Quick answer
Publishing an app requires a developer account with Apple ($99 per year) and Google ($25 one-time), then preparing your store listing, screenshots and privacy policy, then submitting for review. Apple review usually takes one to three days, Google from hours to a week. The most common rejection reasons are a missing account-deletion option, a missing privacy policy, and an app that looks incomplete.
Many projects finish development then stall at publishing — not from a technical fault but from not preparing store requirements early. This guide organises everything you need before hitting "submit for review".
Step 1: Accounts and fees
| Store | Account | Fee | Activation time |
|---|---|---|---|
| App Store | Apple Developer Program | $99 per year | 1 – 7 days (longer for organisations) |
| Google Play | Google Play Console | $25 one-time | 1 – 3 days |
An Apple organisation account requires a D-U-N-S number for your company, which can take days to obtain — start early if you are publishing as an organisation.
Step 2: What to prepare before uploading
- App icon: 1024×1024 pixels, no transparency and no added rounded corners.
- Screenshots: for multiple device sizes — Apple requires specific dimensions per device class.
- App description: in Arabic and English, with researched keywords (this is App Store Optimisation, or ASO).
- Privacy policy: a public page on your site with a permanent URL — mandatory on both stores.
- Demo account: if your app requires login, the reviewer needs working credentials.
- Content rating: a questionnaire determining the appropriate age category.
- Privacy disclosure: declaring what data the app collects and how it is used.
Step 3: Top rejection reasons and how to avoid them
- No account deletion option: Apple requires that if users can create an account in the app, they can delete it there too. A very common rejection.
- Missing privacy policy or broken link: confirm the URL works and opens a real page.
- An app that looks incomplete: empty screens, placeholder content, or "coming soon" features — reviewers treat it as not ready.
- Demo account that doesn't work: test the credentials you submitted before sending.
- Requesting permissions without justification: asking for location or camera with no clear feature using them.
- A thin wrapper around a website: an app offering nothing beyond the site gets rejected by Apple.
- Payments outside Apple's system: selling digital content in-app must go through Apple in-app purchases.
Step 4: Expected timeline per stage
| Stage | Duration |
|---|---|
| Opening and activating accounts | 1 – 7 days |
| Preparing assets and store listing | 2 – 5 days |
| App Store review | 1 – 3 days (can be longer) |
| Google Play review | Hours – 7 days |
| Resubmission after rejection | 1 – 2 extra days |
In total: plan for two weeks from development completion to actual availability on both stores, and three weeks if it is your first release.
Step 5: App Store Optimisation (ASO)
- App name: put your most important keyword in it — "restaurant", "booking" or "delivery" depending on your field.
- Subtitle: valuable space for additional keywords; do not repeat the name there.
- First two screenshots: these are what 80% of visitors see — put your strongest feature in them.
- Ratings: ask users at the right moment, after they complete a successful task rather than on app open.
- Arabic description: write it for your actual audience rather than translating literally — Saudi users search with different words.
At Horizon Tech we publish our clients' apps and handle review until approval — see our app development service. Nine of our apps are live and you can try them from our portfolio.
FAQ
How much does publishing an app cost?
An Apple Developer account costs $99 per year and renews; a Google Play account costs $25 once. These are store fees only and do not include the cost of developing the app itself.
How long does Apple review take?
Usually one to three days for most apps, and longer during peak seasons or if the app requires additional review. Google Play is often faster but can take up to a week for new accounts.
What should I do if my app is rejected?
Read the rejection message carefully — Apple names the policy clause violated. Fix the cause, then resubmit with a note explaining what changed. There is no resubmission fee, and re-review is usually faster than the first.
Should the developer account be in my company's name?
Yes, and this matters a great deal. The account is your legal ownership of the app, its ratings and its history. Publishing under a developer's or agency's account means transferring it later requires their consent and complex procedures — and you may lose the ratings.
Can I update the app after publishing?
Yes, and every update goes through a new review, usually faster. Google Play also offers staged rollout (a percentage of users first), which is a wise approach for major updates so problems surface before they spread.
