furnishing in the metadata should we aligned with all the information you provided on the app. Any inaccuracy in the metadata is strong ground for your app to be rejected.

Incorrect rating for the app

While submitting your app on the Google Play Store you would need to mention the rating for the app. This rating defines what the suitable age group for your app.

You can’t simply choose a rating yourself. You need to fill in a questionnaire, and the app will be rated accordingly.

If, however, you try and mislead by giving out the wrong details your app will be underrated and may get rejected later due to incorrect app rating.

Guidelines for user generated content

If your app lets the app users create content and then share it further. If this content, in any way is used to harass or threaten people, the app will be rejected. One way to make sure that this doesn’t happen is by integrating a moderating system that would weed out any kind of threatening content.

How to Avoid App Rejection on App Stores

Before you submit your app for the approval, make sure you check the things listed below to fasten the approval process for your mobile application.

1. Test your app multiple times before you submit it
2. Make sure your app has clear and accurate app information
3. Mention the accurate contact information
4. Create an active login for the review team to help them with demo
5. Add detailed explanations for the features to help review team understand your app better

Go through this detailed post to check out what else you need to do to get your app approved by the app stores – How To Get The App Store To Approve Your App?

Things you Should Do If Your App Gets Rejected

If your app faces rejection, here are a few things that you can do to make it perform better and get approved the next time.

Assess the Rejection

If your app has been rejected, there needs to be a valid reason for that. Find out the reason and fix it before you re-submit your app.

Validation of Features:

Sometimes even when the app starts with an honest approach, users use its features for different spiteful activities. App stores make sure you can take action against them. To help them ensure this, you can send them your backend functionality details and credentials.

Ask for Re-assessment

If you have checked everything and find no error in your app, get in touch with the app store, and get the app re-assessed. Sometimes, the apps get approved in the second go without making any changes.

Look for Experiences

If you can’t find the reason behind the app rejection, go online, and find other people who have faced the same issue and check out the possible reasons.

In-App Purchases

If your app has in-app purchases, make sure your app has its own payment gateway. Or, this could be one of the reasons for getting your app rejected.

Now that you know how to get your app approved, let us check out the time the app stores take to accept your app after you upload app to app store.

How long does it Take for an App to be Approved on Apple App Store?

Make sure you go through App Store’s App Store Review Guidelines to prevent your app from getting rejected.
To get your app approved, you need to mainly focus on the following:

• App content,
• App design, and
• App functionality.

Typically, 50% of apps on the app store get reviewed within 24 hours and 90% in 48 hours. After submitting your app for review, you can check the status in My App tab in iTunes.

In some exceptional cases, the app store may take 4 to 5 days in approving an app.

If you need an urgent approval or have some critical timing issue, you can request for an accelerated review.

If your app gets rejected, Apple will let you know the specific reason behind it. However, if they don’t, you need to ask them humbly and get the issue fixed to re-submit the app.

The best that you can do to avoid app rejection is to follow all the guidelines and review your app yourself.

How long does it Take for an App to be Approved on Google Play Store?

Google Play Store takes quite a long time to review the apps thoroughly.

Typically, three days is the standard time for a mobile app to be reviewed and approved on Google Play Store. However, they do take longer for certain developer accounts.

As per Google App Review Guidelines, a few apps may be subject to extended reviews and result in approval times of up to 7 days or even longer in certain cases.

Google suggests that you take a buffer time of 7 days between submitting your app and launching it.

Final Thoughts

You must follow the tips mentioned in this article to avoid getting your app rejected. If you still need assistance with the app submission, you can create your app with Appy Pie. Appy Pie’s AppMakr team helps you not just with the app creation but also with the entire submission and review process.

To make the app creation process easy and help you understand the software better, Appy Pie offers an excellent App Developer Certification Course where you can learn how to create, test, and publish an app with Appy Pie’s No-code AppMakr.

Appy Pie’s AppMakr offers an easy-to-use interface which makes the whole app creation process a piece of the pie that there is no space left for mistakes. Still, if you make any, we have a support team that helps you make changes to your app even after you have tested and submitted it.

In fact, with Appy Pie, you can also learn how to market your app. Visit Appy Pie Academy and go through our training course – Mobile App Marketing Strategy & App Monetization for Free.

Looks like you have got the whole package. Isn’t that great? Why don’t you try creating an app today?

Go for Appy Pie AppMakr, create an app, get it approved, and you should be good to go!

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