Introduction
Getting your WordPress app built is only half the battle. The submission process to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store is where many developers hit unexpected roadblocks. Between account requirements, screenshot specifications, review guidelines, and metadata fields, there is a lot that can go wrong — and a single mistake can delay your launch by days or weeks.
This guide walks you through the entire submission process for both platforms, from setting up your developer accounts to handling your first review. Whether you built your app with NativePress Developer Edition or another React Native solution, these steps apply universally.
Prerequisites: What You Need Before You Start
Before you even open App Store Connect or Google Play Console, make sure you have everything prepared. Missing a single asset can stall the entire process.
Developer Accounts
- Apple Developer Account: $99 per year. Enrollment takes 24 to 48 hours for individual accounts. If you are enrolling as an organization, you will also need a D-U-N-S number, which can take up to two weeks to obtain.
- Google Play Developer Account: $25 one-time registration fee. Approval is usually within 48 hours, but Google has been increasing verification requirements for new accounts.
App Assets
- App icon: 1024 x 1024 pixels, PNG format, no transparency (Apple requires this), no rounded corners (Apple applies them automatically)
- Screenshots: At minimum, you need screenshots for 6.7-inch iPhone (1290 x 2796), 5.5-inch iPhone (1242 x 2208), and optionally 12.9-inch iPad. For Google Play, you need at least two screenshots per device type.
- Feature graphic (Google Play only): 1024 x 500 pixels, displayed at the top of your Play Store listing
- Privacy policy URL: Both platforms require a publicly accessible privacy policy. This is not optional.
- Support URL: A page where users can get help or contact you
App Metadata
Prepare these text fields before you start the submission:
- App name: Up to 30 characters on both platforms. Choose carefully — changing it later affects your search ranking.
- Subtitle (Apple only): Up to 30 characters. Use it to clarify what your app does.
- Short description (Google only): Up to 80 characters. Displayed prominently in search results.
- Full description: Up to 4,000 characters. Describe features, benefits, and what makes your app unique.
- Keywords (Apple only): Up to 100 characters, comma-separated. Research your category and competitors.
- Category: For a WordPress content app, "News" or "Lifestyle" are common choices depending on your content.
Apple App Store Submission
The Apple submission process has more steps and stricter requirements than Google Play. Plan for this to take longer than you expect the first time.
Step 1: Build Your App for Distribution
If you are using Expo (as NativePress Dev does), the build process is handled by EAS Build. Run eas build --platform ios to generate an IPA file. You will need to configure your app.json with the correct bundle identifier (e.g., com.yourcompany.yourapp) and version number.
Step 2: Create Your App in App Store Connect
Log into App Store Connect and create a new app. You will need to provide your bundle ID, app name, primary language, and SKU. The SKU is an internal identifier — use something like yourapp-ios-v1.
Step 3: Upload via TestFlight
Upload your IPA through Xcode, Transporter, or directly from EAS Build (which can submit to App Store Connect automatically). Once uploaded, the build goes through Apple's automated processing, which checks for common issues like missing architectures or private API usage. This takes 15 to 30 minutes.
Step 4: Fill in App Store Listing
Add your screenshots, description, keywords, privacy policy URL, support URL, and age rating. For the age rating, answer Apple's content questionnaire honestly — most WordPress content apps fall into the 4+ or 12+ category.
Step 5: Submit for Review
Select your uploaded build, verify all metadata is complete, and submit. Apple's review team typically responds within 24 to 48 hours, though first-time submissions or apps in sensitive categories may take longer.
The 4.2 Rejection Trap
This is the single most common reason WordPress apps get rejected from the App Store, and it deserves its own section.
Apple Guideline 4.2 (Minimum Functionality): Your app should include features, content, and UI that elevate it beyond a repackaged website.
If your app renders all its content inside a WebView, Apple's reviewers will likely flag it as a "repackaged website" and reject it under guideline 4.2. This is not a theoretical risk — it happens constantly. The rejection email will say something like: "Your app appears to be a web-based app. We encourage you to add native features."
This is exactly why native rendering matters. When your app uses native React Native components to display content (as NativePress does with its Markdown rendering pipeline), the app is genuinely native. Text is rendered with native Text components, images with native Image components, and scrolling uses native ScrollView physics. Apple's reviewers can see the difference.
If you are using a WebView-based solution, you need to add significant native functionality beyond the content display — and even then, approval is not guaranteed. Native rendering eliminates this risk entirely.
Google Play Submission
Google Play's submission process is generally more straightforward than Apple's, but Google has been increasing its review rigor in recent years.
Step 1: Build for Android
With Expo, run eas build --platform android to generate an AAB (Android App Bundle) file. Google Play requires AAB format for new apps — APK submissions are no longer accepted for new listings.
Step 2: Create Your App in Google Play Console
Log into the Google Play Console, create a new app, and select your default language and app type (Application, not Game, for a WordPress content app). Google will ask you to complete a series of declarations about your app's content, target audience, and data collection practices.
Step 3: Set Up Internal Testing First
Before submitting to production, Google strongly recommends (and sometimes requires) that you first publish to an internal testing track. Upload your AAB to the internal testing track, add a few test email addresses, and verify the app works correctly via the Play Store.
Step 4: Complete the Store Listing
Add your screenshots (at least two), feature graphic, short description, full description, app icon, and categorization. Google's listing requirements are less rigid than Apple's regarding screenshot dimensions, but higher-quality screenshots convert better.
Step 5: Content Rating Questionnaire
Google requires you to complete an IARC content rating questionnaire. Answer honestly about your app's content — violence, sexual content, language, etc. Most WordPress content apps will receive an "Everyone" or "Teen" rating. An inaccurate rating can lead to suspension later.
Step 6: Submit for Production Release
Move your app from internal testing to production. Google's review typically takes 1 to 7 days for new apps. Subsequent updates are usually faster, often approved within hours.
Common Rejection Reasons (Both Platforms)
Beyond the 4.2 guideline for Apple, here are the most frequent rejection reasons for WordPress apps on both platforms:
- Missing privacy policy: Both platforms require a publicly accessible privacy policy URL. This is the easiest requirement to forget and the simplest to fix.
- Placeholder content: If your WordPress site has "Hello World" default posts or placeholder images, reviewers may reject the app for having insufficient content.
- Crashes on launch: Test on multiple device sizes and OS versions. A crash during review is an immediate rejection.
- Broken features: Every feature visible in the app must work. Do not ship features that are "coming soon" or behind broken buttons.
- Login requirements: If your app requires a login to access basic content, reviewers may reject it. Provide a demo account or make core content accessible without login.
- Misleading metadata: Your screenshots and description must accurately represent the app experience. Do not use mockup screenshots that look different from the actual app.
Review Timelines
| Platform | First Submission | Updates | After Rejection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple App Store | 24 - 48 hours | 24 hours typical | 24 - 48 hours |
| Google Play | 1 - 7 days | Hours to 3 days | 1 - 7 days |
These timelines are typical but not guaranteed. During major iOS releases or holiday seasons, Apple review times can increase significantly. Plan your launch with buffer time.
The Managed Alternative
If the submission process feels overwhelming, or if you simply do not want to deal with developer accounts, build commands, and review cycles, there is another option. NativePress Cloud handles the entire submission process for you — from building the app to submitting it to both stores and managing updates.
You provide your WordPress site URL and branding preferences. The NativePress team handles everything else: app configuration, asset preparation, store listing optimization, submission, and review response. When Apple or Google has questions, the team handles the correspondence.
For the full cost breakdown, see our guide on the real cost of a WordPress mobile app. If you have already decided that WebView is not good enough, read about why native rendering matters for App Store approval.
Next Steps
Whether you handle the submission yourself or use a managed service, the key takeaway is this: plan for the submission process from the start. Prepare your assets, write your descriptions, set up your privacy policy, and test thoroughly before you ever click "Submit for Review." The developers who get approved on the first try are the ones who treated submission as part of the development process, not an afterthought.