Publishing an app to the App Store or Google Play sounds straightforward until you're facing rejection notices, annual fees, and ever-changing compliance requirements. Between Apple's strict review process and Google's evolving policies, many developers underestimate the ongoing effort needed to get — and keep — their apps live.
Adalo lets you build database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps — published to the App Store and Google Play — from a single no-code editor. Understanding what each platform demands helps you avoid common pitfalls whether you're coding from scratch or using no-code tools to streamline the process.
Getting your app into the hands of users means navigating the publishing requirements of Apple's App Store and Google Play—and that's often where the real work begins. Between developer account fees, strict technical guidelines, and review processes that can reject over 40% of submissions for preventable errors, launching an app is only half the battle. Keeping it live requires ongoing updates, OS compatibility fixes, and policy compliance.
This guide breaks down exactly what it takes to publish and maintain apps on both major platforms, from the $99/year Apple Developer fee to the new iOS 26 SDK requirements taking effect in April 2026. You'll learn the most common rejection reasons, typical review timelines, and the maintenance tasks that keep your app running smoothly long after launch.
For those looking to streamline the process, Adalo, a no-code app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms, published to the Apple App Store and Google Play, can significantly reduce the technical complexity of managing submissions and updates across multiple platforms. But whether you're building with code or no-code tools, understanding what the app stores expect is essential.
The Challenges of Publishing to App Stores
Developer Account Setup and Fees
To publish your app, the first step is setting up developer accounts, which comes with some costs. For Apple's Developer Program, you'll need to pay $99 per year, while Google Play Console charges a one-time fee of $25. These fees are essentially your ticket to getting your app in front of iOS and Android users. Once your accounts are ready, the next hurdle is ensuring your app aligns with the strict technical and asset requirements.
Submission Process and Technical Requirements
Meeting technical requirements can be a meticulous process. Starting April 2026, all apps submitted to the Apple App Store must be built using the iOS 26 SDK or later. This means you'll need to work with Xcode 26 to ensure compatibility with Apple's latest platforms. If your app doesn't meet these standards, it won't make it through.
You'll also need to prepare a range of assets, including app icons, screenshots tailored for different devices, accurate video previews, a live privacy policy, and functional links. Placeholder content like "lorem ipsum" or broken links? Those are instant red flags.
For apps requiring user logins, don't forget to include demo account credentials in the App Review Information section. Missing this step is a common reason for delays. App reviewers need full access to test every feature, so make it easy for them.
Review Times and Rejection Reasons
Once your app is submitted, the review process begins. Here's some good news: 90% of Apple App Store submissions are reviewed within 24 hours. On the Google Play Store, reviews typically take 1–7 days. While these quick turnaround times are helpful, they also mean errors in your submission will be spotted fast.
A significant portion—over 40%—of rejections stem from technical issues like incomplete assets or missing demo credentials. Other frequent pitfalls include inadequate privacy policies or apps that are essentially just websites disguised as apps.
If your app includes user-generated content or social features, you'll need to implement tools for filtering objectionable material, reporting offensive behavior, and blocking abusive users. For apps in regulated industries like healthcare, banking, or gambling, submissions must come from the legal entity offering the service—not an individual developer. Both Apple and Google enforce strict safety and compliance standards, and failing to meet them will result in rejection.
Platforms like Adalo are designed to simplify this entire process. With Adalo, you can deploy your app as a PWA or natively to iOS and Android without needing to rebuild. These challenges underscore the importance of using a streamlined platform to make app deployment as smooth as possible.
App Store Submission Guide (2026): Publish Your iOS App to the Store (Xcode & App Store Connect)
How Adalo Simplifies Publishing to iOS and Android
Traditional vs Adalo App Publishing: Time and Effort Comparison
One-Click Publishing with Adalo
Adalo takes the hassle out of app publishing by removing the technical roadblocks that often complicate the process. Instead of relying on tools like Xcode or Android Studio, you can create native iOS and Android builds directly from your browser. The platform handles complex tasks like code compilation, signing, and packaging automatically—saving hours of manual work.
For iOS, Adalo streamlines the entire process by generating and managing provisioning profiles and certificates within its dashboard. This eliminates the need to navigate Xcode or the Apple Developer Portal. When you're ready to publish, Adalo uploads signed builds straight to App Store Connect and the Google Play Console. The whole process takes less than 7 minutes, and you can initiate new builds for Apple TestFlight or the Google Play Store directly from the "Launch" tab in the Adalo toolbar.
"When you're ready to release your app, click a button to send your final build to the app store. It can't get any simpler than Adalo." - Adalo
The platform's visual builder has been described as "as easy as PowerPoint," making it accessible to non-technical users while still delivering production-ready applications. With AI Builder capabilities coming in early 2026, users will be able to create and edit apps using natural language prompts—further reducing the barrier to entry for app publishing.
Built-In Compliance Features
Adalo also simplifies compliance with app store requirements. It offers customizable privacy policy templates that align with your app's data usage, ensuring you meet Apple's and Google's transparency standards. If your app needs permissions for features like camera access or location tracking, Adalo includes built-in fields for adding the necessary explanations—eliminating the need for manual configuration edits.
The platform stays up-to-date with mandatory SDK requirements, including the iOS 26 update scheduled for April 2026. Additionally, Adalo uses built-in UI validators to ensure your app adheres to safety, performance, and design guidelines, helping you avoid common reasons for app rejection.
No-code developers using Adalo report 40% fewer app rejections thanks to these pre-submission tools. The platform's X-Ray feature identifies performance issues before they affect users, catching potential problems that could lead to rejection or poor reviews. These features not only make the initial publishing process smoother but also simplify ongoing app maintenance.
Traditional Publishing vs. Adalo
Adalo's automated system stands in stark contrast to the time-intensive steps of traditional app publishing:
| Challenge | Traditional Effort (Time/Cost) | Adalo Effort (Time/Cost) |
|---|---|---|
| SDK Compliance | High (weeks of manual Xcode setup) | Low (minutes, automated) |
| Metadata Preparation | High (manual entry of icons, descriptions, screenshots) | Automated (one-click syncing) |
| Submission Workflow | Complex (manual archiving and distribution) | One-click (browser-based) |
| Rejection Mitigation | Manual fixes (after rejections) | Built-in compliance (proactive scanning) |
| Database Scaling | Complex infrastructure planning | No record limits on paid plans |
With traditional publishing, you'd need to manage bundle IDs, create distribution certificates, fill out tax forms, and manually upload builds via App Store Connect. Adalo automates these steps, cutting publishing time by 80–90%, according to user feedback.
Over 3 million apps have been created on Adalo, with 55% of all native app builds targeting iOS. The platform processes over 20 million data requests daily with 99%+ uptime, demonstrating its reliability at scale. This streamlined, automated process not only speeds up publishing but also makes managing your app after launch much easier.
How Adalo Compares to Other App Builders
When choosing an app builder for publishing to the App Store and Google Play, understanding the differences between platforms helps you make an informed decision. Here's how Adalo stacks up against popular alternatives:
Adalo vs. Bubble
Bubble is a visual web app builder that offers extensive customization options. However, its mobile app solution uses a wrapper approach—essentially packaging a web app inside a native container. This introduces potential performance challenges at scale, and means that updating one version doesn't automatically sync changes across web, Android, and iOS deployments.
Bubble's pricing starts at $59/month with usage-based charges through Workload Units, which can make costs unpredictable as your app grows. Record limits also apply based on your plan tier. Adalo's comparable offering starts at $36/month with unlimited usage and no record caps on paid plans—eliminating bill shock from unexpected usage spikes.
While Bubble offers more customization depth, that flexibility often results in slower applications that can struggle under increased load. Many Bubble users end up hiring experts to optimize performance, adding significant costs beyond the subscription. Adalo's purpose-built architecture maintains performance at scale without requiring specialized optimization.
Adalo vs. FlutterFlow
FlutterFlow is a low-code platform designed for technical users. Unlike Adalo's integrated approach, FlutterFlow requires users to set up and manage their own external database—typically Firebase or Supabase. This adds significant learning complexity, especially when planning for scale, as suboptimal database configuration can create performance bottlenecks.
FlutterFlow's ecosystem includes many consultants and experts precisely because so many users need help navigating these complexities. Pricing starts at $70/month per user for easy app store publishing, but this still doesn't include database costs, which must be sourced, configured, and paid for separately.
The builder interface also differs significantly. FlutterFlow limits your view to 2 screens at once, while Adalo can display up to 400 screens on a single canvas—making it faster to navigate complex app structures and understand your app's overall flow.
Adalo vs. Glide
Glide excels at building spreadsheet-based apps quickly using pre-built templates. This makes it fast to launch with, but creates generic, simplistic apps with limited creative freedom. The template-driven approach restricts what you can build and how your app looks.
Glide pricing starts at $60/month for custom domain support, but plans are limited by app updates and data record rows, which attract additional charges. More importantly, Glide does not support Apple App Store or Google Play Store publishing—a critical limitation if native app distribution is your goal.
For spreadsheet-based apps, Adalo's SheetBridge feature offers a compelling alternative. SheetBridge lets you turn a Google Sheet into an actual database, providing the convenience of spreadsheet-based data management without the learning curve of traditional database setup—while still enabling full native app publishing.
Adalo vs. Softr
Softr focuses on building web apps from Airtable or Google Sheets data. Pricing starts at $167/month to publish a Progressive Web App, with restrictions on records per app and records per data source.
The key limitation: Softr does not support Apple App Store or Google Play Store publishing, and cannot create native iOS or Android apps. If your goal is getting your app into users' hands through the major app stores, Softr isn't a viable option.
Adalo vs. Thunkable
Thunkable now offers AI-assisted app drafting, but accessing a publishable Progressive Web App requires a $59/month plan with usage restrictions. Building a responsive app that adapts to different screen sizes requires custom pricing beyond their advertised $189/month Advanced tier.
Adalo's approach—one build that publishes to web, iOS, and Android simultaneously—provides more straightforward pricing and deployment compared to Thunkable's tiered feature access.
Platform Comparison Summary
| Platform | Starting Price | Native iOS/Android | Database Included | Usage Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adalo | $36/month | Yes (true native) | Yes (unlimited records) | None |
| Bubble | $59/month | Wrapper only | Yes (record limits) | Workload Units |
| FlutterFlow | $70/month/user | Yes | No (external required) | Varies |
| Glide | $60/month | No | Yes (row limits) | Update limits |
| Softr | $167/month | No | External only | Record limits |
| Thunkable | $59/month | Yes | Limited | Usage restrictions |
Note: Most third-party platform ratings and comparisons predate Adalo 3.0's infrastructure overhaul in late 2026, which made the platform 3-4x faster with modular infrastructure that scales to 1M+ monthly active users.
Maintaining Apps After Publication
Managing Updates and Bug Fixes
Once your app is live, keeping it updated is essential to ensure smooth performance and a great user experience. With Adalo's single-codebase system, you can simultaneously push changes across iOS, Android, and web platforms. No need to create separate versions for each platform—this means a bug fix or feature update can reach all your users at the same time, saving you valuable maintenance time.
Adalo also offers Phased Release, which gradually rolls out updates over seven days. This approach gives you the chance to monitor performance and address any critical issues before the update reaches everyone. Tools like Apple's TestFlight allow up to 10,000 external testers to try out your app and provide feedback before going live. This is a great way to catch problems early.
Don't underestimate the importance of quick fixes—about 62% of users will uninstall an app if it crashes or freezes. Frequent updates are crucial, and with automated compliance tools, you can stay ahead of shifting policies without extra hassle. Adalo's paid plans include unlimited updates to published apps, so you're never penalized for maintaining your app properly.
Keeping Up with Policy and OS Changes
App stores frequently change their requirements, and staying compliant is a must. Adalo takes care of this by automatically updating your app to align with evolving OS and policy standards. This ongoing compliance is just as important as meeting the initial submission rules.
You'll also need to keep your Privacy Nutrition Labels in App Store Connect accurate, detailing the data your app collects. Adalo's compliance monitoring tools help ensure you stay aligned with these guidelines. It's worth noting that over 40% of app review issues are tied to App Completeness, such as crashes, broken links, or placeholder content. By automating compliance checks, Adalo helps you avoid these common pitfalls and reduces the risk of rejection before submission.
The platform's X-Ray feature proactively identifies performance issues that could affect user experience or trigger review problems. This diagnostic capability catches potential bottlenecks before they become user-facing issues, helping maintain the smooth performance that keeps apps approved and users satisfied.
Using User Feedback for Improvements
Listening to your users is key to keeping them around. Acting on feedback quickly not only builds trust but also helps you identify what's working and what isn't. With only 24% of consumers continuing to use an app three months after downloading it, addressing pain points promptly can make a big difference in retention.
"To improve retention, developers need to build up value for the user that increases with usage." - Tom Hume, Founder, Future Platforms
Adalo makes it easy to act on feedback in real time. Its visual editor allows you to make updates without needing deep technical expertise, and you can push changes instantly without going through a full resubmission process. Speed matters here—no-code platforms like Adalo are up to 90% faster than traditional development methods. This means you can respond to real user needs quickly, without waiting weeks for a developer to make updates.
With Magic Add capabilities coming in early 2026, responding to user feedback will become even faster. Describe the feature users are requesting in natural language, and the AI generates the necessary components—turning user suggestions into shipped features in hours rather than days.
Scaling Without Infrastructure Headaches
As your app gains users, infrastructure concerns typically multiply. Traditional development requires careful capacity planning, database optimization, and often expensive DevOps expertise. Adalo's modular infrastructure handles this automatically, scaling to serve apps with millions of monthly active users without manual intervention.
The platform's architecture—rebuilt from the ground up with Adalo 3.0 in late 2026—delivers 3-4x faster performance than previous versions. Unlike app wrappers that hit speed constraints under load, this purpose-built system maintains responsiveness even as user counts climb. With the right data relationship setups, Adalo apps can scale beyond 1 million monthly active users without the infrastructure complexity that typically accompanies growth at that level.
Conclusion
Key Takeaways
- App store publishing requires meeting strict technical requirements—from the $99/year Apple Developer fee to iOS 26 SDK compliance by April 2026—with over 40% of rejections stemming from preventable technical issues.
- One-click publishing from a single codebase eliminates the complexity of managing separate iOS, Android, and web versions, cutting publishing time by 80-90%.
- Ongoing maintenance is non-negotiable—62% of users uninstall apps that crash, and only 24% continue using an app after three months, making rapid updates and user feedback response critical for retention.
Why Choose Adalo for App Publishing
Adalo offers a streamlined path from concept to published app without the usual technical complexity. The platform handles code compilation, certificate management, and store submissions automatically—what traditionally requires weeks of Xcode configuration happens in minutes.
With store fees as the only external cost and pricing starting at $36/month with no usage-based charges or database record limits, it's a predictable, cost-effective solution for app development. The platform serves over 650 million potential weekly visitors on the Apple App Store alone, and most apps are approved within 48 hours thanks to built-in compliance tools.
Whether you're building an MVP, creating mobile interfaces for existing data, or delivering client apps, Adalo handles the technical heavy lifting so you can focus on crafting features your users will love. One build publishes to web, iOS App Store, and Android Play Store—the hardest part of launching an app, handled automatically.
Related Blog Posts
- Publishing Apps to App Stores: A Beginner's Guide
- How to Launch Your First Mobile App Without Coding
- How to Create a Dating App for Free
- How To Get a Vibe-Coded App To The App Store
FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Why choose Adalo over other app building solutions? | Adalo is an AI-powered app builder that creates true native iOS and Android apps from a single codebase. Unlike web wrappers, it compiles to native code and publishes directly to both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. With unlimited database records on paid plans, no usage-based charges, and infrastructure that scales to 1M+ monthly active users, it removes the technical barriers that typically complicate app publishing. |
| What's the fastest way to build and publish an app to the App Store? | Adalo's drag-and-drop interface and AI-assisted building let you go from idea to published app in days rather than months. The platform handles the complex App Store submission process—certificates, provisioning profiles, and compliance checks—automatically. Most apps are approved within 48 hours of submission. |
| What are the main reasons apps get rejected by app stores? | Over 40% of rejections stem from technical issues like incomplete assets, missing demo credentials, crashes, broken links, or placeholder content. Other common reasons include inadequate privacy policies, apps that are essentially websites disguised as apps, and failing to implement required moderation tools for user-generated content. Adalo's built-in compliance tools help catch these issues before submission. |
| How much does it cost to publish apps to the App Store and Google Play? | Apple's Developer Program requires a $99 annual fee, while Google Play Console charges a one-time fee of $25. Adalo's plans start at $36/month with unlimited usage and no record caps—making the total cost predictable compared to platforms with usage-based charges. |
| How long does the app review process take? | Apple reviews 90% of App Store submissions within 24 hours, while Google Play reviews typically take 1–7 days. Most apps published through Adalo are approved within 48 hours, thanks to built-in compliance tools that help avoid common rejection reasons. |
| Which is more affordable, Adalo or Bubble? | Adalo starts at $36/month with unlimited usage and no database record limits. Bubble starts at $59/month with usage-based Workload Unit charges and record limits that can make costs unpredictable as your app grows. Adalo's pricing model eliminates bill shock from unexpected usage spikes. |
| Which is better for mobile apps, Adalo or Glide? | Adalo creates true native iOS and Android apps that can be published to the App Store and Google Play. Glide does not support native app store publishing—it's limited to web apps and PWAs. If getting your app into users' hands through the major app stores is your goal, Adalo is the clear choice. |
| Is Adalo better than FlutterFlow for beginners? | Adalo is designed for non-technical users with a visual builder described as "easy as PowerPoint." FlutterFlow is a low-code platform for technical users that requires setting up and managing an external database. Adalo includes an integrated database with no record limits on paid plans, eliminating the complexity of external database configuration. |
| What maintenance is required after publishing an app? | After publishing, you'll need to push regular updates to fix bugs, respond to user feedback, and ensure compatibility with the latest OS versions. You must also stay compliant with evolving app store policies and keep privacy labels accurate. Adalo simplifies this by allowing instant updates across all platforms from a single dashboard with unlimited updates on paid plans. |
| Can Adalo apps scale to handle many users? | Yes. Adalo 3.0's modular infrastructure, launched in late 2026, scales to serve apps with millions of monthly active users. The platform is 3-4x faster than previous versions, and with proper data relationship setups, apps can scale beyond 1 million MAU without the infrastructure complexity that typically accompanies growth at that level. |
