Resources

Get the green light on your first attempt to submit your app. Explore our comprehensive playbook on marketplace submission and acceptance of your iOS and Android apps—with additional tips on monitoring marketplace performance and ensuring your app’s ongoing success.

If you’re unsure about investing time and money in a mobile app, this resource will help you evaluate the best path to a successful app.

Generational influences define our relationship with technology. Learn how you can design your app for Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z.

Are you looking for inspiration for your digital product? Find award-winning examples and more in the InspiringApps branding showcase.

How do you determine which app developer is the best one to hire for your project? Use this list of questions to ask to help you choose the best.

First impressions of your app matter. Learn how to create an app store landing page that gets your app found, downloaded, and reviewed.

To publish apps for Apple’s platforms, you must start by creating an Apple developer account for your organization and setting up permissions. This article walks you through the process.

Apple offers both individual and organization accounts. Begin enrollment for both individual and organizations here. We strongly recommend that you enroll as an organization even if you are the only one currently managing your business. This is because enrolling as an organization preserves the opportunity to invite other team members to contribute to your work in the future. 

To enroll as an organization, you’ll need the following:

The business data company Dun & Bradstreet assigns DUNS numbers to organizations. A DUNS (or D-U-N-S) number is a unique 9-digit identifier for businesses. Request a new DUNS number through the Dun & Bradstreet site.

Some of our customers find that applying for a DUNS number requires more time than the Apple developer account. If you don’t already have a number, we recommend starting this process as soon as possible.

Your organization must be considered a legal entity (e.g., partnership, LLC, corporation, etc.).

You must have the legal authority to bind your organization to legal agreements.

You will need a credit card for payment. After your initial payment, you can set the account to auto-renew each year. We recommend doing so to avoid gaps in your membership that could cause your apps to disappear from the App Store.

After your developer account is approved, sign in to App Store Connect to set up your team. Because you created the account, Apple considers you the sole account holder or owner. The account holder must periodically review and accept Apple’s updated Terms and Conditions. The account holder also has the authority to invite other users to help manage other aspects of the app’s App Store listing.

Follow these steps to invite new users:

1. Click the button from the main dashboard in App Store Connect. 
2. Select the add button (blue circle with a +) to add a new user. You’ll see the form below.

Once added, users will receive invitations from Apple to join your development team. Invitations expire, so it is important to click on the corresponding link to accept the invitation in a timely manner.

In the Roles section, select Admin to allow the user to manage your apps as well as other users (including members of the development team) in your account. If you are not comfortable granting Admin access, App Manager is the lowest-level role that will still allow app development teams to create new apps for you in your account. 

For our developers, it is important to check the “Access to Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles” box at the lower left of the form unless you or your team is comfortable managing code signing certificates yourself.

Creating an Apple developer account is a key requirement to publish apps for Apple’s platforms. But it also unlocks a wide range of tools and resources that can help you streamline the app development process.

If you’re ready to create your account, now is the perfect time to follow the registration process outlined here. Once you’re registered, you can start taking advantage of all the benefits of the Apple Developer ecosystem. 

Also, check out our collection of Apple and Google resources. From submitting to optimizing your mobile app, there’s a guide for each process step.

At last, after developing and designing your iOS app, you’re ready to share it with the world. When it comes to submitting your app to the App Store, it’s not as easy as just pressing a button, but the App Store submission process isn’t that complicated, either. 

Apple wants users to feel confident the apps they download are safe and error-free. To ensure you’ll meet Apple’s expectations, you can prepare yourself ahead of time, during development, by learning the process. This guide for app owners walks you through each step.

Before you begin, first check to ensure you have prepared and will meet the prerequisites:

• Showcase materials.
• Technical prerequisites.
• Legal prerequisites.
• Formal guidelines.
• Testing.

Steps in the App Store submission process will include the following:

1. Use App Store Connect to create a new app.
2. Create a product page.
3. Submit your app for review.
4. Check the status of your iOS app.

Preparing the needed resources to showcase your app in advance is key to making the App Store submission process efficient. Ensure your app’s name, icon, description, screenshots, previews, keywords, subtitle, and promotional text are ready.

Before you submit your app to the App Store, you’ll need:

1. To enroll in the Apple Developer Program.
2. An app build assigned to your developer account. Your development team can create the proper certificate required by Apple on your developer account and sign the app build with it.
3. To verify that all applicable infrastructure components—such as backend servers, etc.—are running in production mode.  

Also, remember that, as of April 2022, you must build all iOS apps you submit to the App Store with Xcode 13 and the SDK for iOS 15.

Your app must comply with all legal requirements in any location where you make it available; for example, in the EU, that means GDPR.

Furthermore, Apple pays particular attention to how apps handle user data and if the app meets the Apple Developer Program License Agreement. Your app should only include the content you created and have a license to use.

Apple is famously strict when reviewing new apps. Even a tiny hitch in the App Store submission process can cause your iOS app to be rejected. Before approaching the App Store, app owners must study and understand all of Apple’s requirements and guidelines.

Apple designed the App Store to provide users with apps that work seamlessly with their devices‘ capabilities—without bugs. If your app crashes while the reviewer tests it, it will not get a pass.

Before you submit your iOS app to the App Store, ensure you undergo rigorous testing using quality assurance best practices. Test with the latest devices or the simulator in Xcode 13. Use TestFlight to invite other testers. Find and address UI issues to make sure your app looks and works great on every supported device.

The process starts in App Store Connect. Openand hit the plus button to create a new app. You’ll be asked to provide the following:

• Platforms—which Apple platforms your app supports.
• Name—the primary app name users will see in the App Store.
• Primary Language—the primary language for your app.
• Bundle ID—unique for every app on the App Store; if the app build is ready, choose the same ID used in the Xcode during app archiving.
• Stock Keeping Unit (SKU)—an optional value that can be helpful if your accounting needs to tie app sales with an internal SKU number.
• User Access—define whether your app will be accessible to all members, specific groups, or users in App Store Connect.

Completing the required fields and clicking Create will direct you to the product page.

The product page is very important, as it contains metadata that is visible to the end user and could be the decision point in whether to download the app. As we referred to earlier, you can prepare the details you’ll need for your product page before you begin the App Store submission process.

In our article, How To Create a Great App Store Landing Page, you can find details on building a product page to encourage users to download your app. And in this resource, you can find definitions for the technical requirements for your product page.

Below, you can find where the App Store will display specific metadata from a product page. As an example, we used our empath app:

When all the metadata is ready, click Submit for Review from iOS App/Prepare for Submission. Next, you’ll answer questions regarding export compliance, content rights, and the advertising identifier. Finally, your app status should show as Waiting for Review.

According to Apple, it reviews 90% of submissions to the App Store in less than 24 hours. Apple will notify you by email of status changes. But you can check the status anytime in the My Apps section of App Store Connect or on the App Store Connect app on your iPhone. 

You’ll need to make the necessary fixes before you can submit your app again. Review the notes and communicate with Apple about any questions you may have about the App Store submission process through the Resolution Center in App Store Connect.

Congratulations! Now, you can view your app’s downloads, sales, ratings, and reviews directly in App Store Connect. Search for your iOS app on the App Store…and celebrate!

• How To Create a Great App Store Landing Page
• App Store Listing 
• Mobile App Quality Testing 
• Top Tips To Avoid App Store Rejection 
• How do OS Updates impact apps? 

To publish Android apps to the Google Play App Store, you’ll be creating an Android developer account for your organization and setting up permissions. Follow the steps below to enable you to register Android apps.

Creating an organization account with Google will provide you with the ability to invite other members of your team to contribute to your products. We strongly suggest that you register your organization, even if you are the only one currently managing it so that you have the option to add more people in the future. 

To enroll as an organization, you’ll need the following:

• —A DUNS (or D-U-N-S) number is a unique 9-digit identifier for businesses. Request a new DUNS number through the Dun & Bradstreet site.
• Status as Legal Entity—Your organization must have a legal form, such as a partnership, LLC, or corporation. You also need to have the legal right to commit your organization to legal contracts.
• Organization Details—An organizational account will require you to provide organization size (number of employees), address, and phone number with country code.
• Public Website—You need to have a website accessible to the public that is associated with your business.
• Payment—There is a one-time fee of $25 for business accounts, which you can pay using a credit card of your choice.

Applying for a DUNS number may take longer than enrolling in your developer account. So if you don’t already have one, you should apply for it a.s.a.p.

When you have all the details needed as mentioned above, you’re ready to create your Android developer Google Play account. To sign up: 

• Navigate to the signup screen in Google Play Console.
• Complete your Google Play developer profile and account details. 
• Review and accept the Google Play Developer Distribution Agreement.
• Pay the registration fee for your account.

Registration can take up to 48 hours before you see your developer name displayed on the Play Store app. 

Once your developer account is approved, it’s time to set up your development team. To invite new users:

• Click Users and permissions from the left sidebar on Google Play Console. 
• Select Invite new users on the bottom right. 

Users will receive email invitations to join your development team. Invitations expire, so it is important for invitees to click on the corresponding link in a timely manner.

As the account owner, you can establish roles and permissions for all contributors. To set up access controls:

• Navigate to the Account Permissions tab. 
• Select Admin (all permissions) to give users full control of the app. If you’re not comfortable granting admin access, you’ll at least want to check these boxes:
• Play Games Services—if you’ll be publishing games.
• Releases.
• Store Presence.

Rather than limiting roles to predefined permissions, Google offers account owners fine-grained control of permissions. That means you can establish the right level of access for all new users.

Congratulations—you now have access to an Android developer account, enabling you to publish and manage Android apps on Google Play. It is essential for configuring app services, submitting new apps, launching new updates, and managing your app(s).

Now that you have your account, consider exploring these additional store listing resources:

• How To Upload an App to Google Play Store
• Test Your Android App on Google Play
• How To Create a Great App Store Landing Page

Whether you’re publishing on Android, iOS, or cross-platform, you can use InspiringApps resources to streamline app development.

Google Play Store is both a popular and dominant means of getting your mobile app in the hands of users. Boasting higher numbers than the Apple App Store, the Google Play Store released about 90,000 apps in June 2022. Backed by these stats, uploading your application on Google Play seems like a no-brainer.

If you’re wondering how to submit an app to Google Play, you’ve come to the right place. This guide covers the Google Play process for Android app owners.

Your developer account is crucial for uploading your Android application to the Google Play Store. Google Play Console is a central dashboard for your developer account where you can submit Google Play Store apps. When opening your account, you’ll pay a one-time $25.00 fee, but after that, you can submit apps for free.

Complete all the credentials, including your name, country, and other information. After submitting these details, you’ll need to wait up to 48 hours for Google to approve your application.

A merchant account automatically links to your Google Play Console developer account. The merchant account enables you to manage your app’s sales. But, you only need to complete this step if your app supports in-app purchases—otherwise, skip to step 3.

Sign in to your developer account on Google Play Console to create a merchant account. Select. Finally, add your details to your Google account. 

A quick note before you start here: Google doesn’t allow you to convert a free mobile app into a paid one, so if your new application is free, know this decision is permanent. However, you can change the app’s price if you so desire.

To create your app, log in to your Google Play developer console. Then, go to All applications, a tab in the menu, and select Create Application. Provide the following details:

• Your app’s default language.
• The name of your app as it will appear on the Google Play Store (which you can change later).
• Whether your app is an app or a game.
• Whether your app is a free app or a paid app.
• The email address where users can contact you. 

Next, you’ll need to complete the Declarations section, acknowledging the required policies and laws. You’ll also need to accept the Signing Terms of Service.

Finally, click Create.

Once you’ve created your app, you can begin setting up the details for your Google Play Store listing. It’s hard to capture the attention of a potential customer without a great app store listing—so you’ll want to spend ample time performing app store optimization. Here’s where to focus:

• Keywords—consider your app’s primary functions and the pain points it soothes. Try including a few keyword synonyms as they help plant your app in your specific market for your app listing.
• Short Descriptions—only 80 characters of your description are visible to users unless they opt to read more. This text must be compelling. Make sure you include one or more keywords, as well.
• Visuals—create a promo video to show functionality and usability. If you use app screenshots instead, creating a feature graphic that includes the screenshot plus some descriptive text above it can be helpful.

When ready, select Dashboard from the left-hand menu in Play Console. Follow the guides to complete the details you’ve prepared for your Play Store listing. 

As of August 2021, Google Play requires new apps to publish with the Android App Bundle. Google Play uses these bundles to deliver device-optimized APKs that make apps more efficient. To support optimized APKs for multiple Android device configurations, you need to build, sign, and upload only one bundle. Google Play then uses it to serve your app’s distribution APKs and manage them for you.

Before approaching this step in your Google Play Console account, ensure you have a unique bundle ID and a signed app. For large apps, you’ll also need expansion files. You can use Android Studio to prepare your app release. For additional details on release preparation, see the Android Developers site. 

Once you have these items ready, you’re ready to upload APK bundle files in your Android package kit. From the left menu in Play Console, navigate to App releases. Now, you’ll need to choose the type of release:

• Production—the final release to submit a live version of your finalized app to your Google Play account.
• Beta & Alpha Releases—these include internal test, close test, and open test, allowing you to test your app before the final release.

In this instance, we’re submitting a production-ready release for your uploaded app, so select the Production track and click Create Release. 

After selecting the type of release, you’ll be redirected to the New release to the production page. From here, choose whether to use Google Play app signing or opt out to sign locally.

Select Browse Files, and select your bundle or APK file to upload. Follow the on-screen instructions to name your release and provide release notes. At the bottom of the page, click Review to confirm and submit your app’s release information. When everything is complete, click Save.

This next step is crucial: Google doesn’t allow apps without a content rating on its store. Complete the rating questionnaire to prevent your app from an “Unrated” listing. 

Per Google developer program policies, content ratings inform consumers of potentially objectionable content and enable filtering and blocking of content from users’ Google Play accounts where the law requires it. The rating questionnaire asks about the nature of your apps’ content and then assigns a content rating based on your responses. Misrepresentation can result in removal or suspension from the store—so it’s essential to be accurate.

When ready to complete the questionnaire, go to the Content rating page on Play Console and click Continue. Enter and confirm your email address. Select your app category, then complete the survey. When you’re done, click Save Questionnaire, then select Calculate Rating. You’ll see your app’s rating on the Google Play Store. To confirm your app’s content rating, click Apply Rating.

Every app needs a pricing and distribution plan. Assigning a price to your app is a critical step. With distribution, you can control where you distribute your app geographically—e.g., to select countries instead of a worldwide release.

When your plan is determined, navigate to Pricing & distribution on the left menu from Play Console. Choose whether your app is FREE or if it is PAID. Check Available for countries where you want to release your app and Unavailable where you don’t want it released.

Additionally, if your app is suitable for children 13 years or younger, select Yes for “Primary Child-Detected.” If not, choose No. Similarly, select whether your app contains ads.

When you’re ready to release your mobile app into the wild, you have this last step to complete. On Play Console’s left menu, go back to App releases for release management. Click Manage Production, Edit Release, and select Review from the bottom right of the page. Select Start rollout to production, and when prompted, click Confirm.

That’s it! The only thing left to do is to wait for the approval. This can take some time, so be patient. According to Google, due to adjusted work schedules, review times may be longer than usual. In our experience, the first review of a Google Play app takes roughly one week to complete, give or take a few days—but subsequent reviews are much quicker. You can check your app store status in Play Console anytime.

Congratulations on submitting your app! We hope this guide has helped you through the process. Working with an app development partner like InspiringApps can make it even more seamless. We’re ready to help as a dedicated resource when you need it. 

In the meantime, check out these additional free resources:

• How To Submit an iOS App
• Google Developer Console: Create Your Google Play Developer Account
• How To Create a Great App Store Landing Page
• Test Your Android App on Google Play
• Google Play Store Listing: App Icon & More
• Top Tips To Avoid App Store Rejection
• How do OS updates impact apps?

Your app is designed, tested, approved, and ready to revolutionize the world—now you just need to launch it to the masses, and the best way to do it is to submit it to the App Store. 

Online privacy has become more critical than ever in the last few years. In 2021, Apple’s iOS update allowed users to limit the data they share with apps and asked app developers to submit Apple app privacy details, which led to incredible transparency for consumers. And with more consumer eyes on the formerly difficult-to-access data, app developers had to reconsider—and sometimes create—privacy policies to meet these new standards for app privacy details. 

When your team is ready to submit Apple app privacy details, they’re completing an important step that gives your organization visibility and establishes trust with your audience. The process to submit Apple app privacy details is simple and quick, and here’s your how-to guide for getting it done.

Available via the App Store, these app privacy details, known as privacy nutrition labels, help users better understand your app’s privacy practices before they download your app on their Apple device.

The process starts in App Store Connect. You’ll need to provide details about your app’s privacy practices and privacy information about third-party code integrated into your app. Any new app or update to your original app will require you to submit apple app privacy details to the App Store through a privacy questionnaire.

In our experience, the questionnaire takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes to complete. Your legal and development teams will likely need to work together to complete the process accurately. Moreover, collaboration among team members will ensure that your organization obtains the fastest approvals and best outcomes for the application. 

Depending on the types of data that your app collects, you may be answering well over 100 questions in total. Your responses will then help generate a “security nutrition label” for your app. Apple displays this label with your app in its App Store listing. Consequently, this new requirement aims to help users make informed decisions about their data privacy. 

Follow the steps below to complete the Apple privacy questionnaire.

1. Start by navigating to your app in App Store Connect, and then clickin the left sidebar.
2. Select Get Started in the center of the page.
3. The questionnaire will then direct you to Apple’s definitions of “Collect” and “Third-party partners” via the Data Collection screen. After reviewing this information, answer the following question: “Do you or your third-party partners collect data from this app?”
   • A No response will make for a short questionnaire. However, this answer is rarely accurate. Most apps collect usage data to give developers insight to guide future app enhancement decisions. If your app collection is anonymized and not connected to a particular device, session, or user, then “No” may be appropriate.
   • A Yes answer will prompt further inquiry into the types of data you and your third-party partners collect.
4. Stage 1: Data Types: As mentioned above, a Yes response will require you to provide information on your data collection practices. Apple groups data into the 14 data types listed below. Be sure to check a box next to every kind of data your app collects. Specific requirements for each category may change. Read the details carefully, and consult App Store Connect Help for further information.
   
   • Contact Info
   • Health and Fitness
   • Financial Info
   • Location
   • Sensitive Info (for example, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, etc.)
   • Contacts
   • User Content (this includes emails or text messages, photos or videos, audio data, gameplay content, customer support, and more)
   • Browsing History
   • Search History
   • Identifiers (specifically, user ID and device ID)
   • Purchases
   • Usage Data (product interaction, advertising data, etc.)
   • Diagnostics
   • Other Data (i.e., any other data types not mentioned)
5. Stage 2: Data Usage Subcategories: Now that you’ve selected the data types captured in your app, you can complete the final round of follow-up questions to submit Apple app privacy details. You must address the following six data usage subcategories:
   
   • Third-Party Advertising, for example, displaying third-party ads in your app or sharing data with entities that display third-party ads.
   • Developer’s Advertising or Marketing, including the display of first-party ads in your app, marketing communications sent directly to users, or data shared with entities who will display your ads.
   • Analytics, or using data to evaluate user behaviors, including understanding the effectiveness of existing product features, planning new features, or measuring audience size or characteristics.
   • Product Personalization, or customizing what the user sees.
   • App Functionality, including collecting data to authenticate users, enabling features to prevent fraud, and improving scalability and performance (among several others).
   • Other Purposes, meaning any other purpose not listed.
6. After providing answers to all of the questions in the two stages of the questionnaire, you can finally click the Publish button on your app’s main App Privacy page. By making this selection, you’ve finally completed the process to submit Apple app privacy details requirements. You’re now ready to submit your app for review!

• How To Create a Great App Store Landing Page
• App Store Listing 
• Top Tips To Avoid App Store Rejection
• How do OS updates impact apps?

You’ll want to begin testing iOS apps via TestFlight before releasing a new or updated digital creation. TestFlight refers to the Apple system and accompanying iOS app that gives testers the ability to evaluate new products. The number and types of users who should have access to your pre-release build will inform how you choose to distribute it in TestFlight. 

If they don’t already have one, team members will need to create an Apple ID in order to participate in TestFlight processes. The following is a description of TestFlight’s two distribution options:

Internal testing is intended for employees of your organization. You can invite up to 100 team members to engage in the process. A key advantage of internal testing is that pre-release builds are not reviewed by Apple after you make them available in App Store Connect. As a result, the time between the final push from the development team and the availability of your app to testers is usually under 30 minutes. A downside to this option is that you need to send two invitations to each internal tester. Internal team members must first accept an invitation to App Store Connect. After receiving this invitation, they must then accept a second TestFlight invitation that gives them access to pre-release builds.

External testing is intended for users outside of your organization. This type of testing allows you to make pre-release builds available to thousands of external users. Due to the widespread participation that this option affords, test builds must be reviewed and approved by Apple before they can be shared with external testers. This approval process is as rigorous as Apple’s system for reviewing publicly released Apple products. The requirement, therefore, adds hours or days to the time between the final push from the development team and a pre-release build’s availability to external testers. 

External testing is advantageous because it offers greater ease of distribution. External users do not require App Store Connect access. Accordingly, they only need to accept a TestFlight invitation to join the testing process. You can use TestFlight to manage lists of external testers as well as send personal invitations to team members. External testing also gives you the option to grant access to pre-release builds to anyone with a public link. Clients often open up external testing to team members by sending a public link (which is the same for all users) to testers via email or by posting a public link on their website.

You may not know who is testing your product, so Apple provides the option to limit the total number of external testers. This feature is valuable if the exact pool of testers is less critical to your product’s pre-release. For example, you may want 1,000 testers to evaluate the latest version of your app before it is made available to millions of users, but you don’t care which 1,000 users test your product. Establishing a limitation on the number of testers is a great way to address scenarios like this one.

When evaluating iOS apps via TestFlight, know that these pre-release builds are not publicly available in the App Store. Users must first install TestFlight onto a mobile device. They will then need to accept an invitation URL or enter a redemption code to install a pre-release version of your app in TestFlight. This process is very similar to installing publicly available apps from the App Store.

Careful consideration and investment are necessary to create, mold, and perfect your app. One crucial consideration is evaluating and testing your app thoroughly before submission.

Throughout this article, we have delved into the best practices for internal and external testing in TestFlight for your iOS app. If you’re also releasing an Android app, learn how to test your Android app on Google Play.

There is more to consider to test your app for quality assurance. As a next step, explore methods for mobile app quality testing that apply to all platforms.

Before a new version of your Android app is made available to the public, you may want users to test it. This article walks you through the process of testing Android apps via the Google Play Store. 

The Google Play Console is used to control access to your pre-released build. By relying on factors such as the number of testers and their relationship to your organization to determine access, you can release the best version of your app.

Testing tracks provide a way to organize new releases and push them toward public production rollout. While we recommend using at least one track before release, testing tracks are not technically required, and you certainly don’t need to implement all three of them. Below is an overview of each type:

1. Internal Testing
2. Closed Testing
3. Open Testing
   
   

Internal testing lets you make your app available to up to 100 internal testers. This option is typically used if you wish to give access to your own employees.

Closed testing allows you to establish one or more testing tracks for assessing pre-released versions of your app. With closed testing, users don’t need to be members of your organization, but you’ll need to invite users to participate (more on that below). Closed testing lets you evaluate an initial version of your app before expanding access to a larger group.

Open testing makes your app available to a large group of testers. When you run this track, anyone on Google Play can opt in to testing without an invitation.

When testing Android apps through the Google Play Store, multiple lists of testers can be created for the internal and closed testing tracks. Lists are created according to your preferred means of organization.

For example, some clients make lists for each department in their organization, while others choose to create one list for employees and another for contractors. The means of organization is entirely up to you.

Each member in a list must have a Google email account (i.e., one that ends in “@gmail.com”). If Google manages the email accounts for your organization, then it’s acceptable to use your own domain.

All users in a list will need to opt in to testing. If they don’t receive an email invitation from Google automatically, you can retrieve the opt in URL from the Google Play Console and send it to users via email, SMS, etc. The URL will be the same for all testers.: It’s best to accept an invitation from an Android device.

After opting in, users can access the pre-released app using the same Google Play Store interface they use to search and install publicly available apps. As long as users have opted in to pre-release testing, they can always see the latest build in Google Play. This version may be more current than the publicly available one. Users can opt out of testing at any time, at which point they will only see the version that’s available to the public in the Google Play Store.

If you’re in the process of launching an Android app, you can learn more by checking out resources like these:

• How To Create a Great App Store Landing Page
• Top Tips To Avoid App Store Rejection
• Android & iOS App Reviews
• Managing User Feedback
• Top App Performance Metrics To Monitor

If you need help developing an existing product or launching a new one, you can contact us anytime for additional support.

You worked hard to design and build an app based on your understanding of your users’ needs. Now that your app is published, your commitment to providing users with responsive customer service shouldn’t end. In fact, depending on the size of your user base, you may need to accelerate your efforts to manage user feedback. 

There are two components to managing user feedback:

1. —these are the replies you provide to user reviews.
2. Rating & Review Requests—this is the technique to request feedback from users.

This article provides instructions for providing developer responses and requesting ratings and reviews in your app through Apple and Google’s frameworks. But first, let’s review the best practices.

App Store and Google Play user reviews are a great way to stay in touch with your customers’ ongoing desires. The value of positive reviews is high for influencing how your app ranks in search and compelling others to take the risk to download your app. As with any product, great app rankings and reviews come from a great user experience, so that’s the most important place to focus your efforts. To that effect, here are some important things to keep in mind:

Responding to reviews is no different than interacting with users through media such as email and discussion forums, so take care that you are thoughtful in your approach:

• Represent your brand. Grant access only to team members who know your company’s voice and standards for interaction.
• Respond to all reviews. Remember that users want to be heard. We recommend that you respond to all reviews, no matter how positive or negative they may be. 
• Avoid sensitive information. The developer response will appear publicly, along with the original user review. Be careful not to include any personally identifiable or otherwise sensitive information in your response. 
• Encourage direct outreach. You can provide a customer service phone number or email address to encourage users to contact you directly to address their unique concern (i.e., trouble with their account).

While some people will choose to leave a rating or review on their own, others benefit from being prompted. We recommend you be thoughtful about the timing of your rating or review request:

• Do ask for wins. Prompt users to submit a rating and review after they experience a “win” in your app. For a game, this request may connect to a literal win. As another example, for a mortgage app, this prompt may follow a successful payment or new knowledge of a great refinance opportunity that will result in extensive savings. 
• Don’t ask at launch. Avoid prompting the user to submit a rating when the app launches. At that point, they don’t know enough about your app and are likely to punish you in their ratings for asking too soon. We recommend you wait until your user has logged in a few sessions before making a request.

App Store Connect provides tools for your team to review user feedback and provide a developer response. You’ll need to grant your team members appropriate access to the tools that let them manage user feedback. 

Navigate to the Roles section and select Customer Support for team members who will be managing App Store reviews. Click on the Users and Access tab. Select Add (plus button) to grant the appropriate team members access to reviews. Choose either All Apps or click on individual apps in the Apps section to extend individualized levels of access to each team member.

Now that you’ve given certain users access to reviews, these team members can respond to customer feedback. From the dashboard on App Store Connect, click My Apps and navigate to the app in question. Select Ratings and Reviews in the left sidebar; you’ll see the app’s average rating and a list of submitted reviews. You may submit one developer response for each review.

Apple gives you the option to reset your ratings each time you submit a new version of your app. If the latest version of your app addresses a significant issue that was leading to negative reviews, then you’ll probably want to reset your rating when the update is submitted. Users of the new version will presumably have a better experience and will submit more favorable ratings.

Use Google Play Console to start managing user feedback. Give appropriate team members Reply to reviews access in the User feedback section on the Account permissions tab. Select Users and permissions in the left sidebar. Click on the Invite new users button to give users with Reply to reviews access the ability to manage Google Play reviews. 

Now that you’ve given certain users access to reviews, these team members can respond to customer feedback. From the Google Play Console dashboard, select All Apps and click on the appropriate app in the list to the right. In the left sidebar, select Reviews in the Quality: Ratings and reviews section; you’ll see the app’s average rating and a list of submitted reviews. You have the option to submit a developer response for each review shown.

Google does not offer the ability to reset ratings for Android apps. Instead, their rating algorithm gives more weight to current ratings than older ones. As you continue to release new and improved versions of your app, the average rating should naturally increase.

Taking in user feedback will continuously improve your app and brand reputation. Building proactive measures to gather customers’ responses can help build trust and loyalty from your customer base.

If a customer has a negative experience, be sure they have an open channel to you as a developer—not just through the app review process but also via email, social media, and other support channels.

Customer feedback will give your app the credibility it needs to gain a competitive edge. By taking advantage of these review mediums, you can better meet the needs of your users and provide them with meaningful solutions.

When you install an app onto your Android device, the Google Play store listing presents detailed information about that product. Before making your new app publicly available, you’ll need to provide all that information to Google—name, description, screenshots, and more. 

Each section below provides a comprehensive set of information about the technical requirements for Google. We hope the information we’ve provided helps you marry the science and the art for a brilliant Google Play app listing that attracts users in droves.

On your app development journey, your store listings are where you provide information that both supports your app behind the scenes and publicly showcases it to the masses. 

Similar to a website, the concept of the landing page is the subset of details and visuals users find when they search for your app on the Google Play Store.

You’ll need to submit the following introductory information about your app to begin the process of creating a new Google Play store listing.

Name your app as you want it to appear on Google Play. It doesn’t have to match the somewhat limited text that appears beneath your app’s icon on a user’s home screen. The name is limited to 50 characters.

The default language is the one used for text, audio, and video content in your app.

Select one of these two categories. You can change your response later if necessary.

Make your selection. You can switch your response to this question later on as well.

Indicate that your app meets Google’s Developer Program policies and complies with US export laws before moving on. For additional information, see the Developer Policy Center on Google Play. Finally, accept the Play App Signing Terms of Service.

Below are several sections of data that must be completed before a development team can upload an app and ultimately publish a new store listing. This information is required before you can distribute your app to testers or submit your product for Google’s review.

To access detailed information about each data category from the Google Play Console, select an appropriate item in the left sidebar of the app’s detail in the section.

This is the main name of your app. Again, the name doesn’t have to match the text that appears beneath your app’s icon on a user’s home screen. The name can’t exceed 50 characters.

The short description is limited to 80 characters. It initially appears by default when end users view your store listing.

The full description describes the features and benefits of your app. It can’t exceed 4,000 characters.

It’s the definition of iconic and can make or break whether users download your app. 

• Best Practice: Don’t use badges or text that reference store ranking, price, or Google Play categories (such as top, new, or sale) to avoid a submission rejection.
• Format & Size: Your app icon should be submitted as an image of 512 x 512 pixels and no more than 1 MB. A 32-bit PNG format (with alpha) is required.

The feature graphic helps promote your app in different places on Google Play. 

• Best Practice: Avoid placing text near the edges, and be sure to center key visuals to prevent unwanted cropping. 
• Format & Size: Your image should be 1024 x 500 pixels in either JPEG format or 24-bit PNG (no alpha) format. The file can’t be over 1 MB in size.

Depending on the devices supported by your app, you’ll need to provide screenshots for phones, 7-inch tablets, and 10-inch tablets. The requirements for all screenshots are the same:

• How many? You must provide between 2 to 8 screenshots for each device type. 
• In which file format? Screenshots must be in JPEG or 24-bit PNG (no alpha) format. 
• What about dimensions? The specific dimensions are flexible as long as the sides are between 320 and 3,840 pixels and the aspect ratio of the image is 16:9. 
• What is the maximum size? File sizes can’t exceed 8 MB.

You have the option to provide a link to a private YouTube video showing your app in action.

Again, select one of the two types for your app.

Choose one of the following: 

• Apps—Art & Design, Auto & Vehicles, Beauty, Books & Reference, Business, Comics, Communications, Dating, Education, Entertainment, Events, Finance, Food & Drink, Health & Fitness, House & Home, Libraries & Demo, Lifestyle, Maps & Navigation, Medical, Music & Audio, News & Magazines, Parenting, Personalization, Photography, Productivity, Shopping, Social, Sports, Tools, Travel & Local, Video Players & Editors, Weather.
• Games—Action, Adventure, Arcade, Board, Card, Casino, Casual, Educational, Music, Puzzle, Racing, Role Playing, Simulation, Sports, Strategy, Trivia, Word.

Choose up to five tags to further classify your app. Play Console will offer suggested tags, but you can also search or scroll through other tags to find and add them.

An email address is required. You can also choose to submit additional contact information, including a website URL and phone number that connects users to customer care.

Indicate whether or not you want Google to advertise your app outside of Google Play. You’ll only want to decline if your product is an internal app for your business. Otherwise, the extra exposure will help your distribution.

In the Play Console, “App Content” is located in the “Policy” section at the bottom of the sidebar, not in the “Grow” section with the rest of the items above.

All items in the App Content section are either mini-questionnaires or forms. Tasks shift to the Completed group once you have finished them. All items need to be completed before you can publish your app.

Supply a link to the privacy policy for your app.

Indicate whether or not your app includes ads. If your answer is yes, then your app will have a Contains ads label in its Google Play Store listing.

If either a part of your app or the entire app is restricted based on login credentials, memberships, location, or other forms of authentication, then you must provide instructions on app access. 

Keep Information Current

Make sure to keep this information current—because Google may use it to review your app. Importantly, app information won’t be shared or used for any other reason outside of giving reviewers access to your product.

Consider Different Versions

If it helps to increase clarity, you and your team can include multiple sets of instructions on app access instead of just one. Each set must include a title, username or phone number, corresponding password, and explanatory text.

Add a Video Link if Required

You may want to add a link to a private YouTube video in the app access section. This additional item is necessary for at least two common circumstances:

1. Environment Restrictions—you can’t provide Google with a live test account in your production environment. This is the case for some of our financial clients.
2. Hardware Restrictions—your app integrates with hardware that the reviewer can’t access. If this describes your situation, it’s important to record a video showing the app running on a phone and communicating with its associated hardware simultaneously. The reviewer needs to see, for instance, that when you tap a button in your app’s UI, the light on the hardware turns green.

In both cases, it’s critical to demonstrate the core functionality of your app. We recommend the following:

• Focus: Don’t attempt to demonstrate every possible use case; instead, keep your video to 2 minutes or less.
• Pace: Remember the reviewer can pause and rewind as needed so that the video can run through your demo at an efficient pace.
• Audio: Your video doesn’t need to be narrated, either (unless you think there’s something unobvious requiring an explanation).

Google doesn’t allow apps without a content rating on its store. Content ratings inform consumers of potentially objectionable content and enable filtering and blocking of content from users’ Google Play accounts where the law requires it. The rating questionnaire asks about the nature of your app’s content and then assigns a content rating based on your responses. Misrepresentation can result in removal or suspension from the store—so it’s essential to be accurate. 

Complete the rating questionnaire to prevent your app from an “Unrated” listing. You’ll be asked for information such as the following:

• Provide your email address to be used to contact you about your content ratings. It may be shared with rating authorities such as the ESRB for the United States. 
• Select the category: Game, Social or communication, or All other app types. 
• Further, describe the app within that category. For example, for a Social or communication app, you’ll select either Communication or Social.
• Does the app share the user’s current and precise physical location with others?
• Does the app allow users to purchase digital goods?

You’ll provide information including target age, app details, ads, and store presence. Apps primarily designed for children have specific requirements. Questions may include:

• What are the target age groups of your app? (If you select ages 13 and under, you’ll have additional questions to answer.)
• Could your store listing unintentionally appeal to children?

Indicate whether or not your product is a news app. Products that cover current events must comply with Google’s policy regarding news apps. Therefore, you’ll need to provide information that helps Google verify your credentials as a news publisher. You’ll also need to explain how you source the content shown in your app.

If you intend to charge for your app, you’ll need to set up a Google merchant account. Then you’ll be able to select a pricing category for the app and indicate the countries in which it should be available.

Your Google Play Store listing is an important step in getting your app in front of users. By taking the time to create a well-designed listing, you can increase your chances of success in the Google Play Store.

Here are some added tips for creating a successful Google Play Store listing:

• Use high-quality images and videos.
• Write a clear and concise description of your app.
• Use relevant keywords throughout your listing.
• Promote reviews and feedback.

Need additional help with the Play Store or Google Play business? Explore how to optimize your Google Play app list further with these best practices. Or, check out our link below to get your free copy of the complete guide to everything Google Play (and Apple App Store, too!).

Your App Store listing provides users with crucial information about your iOS digital product. You’ll need to provide Apple with details about your iOS app, so Apple can create your listing and make your iOS app publicly available in the App Store.

To help you efficiently navigate the process of creating and updating your app listing, we’ve separated listing specifications into two categories—app information and version information. App information is generally consistent across updates and rarely changes. Version information, on the other hand, can and likely will change each time you release a new version of your product.

Read on for details about each category and the requirements for your app listing.

Your app’s name appears at the top of your app listing and is limited to 30 characters. Your app name can be longer than the relatively limited text beneath your app’s icon on a user’s home screen. 

Many elements go into an app’s icon during the app design process to make sure it’s memorable. Work with your app development partner or review Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines to help you guide your icon’s design.

The subtitle appears beneath your app’s name throughout the App Store in a smaller font. Some clients use the subtitle space to insert a tagline. Subtitles must also be 30 characters or less.

Apple requires applicants to demonstrate their legal right to leverage third-party commercial content (such as art and music). Therefore, teams should be prepared to provide this documentation even though the App Store listing does not include it. 

If your product includes in-app purchases such as content or features, you’ll configure them in App Store Connect. You may need your development team’s input to complete this task because they may have to implement some app code and configuration changes. 

You’ll need to choose primary and secondary categories for your app. Your selections will come from the following options: Books, Business, Developer Tools, Education, Entertainment, Finance, Food & Drink, Games, Graphics & Design, Health & Fitness, Kids, Lifestyle, Magazines & Newspapers, Medical, Music, Navigation, News, Photo & Video, Productivity, Reference, Shopping, Social Networking, Sports, Stickers, Travel, Utilities, and Weather.

: If your app is specifically for kids ages 11 and under, select the “Made for Kids” checkbox to indicate a particular categorical case.

For apps that have different languages, you can localize various elements of your listing details for each of the markets where your app is offered. These elements include your app description, keywords, app previews, and screenshots. Other localization features include translating your app’s name and targeting keywords to local audiences.

Your product’s primary language is used as the default for App Store metadata when you don’t provide localized information.

The age rating is the minimum age for which your app is deemed appropriate. You won’t provide an age rating directly. Instead, you’ll answer a series of questions about topics that are not suitable for all ages, such as violence and profanity. Apple will then assign an appropriate age rating based on your responses.

You may provide your own license agreement or adopt Apple’s policy by default.

Your pricing and availability selections are part of your App Store properties. You can establish tiered pricing (e.g., free, $0.99, $1.99, etc.) and determine which countries should make your app available. When you set pricing, you also specify the effective date for your pricing to change.

One of the newer features of app listing requirements is what’s known as the security “nutrition label,” which helps users better understand your app’s privacy practices before they download it. Your listing landing page will include a label detailing some of the types of data your app collects and whether it’s linked to or will track the user. We cover the required privacy information to submit new apps and app updates in-depth here. 

App previews are an optional way to visually communicate your app’s user experience. App previews are short videos that show your app in action, and you can include up to three of them. They must be between 15 to 30 seconds in length and no more than 500 MB in size.  The supported file formats are MOV, M4V,  and MP4. Apple automatically makes the 5-second mark your poster frame, which is the image that displays to customers on the App Store, but you can edit it when your app status is editable.

For iOS apps, you can upload app preview videos in either landscape or portrait mode. When the user plays your video, the app preview will rotate to the native orientation.

While app previews aren’t required, screenshots are. You’ll need to provide between 1 and 10 screenshots for your app. For iPhone apps, Apple requires teams to provide screenshots for 6.5 inch screens (iPhone 13 Pro Max, 12 Pro Max, 11 Pro Max, 11, XS Max, and XR) and 5.5 inch screens (iPhone 8 Plus, 7 Plus, and 6s Plus). The images you provide will scale down for smaller device sizes.

Your screenshots must meet specific pixel dimensions to satisfy Apple’s requirements for iPhone devices. The required pixel dimensions for 6.5 inch screens are 1284 x 2778 pixels in portrait or 2778 x 1284 pixels in landscape and 1242 x 2688 pixels in portrait or 2688 x 1242 pixels in landscape. The required pixel dimensions for 5.5 inch screens are 1242 x 2208 pixels in portrait or 2207 x 1242 pixels in landscape).

Apple gives teams the option to provide specific screenshots for 5.8 inch screens (iPhone 13 Pro, 13, 13 mini, 12 Pro, 12, 12 mini, 11 Pro, XS, and X) as well as 4.7 inch screens (iPhone SE 3rd and 2nd generation and iPhone 8, 7, 6s, and 6). If your team does not submit screenshots for smaller screens, then Apple will scale your 6.5 and 5.5 inch screenshots.

Some teams can access specific devices that produce screenshots with the required size dimensions. These applicants can simply capture images and upload them to App Store Connect. However, some teams don’t have this capability. In this case, it may be easiest to take representative screenshots on whatever device you have and then lean on our team to capture the shots using an iOS Simulator, which allows us to meet the specifications of any iPhone model.

Furthermore, most App Store screenshots show the edge-to-edge UI of your app. However, some clients prefer to reduce the image size, insert it into a phone frame, and possibly add some promotional or instructional text around the images. If you choose to further customize your screenshots in any of these ways, keep the following additional requirements in mind:

• The frame of the mobile device pictured must be an iPhone.
• Users must only see their own iPhone model’s frame. For example, when users see your app’s listing on their iPhone 13 Pro Max, you can’t present them with screenshots showing the frame of an iPhone 11. You’ll need to produce a set of images for all of the screen sizes (6.5, 5.8, 5.5, and 4.7 inches) with the appropriate model frame.

One last thing to keep in mind: if there are any mobile devices pictured in your screenshots—for instance, a stock photo of a model holding a phone on your login page—then the mobile products shown must be Apple devices. If your iOS app includes an image of an Android phone, your app will likely be rejected in the review process.

If your app runs on iPad, must provide screenshots for a 12.9 inch device (iPad Pro 4th, 3rd, and 2nd generation). Images for other screen sizes are optional, including 11 inch devices (iPad Pro, Air 5th and 4th generation, and mini 6th generation), 10.5 inch devices (iPad Pro and Air, 9th 8th, and 7th generation), and 9.7 inch devices (iPad and mini).

If you don’t want Apple to auto-scale the 12.9 inch versions, you can provide additional screenshots. We also recommend additional screenshots if you plan to insert app images into a device frame instead of taking screenshots natively.

We’ve listed all of the dimensions below in portrait format—simply reverse them for landscape:

• 12.9” Screenshots (Required): 2048 x 2732 pixels and 2048 x 2732 pixels
• 11” Screenshots: 1488 x 2266 pixels, 1668 x 2388 pixels, and 1640 x 2360 pixels
• 10.5” Screenshots: 1668 x 2224 pixels 
• 9.7” Screenshots: 1536 x 2008 pixels without status bar, 1536 x 2048 pixels with status bar, 768 x 1004 pixels without status bar, and 768 x 1024 pixels with status bar

Your app description of the features and benefits of your app can be up to 4,000 characters.

Use promotional text for special occasions or to draw attention to something unique. This optional content appears above the description in the App Store. Promotional content is one of the few things that you can update without a new review. Apple limits promotional text to 170 characters or less.

Keywords don’t appear in the listing but are used to improve search results in the App Store. You’ll provide a comma-separated list of words. Keep in mind that commas between words count toward your 100-character limit.

This property is not available for the first version of the app but is required for all subsequent versions. Limited to 4,000 characters, it’s a description of the changes in this version of the app such as new features, UI improvements, or bug fixes. 

Provide a support URL link to the page on your website where users can find customer help and resources for your app.

Submit an optional marketing URL link to a page on your website where users can find product information about your app.

Provide contact information including the name, phone number, and email address of the person Apple can reach if they have questions during the review process. In our more than 14 years of developing App Store listings, we’ve never been contacted using these methods. All of our review feedback has come through a dedicated channel within App Store Connect for review-related communication.

If you need to give the reviewer special instructions for using features of the app, include them in your review notes. Only include details that are less obvious to someone picking up the app for the first time.

Create authentication details (typically a username and password) for the reviewer if login is required for your app. If your app uses something other than a username and password, provide these details in the App Review notes. If an Apple team member can’t sign in, then your review will stop until the issue is resolved.

Note: Be sure that you can authenticate these credentials in your production environment before submitting a new build for review.

You can submit an attachment in a wide variety of formats to support your submission. While teams may submit attachments as images, PDFs, and other formats, our clients most frequently submit videos for their reviews. Videos are necessary for at least two of the following common circumstances:

1. You can’t provide Apple with a live test account in your production environment. This is the case for some of our financial clients.
2. Your app integrates with hardware that the reviewer can’t access. If this describes your situation, then it is important to record a video that shows your app running on a phone and communicating with its associated hardware at the same time. The reviewer needs to see, for instance, that when you tap a button in your app’s UI, the light on the hardware turns green.

In both cases, it’s crucial to demonstrate the core functionality of your app. However, teams certainly don’t need to demonstrate every possible use case. We recommend you keep your video to 2 minutes or less. Remember the reviewer can pause and rewind as needed, so you can fly through your demo. You don’t need to narrate it either unless you think your app has a specific feature that requires an explanation. This situation is rare.

On your app development journey, the App Store listing is the place to really showcase your iOS app and market it to the masses. We know firsthand that finalizing the listing is both art and science, and we hope the information we’ve provided here helped make the process a little bit easier. You may also consider these resources on your journey:

• How to Create a Great App Store Landing Page
• Top Tips to Avoid App Store Rejection 
• Submit App Privacy Details to Apple

Sign up for the InspiringApps Community newsletter for additional information. Or, get in touch—we’d love to hear from you.

After spending considerable resources to develop an app, no one wants to experience app store rejection. There are a number of common issues that cause apps to get rejected by the Apple App Store or Google Play, so it’s important from the outset to be familiar with the design, content, and tech requirements that are used to evaluate apps.

A great way to continuously improve your app is through the use of performance metrics. We review key app performance categories and some specific metrics to gauge how your app is doing in each of them.

Our team is here to help you create a web setup for your digital product. To facilitate this process, InspiringApps will need access to your domain name, SSL certificate, and transactional email address. Follow the guide below to begin establishing an online presence that will contribute to your app’s rise to the top of the digital market. 

Your domain name, which is essentially the internet equivalent of a physical address, adds credibility to your product and helps define your online brand. No matter where you’re at in the web setup process, our team is here to help you take ownership of a domain name that’s perfect for your app. 

• You’ll need to establish an admin account for InspiringApps at your domain registrar (the organization that provides your domain name registration to the general public). A few examples of domain registrars are GoDaddy, Namecheap, and Name.com. 
• The exact process for creating a new admin account varies by the domain registrar. InspringApps can help you create and share credentials in a secure way.

• InspringApps can handle everything that’s needed to update your existing domain name to point to your new web app.
• Not happy with your current domain registrar? No problem. Once InspiringApps has an account with your current domain registrar, we can also help you transfer your domain to another organization.

• Just a quick discussion about what domain name to create!
• InspiringApps will register a domain at a reputable domain registrar that also effectively integrates with your project’s tech stack.

SSL certificates are a crucial piece of modern apps and web setup. For a specific domain (for example, yourapp.com), SSL certificates ensure that the traffic between your users and the server is secure. 

• We highly recommend having InspiringApps create a new certificate for your web app whenever possible. 
• If certain circumstances require your team to use an existing SSL certificate, InspiringApps will work with your engineering team to acquire the:
• • • SSL Certificate File
    • SSL Certificate Key File
    • Renewal Process
    • Renewal Schedule

Nothing! InspiringApps can handle the entire process of establishing a new certificate for your app, including navigating the renewal process.

A transactional email address is essential to your web setup. It is the email from which your users will receive emails related to invitations, password resets, and other automated notifications.

In addition to establishing a transactional email address, we recommend using an email delivery service such as Postmark, SendInBlue, SendGrid, or MailChimp. These services allow easy configuration of highly-deliverable emails (that won’t be diverted to spam folders) and also provide additional tracking metrics.

• If you’re  using an additional delivery system (e.g., Postmark, MailChimp, or a similar system), then we’ll need a set of login credentials for your “from” email account.
• Otherwise, if you are using an additional delivery service, then we’ll need you to provide the SMTP connection information below. 
• • • Host (e.g., smtp.postmark.com)
    • Port
    • Is-Secure Flag (true or false)
    • Username
    • Password
    • From Email Address
    • Alias Name (e.g. The InspiringApps Team)
    • Note: If you can’t find this information, no problem! InspringApps has worked with many SMTP providers and can help you track down everything that’s needed.

Just a quick discussion about choosing a transactional email address that’s right for your product! Our team is here to provide guidance on how to set up a secure, professional-looking “from” address.