Store account setup
Google Play Console and Apple Developer account created and configured correctly the first time — the wrong account type here is what forces a restart later.
App Deployment · Android & iOS
Your app on both stores, in days — not weeks
Most app launches do not stall on code. They stall on two consoles nobody wants to learn, a signing key that has to be right the first time, and a rejection email written in policy numbers. I handle all of it — Google Play and the Apple App Store, from an empty developer account to a live listing.
Preparation takes a day or two. After that it is review time, and review time is honest: Apple decides on most submissions within 24 to 48 hours. There is one case that genuinely takes longer, and it is named plainly further down this page rather than discovered by you in week three.
What the service includes
Signed release builds
Android App Bundle with a keystore you own and I hand over, and a signed iOS archive uploaded through App Store Connect.
Store listing written
Title, short and full description, keywords, category and content rating — written to be found in store search, not just to fill the boxes.
Screenshots and graphics
Every required size for both stores, plus the Play feature graphic and app icons. Wrong dimensions are the most common automatic rejection.
Privacy and data forms
Play Data Safety and Apple App Privacy filled to match what your app actually does, with a privacy policy URL in place. Both stores block submission without these.
Rejection handling
If a reviewer pushes back, I read the actual policy they cited, fix it, and resubmit. You do not spend a week decoding a rejection email.
How the days actually go
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Accounts, keystore, bundle ID, builds produced and uploaded |
| Day 2 | Listing copy, screenshots, graphics, privacy and data forms completed |
| Day 2–3 | Submitted to Apple review and to Google Play review |
| Day 3–4 | Apple decision — most submissions are reviewed within 24 to 48 hours |
| Day 3–5 | Google Play decision on an existing or organisation account |
This holds for an existing or organisation developer account. A brand-new personal Google Play account carries a 14-day closed-testing requirement — explained in the questions below, because you should know it before you start, not after.
What I need from you
- —Your app source or a build that already compiles
- —App name, and the bundle ID / package name if one is already decided
- —Logo in a high resolution square, and your brand colours
- —A short description of what the app does and who it is for
- —Any login credentials a reviewer needs to test the app
- —A privacy policy — I can write one if you do not have it
The four rejections I see most
Every one of these costs a resubmission and another review cycle. All four are prevented before submission rather than discovered after it.
Incomplete or wrong privacy declarations
Apple and Google both compare your declared data collection against what the app actually does. A mismatch is rejected, and the fix has to go through review again.
Missing demo account for reviewers
If the app opens on a login screen and no test credentials are supplied, the reviewer cannot get in and rejects it as non-functional.
Screenshots that do not match the app
Marketing mockups with text overlays and device frames get flagged. Screenshots have to show the real interface at the exact required sizes.
Crashes on the reviewer's device
Reviewers test on current OS versions. A build that only works on your phone fails here, which is why testing goes before submission, not after.
Frequently asked questions
How fast can my app go live?
Preparation takes one to two days. After that it is review time, which is not in anyone's control: Apple reviews most submissions within 24 to 48 hours, and Google Play usually decides in a few days. So an app with an existing developer account is commonly live within three to five days of starting.
Is there any case where it takes longer?
Yes, one. A Google Play personal developer account created after 13 November 2023 must run a closed test with at least 12 testers opted in for 14 continuous days before it can apply for production access. That is a Google policy and no service can shorten it. Organisation accounts are not subject to it, and the App Store has no equivalent rule — so your iOS app can still be live in days while Android runs its test window.
Who owns the developer account and the signing key?
You do. The accounts are registered in your name or your company's, and the Android keystore is handed over to you. If you lose the keystore you cannot update your own app ever again, so this is not something to leave with a contractor.
What does it cost to publish, apart from the work?
Google Play charges a one-time 25 USD registration fee. The Apple Developer Program is 99 USD per year and has to stay active for your app to remain on the App Store. Both are paid by you, directly to the store, from your own account.
What if the app gets rejected?
Rejections are normal and usually procedural rather than fatal. I read the specific guideline the reviewer cited, correct it, and resubmit. Most rejections I see come down to privacy declarations, missing reviewer credentials, or screenshot sizes — all fixable in hours.
Can you publish an app someone else built?
Yes. I do not need to have written the app. I need a build that compiles and runs, and access to whatever it depends on.
Ready to publish?
Send me what you have — a build, a repository, or just the app and what it does. I will tell you which account type you need, what the realistic date is for your situation, and what it costs before any work starts.