To publish an app on the App Store and Google Play you need developer accounts, a privacy policy, a declaration of the data the app collects, an age rating, trader status, texts and images plus an approved review. Plan for weeks and not days, even when the code is done. We have seen this again and again in our 25 years of working with apps and systems, so we rewrote our checklist to match what Apple and Google require in November 2026.
What does it cost to publish an app?
The Apple Developer Program costs USD 99 per year and Google Play Console USD 25 once. If a company is going to own the app, it also needs a D-U-N-S number, which is free from Dun & Bradstreet. So do not pay a middleman for it.
The real cost is not the accounts. It is the time it takes when something is missing and the launch is already booked.
How long does it take?
Two things take the longest. According to Google, a D-U-N-S number can take 30 days, so request it the same day you decide to build. If you also have a personal Google account created after 13 November 2023, a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 days in a row is required before the app can be published.
The review itself is faster. Apple says that 90 percent of all submissions are reviewed within 48 hours. Still leave some margin, because a first rejection is common and fixing it takes time.
What is easy to miss?
None of this is hard, but all of it takes time and if something is missing you get a no.
- Privacy policy: Apple and Google require one from every app. It must be on an ordinary web page with no login, because Google does not accept a PDF.
- Account deletion: if users can create an account in the app, they must also be able to delete it there. Google does not count freezing an account as deletion and also wants a web address where users can request deletion without the app.
- Data declaration: App Privacy at Apple and Data safety at Google must match what the app does. What third-party components collect counts as your app collecting it.
- Trader status: if you run the app as a business you count as a trader under EU rules. Without a declared status the app is removed from the App Store in the EU.
- Test account: if the app has a login, the reviewers need a working account with instructions. Keep your servers running throughout the review too.
Who should own the accounts?
You, not the agency. If an agency builds the app for you, the accounts must still be in your company's name with the agency invited as a user. That way you keep the app, the reviews and the statistics the day you part ways.
In what order do you do it?
Count backwards from launch day. Accounts and closed testing take the longest, so they have to start first.
- Get developer accounts and request a D-U-N-S number.
- Build account deletion and publish the privacy policy.
- Fill in the data declaration, age rating and trader status.
- Create the images and texts for the stores.
- Test with TestFlight at Apple and closed testing at Google.
- Submit for review and choose a release date.
Common questions about publishing an app
Can I publish an app without a company?
Yes. Both Apple and Google have accounts for individuals. If a company is going to own the app, choose an organization account. Google also requires one for apps in areas such as finance and health.
Which tools do I need to build the app?
In November 2026 Apple requires Xcode 26 or later and Google an Android App Bundle for Android 16 (API level 36) or later. The requirements change often, so check them before you submit.
What do I do if Apple or Google says no?
Read which rule they cite, fix the problem and submit again. At Apple you can reply in App Store Connect and if you are sure they are wrong you can appeal.
Download the whole checklist
In 14 things you must do before your app is published we have gathered everything in an order that keeps the timeline. Every point has boxes to tick and you get the image sizes, the character limits and what to do if you get a no. You need no technical background, because you can hand the few points about the build itself to your developer.
Building an app and want help all the way to the stores? Read how we work here.
