How to Publish an App on Google Play and the App Store: A Beginner's Guide
Publishing your first app sounds intimidating, but the path is clearer than it looks. Here is a plain-English walkthrough of accounts, fees, store assets, review times and exactly who handles what.
How to publish an app on Google Play and the App Store
Learning how to publish an app on Google Play and the Apple App Store means understanding two things: the accounts you need and the steps each store expects. The good news is that neither store requires you to be a developer to get listed, and much of the heavy lifting can be handled for you.
At a high level the journey is the same on both platforms. You register as a developer, you prepare a store listing (icon, screenshots, description), you upload the app file, you answer a few questionnaires about privacy and content, and you submit for review. Once approved, your app appears in search and can be downloaded worldwide.
The two stores differ mainly in cost, review culture and the file formats they accept. Below we break down each step in order, so you know what to expect, what it costs, and which parts you can hand off.
Step 1: Create your developer accounts (and what they cost)
Every app lives under a developer account, and you should always publish under your own. That way you own the app, the reviews, the analytics and the relationship with your users, with no third-party traces.
The Apple Developer Program costs 99 USD per year. It gives you access to App Store Connect, where you manage your iOS listing, testers and releases. Registration can take Apple a little time to verify, especially for companies, so start early.
Google Play is cheaper and simpler: a Google Play developer account is a one-time 25 USD fee, with no annual renewal. You manage everything in the Play Console. Note that Google now asks many new personal accounts to verify identity and, in some cases, to test with a small group before a full public release, so read the current requirements when you sign up.
Step 2: Prepare your store listing assets
A store listing is what shoppers see before they download, so it deserves care. Both stores ask for a high-resolution app icon, a set of screenshots (ideally for several device sizes), a short and a full description, and a category. The App Store also uses a subtitle and keywords; Google Play uses a short description and a feature graphic.
Write the description for a human first: lead with what the app does and why it helps, then list key features. Screenshots do most of the persuading, so show real screens with a few words of context rather than empty interface shots.
You will also complete a privacy section. Apple shows "privacy nutrition labels" and Google shows a "Data safety" form, both of which ask what data your app collects and why. Answer honestly and keep a copy of your privacy policy URL handy, since both stores require one.
Step 3: Upload the app and submit for review
With accounts and assets ready, you upload the actual app file. For Android that is typically an AAB (Android App Bundle); for iOS it is a build delivered through App Store Connect. These files must be correctly signed with your developer credentials, which is one of the more technical steps and a common place for first-timers to get stuck.
You then set pricing (free or paid), choose the countries where the app is available, fill in content-rating questionnaires, and submit. Apple reviews most apps within a day or two, though it can be longer for complex apps or first submissions. Google Play review times vary and new accounts can face extra checks, so allow several days for your first release.
Rejections happen and are usually fixable: a missing privacy detail, a login the reviewer could not access, or a thin "web wrapper" that Apple considers too limited. Clear notes to the reviewer and genuine native functionality both help.
What Transform To APP handles vs. what you do
If you built your app with Transform To APP, the split of work is straightforward. You keep control of your brand, your website content, your store copy and screenshots, and your two developer accounts (Apple 99 USD/year, Google 25 USD once). Those accounts stay yours, which is the whole point.
Transform To APP handles the technical middle: building the real native app in Swift and Kotlin, generating correctly sized icons, signing the builds, and producing store-ready files in the formats each console expects. It also handles the native rebuilds when you add device features, so you are not wrestling with Xcode or Android Studio.
Because the app loads your live website inside a native container, anything you publish on your site appears in the app instantly, with no new store review. Only changes to native features require a fresh build, and those are handled for you. The result is a genuine native app, published under your own accounts, that you can keep updated without becoming an engineer.
After launch: updates, reviews and staying compliant
Publishing is the start, not the finish. Keep an eye on user reviews in both consoles and reply where it helps; responsiveness improves your standing over time. Watch the release dashboards for crash reports and policy notices too.
Both stores update their rules regularly. Apple periodically tightens privacy and account-deletion requirements; Google enforces target-API-level deadlines and billing rules that change from year to year. You do not need to memorise these, but you do need a plan for staying current, which is where an optional maintenance arrangement is useful.
Finally, plan your updates. Website content changes need nothing from the stores. New native capabilities, seasonal features or SDK updates trigger a rebuild and a quick resubmission. Knowing which is which keeps your release cadence smooth and your app healthy in search.
FAQ
How much does it cost to publish an app on both stores?+
The unavoidable platform fees are an Apple Developer Program membership at 99 USD per year and a Google Play developer account at a one-time 25 USD. Beyond that, costs depend on how you build the app itself.
How long does app review take?+
Apple usually reviews within a day or two, though complex or first-time submissions can take longer. Google Play times vary and new accounts may face extra verification, so allow several days for a first release.
Can I publish under my own store accounts?+
Yes, and you should. Publishing under your own Apple and Google accounts means you own the app, the reviews and the data, with no third-party branding. Transform To APP publishes under your accounts, with your brand and icon.
Do I need to know how to code?+
No. You handle the store copy, screenshots and your developer accounts. With Transform To APP, the native build, signing and store-ready files are handled for you, so no coding is required on your side.
What happens when I update my website after launch?+
Because the app loads your live site inside a native container, website changes appear in the app instantly with no new store review. Only changes to native features require a rebuild, which Transform To APP handles.