Publish an App to App Store & Google Play (2026)

TL;DR: To publish an app on the App Store, you need an Apple Developer Program membership ($99 a year), a build made with Xcode 26 or later, a store listing, and Apple's review. Google Play needs a one-time $25 account and an Android App Bundle that targets API level 36. New personal accounts also run a closed test with 12 testers for 14 days. You can do all of it without coding. A no-code builder like CatDoes builds the app in the cloud and, on iOS, can submit it to the App Store for you. Account fees for the first year on both stores come to $124.

You built an app, or you're about to, and now it needs to reach the App Store and Google Play. Each store has its own account, build format, rules and review queue, and both raised their requirements in 2026. This guide covers two paths: the developer route through App Store Connect and Play Console, and the no-code route where a builder handles the build. You'll also see what each store costs, how long review takes, and the rejection reasons that catch most first submissions.

Table of Contents

• What You Need Before You Publish Your First App

• How to Publish an App to the App Store Without Coding

• Can You Publish an App Without a Mac?

• How to Publish an App to the App Store

• How to Publish Your App to Google Play

• App Store vs Google Play: Key Differences

• Why Apps Get Rejected and How to Avoid It

• Publishing With CatDoes: What It Does and What You Do

• Frequently Asked Questions

• Getting Your App Live on Both Stores

What You Need Before You Publish Your First App

Before you publish your first app, set up three things with Apple and Google: a paid developer account, a build that meets this year's technical minimums, and a complete store listing. Here is how the two stores compare.

Apple Developer Program. Apple charges 99 USD per membership year, and the price varies by region.

If you enroll as an organization, you need a D-U-N-S number. Apple says to allow up to 5 business days to get one from Dun & Bradstreet, plus 2 more for Apple to receive it. Individuals don't need one.

Google Play developer account. Google charges a US$25 one-time registration fee, with no renewal. Organization accounts need a D-U-N-S number here too.

Google may also ask for a government ID and a credit card in your legal name. Prepaid cards aren't accepted.

2026 build requirements. Both stores raised their technical floor this year.

Since April 28, 2026, Apple only accepts uploads built with Xcode 26 or later using the iOS 26 SDK. Since August 31, 2026, Google Play requires new apps and updates to target Android 16 (API level 36). You can request an extension to November 1, 2026.

You also need listing assets for both stores: an app name, a description, a privacy policy URL, an app icon, and screenshots sized for each device. Wrong screenshot dimensions are an easy rejection to avoid, so check our guide to App Store screenshot sizes before you export them.

How to Publish an App to the App Store Without Coding

Yes, you can publish an app to the App Store without writing code. A no-code builder makes the app and the iOS build, then either submits it for you or hands it to you to upload. Either way, you still need your own Apple Developer account and you still go through Apple's review.

There are three routes. They differ in how much of the Apple side you handle yourself.

Route 1: A builder that builds and submits for you

This is the least work. You describe the app, the builder produces the iOS build in the cloud, and it sends that build to Apple for you.

CatDoes works this way on iOS. You tell the agent you want to release for iOS, enter your Expo token and Apple ID in secure fields, and confirm the app version. The build usually takes 10 to 30 minutes.

Then you can ask the agent to submit it directly to the App Store. You decide in App Store Connect whether it goes to TestFlight testers or out to the public.

Route 2: A builder that hands you a build

Many no-code and low-code builders stop at the build. They produce the iOS app, and you finish in App Store Connect: create the listing, attach the build and submit it for review.

You still avoid code on this route, but you do the store paperwork yourself. Most of the developer steps below still apply, except building in Xcode.

Route 3: A cloud build service

If you already have an app project but no Mac, a cloud build service can compile it and upload it. Expo's EAS Build runs iOS builds on macOS machines in Expo's cloud, and EAS Submit sends the result to App Store Connect.

Expect some command-line setup. This route suits people who have a project in hand, not people starting from an idea.

Whichever route you pick, three things stay the same: the $99 Apple membership, the listing and privacy details, and Apple's review. No tool skips those for you.

Can You Publish an App Without a Mac?

Yes. You no longer need your own Mac to get a build into App Store Connect. The build still has to come from Xcode 26 or later, but that can run on a cloud Mac.

Apple's documentation lists the App Store Connect API as an upload method alongside Xcode and Transporter. Cloud services run Xcode on hosted Macs for you. Expo, for example, says EAS Submit works on macOS, Linux, and Windows, so you don't need a Mac to ship iOS builds.

One trap: Transporter, Apple's upload app, is a macOS app, so it doesn't help on Windows. Google Play has no Mac requirement at all, since Play Console runs in the browser. New personal Google accounts do need to verify access to an Android device through the Play Console mobile app before an app can go live.

How to Publish an App to the App Store

If you build the app yourself, publishing happens in App Store Connect, Apple's web dashboard for apps, builds and metadata. Here is the full path from finished build to live listing.

Step 1: Register your App ID and create the listing

In App Store Connect, click the plus button to create a new app. Choose iOS, pick a unique bundle ID that matches your Xcode project, set your app name and primary language, and select an SKU. This creates the record that holds your metadata and builds.

Step 2: Upload your build

Archive your app in Xcode 26 or later (Product, then Archive) and upload it from the Organizer window. You can also upload with Transporter on a Mac, or through the App Store Connect API or a cloud build service if you don't have one. Apple processes the build and emails you when it's ready to attach to a version.

Step 3: Fill in your store listing

Add your description, keywords, support URL, screenshots for each required device size, and an app preview video if you have one. Set your age rating by answering Apple's content questionnaire, choose a category, and confirm pricing or that the app is free.

Step 4: Complete privacy and compliance details

Fill out the App Privacy section that describes what data you collect and how you use it. This becomes the privacy "nutrition label" on your listing. Answer the export compliance and content rights questions, which are mandatory before submission.

Step 5: Submit for review

Attach the build to your version and click Submit for Review. Apple's reviewers test the app against the App Review Guidelines.

Apple says it reviews at least 50% of submissions in less than 24 hours and 90% in less than 48 hours. Once approved, you can release right away or schedule a date.

How to Publish Your App to Google Play

Google Play uses Google Play Console, a browser dashboard similar in spirit to App Store Connect but with its own rules. Production apps ship as an Android App Bundle (AAB), not an APK.

Step 1: Create your app in Play Console

In Google Play Console, click Create app, set the name, default language, and whether it is an app or a game, free or paid. Accept the developer program policies and the US export laws declaration to continue.

Step 2: Set up your store listing

Add a short description, full description, app icon, feature graphic, and screenshots for phone and tablet. Choose a category, add contact details, and link your privacy policy. The feature graphic is required even if you skip a promo video.

Step 3: Complete the policy and content forms

Google requires several declarations before you can publish. These are the content rating questionnaire, target audience, data safety form and ads declaration, plus app access instructions if part of your app sits behind a login. Skipping any of these blocks the release.

Step 4: Upload your signed App Bundle

Create a release on a testing track or the Production track and upload your AAB. Since August 31, 2026, new apps and updates must target Android 16 (API level 36). Let Google Play manage app signing, which is the default, and add release notes describing what is in the build.

Step 5: Roll out to production

Review the release summary, fix any warnings, and roll out. If your personal account was created after November 13, 2023, Google first requires a closed test with at least 12 testers. They must stay opted in for 14 days in a row. After that, you apply for production access.

Google says some accounts get a more thorough review, with review times of up to seven days or longer in exceptional cases. Plan for that before a launch date.

App Store vs Google Play: Key Differences

The two stores differ in cost, build tools, review speed and first-publish hurdles. Knowing them up front saves a resubmission.

The practical takeaway: Apple costs more each year and usually reviews within two days, while Google is cheaper but front-loads testing for new accounts. On a new personal Google account, the 14-day closed test plus a slow 7-day review can add up to about three weeks.

Why Apps Get Rejected and How to Avoid It

Rejections are common on a first submission, and most fall into a few predictable buckets. Apple says that on average, over 40% of unresolved issues relate to guideline 2.1, App Completeness, which covers crashes, placeholder content and incomplete information.

• Crashes and bugs. Reviewers reject an app that crashes on launch or has broken core features. Test on a real device, not just the simulator.

• Incomplete metadata. Missing screenshots, placeholder text, or a broken privacy policy URL get flagged on both stores.

• Privacy and data issues. An inaccurate App Privacy label or Data safety form is a common reason for rejection. Declare exactly what you collect.

• Sign-in walls without a demo account. If your app requires a login, put working test credentials in the review notes, or the reviewer can't get in.

• A website in an app wrapper. Apple's review guidance says websites served in an iOS app, or web content not formatted for iOS, don't make a quality app (guideline 4.2). Give the app real native value.

If Apple rejects your app, reply in App Store Connect, fix the issue and resubmit. For a deeper walkthrough, read our guide on how to appeal an App Store rejection.

Publishing With CatDoes: What It Does and What You Do

CatDoes is an AI agent that builds mobile apps and websites from a chat. For the stores, it takes over the build, which is where most of the Xcode, signing and tooling work sits. You keep the developer accounts and the store-side decisions, and on Google Play you also do the upload.

Before you submit, you can ask the agent something like "Is my app ready for the App Store?" It checks the app against the App Store and Google Play review guidelines.

You get a verdict on how likely approval is, blocking issues to fix, warnings, and the things only you can check in App Store Connect or Play Console.

The agent offers that check before a production iOS build. It's optional and uses credits. Store releases need the Starter plan ($50 a month) or above, while the Free and Core plans deploy to the web only.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I publish an app without coding?

Yes. A no-code builder creates the app and the build, and some, like CatDoes on iOS, can also submit it to the App Store for you. You still need your own developer accounts ($99 a year for Apple, $25 once for Google), a store listing, and approval from each store's review.

How much does it cost to publish an app on the App Store?

Publishing on the App Store costs $99 per membership year for the Apple Developer Program, and you renew it every year. Nonprofits, accredited schools and government entities can ask Apple for a fee waiver.

How much does it cost to publish an app on Google Play?

Publishing on Google Play costs a one-time $25 registration fee, with no yearly renewal. You also need a government ID and a payment card in your legal name to verify the account.

Is it free to publish an app?

Not on the app stores. Apple charges $99 a year and Google charges $25 once, so your first year on both stores costs $124 in account fees. Publishing a web app can be free: some builders, including CatDoes on its free plan, put a web app live at no cost.

What does the $99 Apple Developer Program include?

The membership lets you distribute apps on the App Store for all Apple platforms and submit new apps and updates. It also includes beta OS and SDK releases, 25 Xcode Cloud compute hours a month, and app services such as CloudKit and push notifications. Apple lists everything on its membership details page.

How much does it cost to publish an app in total?

Without hiring developers, the total is the account fees plus whatever you use to build the app. With a no-code builder, that's the plan that unlocks store releases. For example, CatDoes Starter at $50 a month for 12 months is $600, so the first year on both stores comes to $724. Hiring developers, or paying for design and testing tools, adds to that.

How long does it take to publish an app?

On the App Store, review is usually quick: Apple says it reviews at least 50% of submissions in less than 24 hours and 90% in less than 48 hours. On Google Play, a new personal developer account first runs a closed test with 12 testers for 14 days, then review can take up to seven days, or longer in exceptional cases. Plan on about three weeks for a first Google Play release from a new personal account.

Do I need a Mac to publish to the App Store?

Not necessarily. The build must come from Xcode 26 or later, but that can run on a cloud Mac. You can upload with the App Store Connect API, and Expo's EAS Submit works from Linux or Windows too. With CatDoes, CatDoes builds the app and the agent can submit it to the App Store for you.

Can I publish the same app to both stores at the same time?

Yes. The listings, review queues and testing rules are separate, but you can prepare and submit both around the same time. A cross-platform app, such as a React Native app, gives you an iOS build and an Android build from one project, so the extra work is mostly store paperwork.

What is the difference between an APK and an AAB?

An APK is the installable Android package. An Android App Bundle (AAB) is the publishing format Google Play requires for new apps. Google generates optimized APKs from it for each device, which keeps download sizes smaller.

Getting Your App Live on Both Stores

Each store needs an account, a compliant build, a listing and a review, so you do the work once for Apple and once for Google. Set up both developer accounts early, start Google's closed test as soon as you have a build, and test on real devices to avoid the common rejections.

If you'd rather skip builds and signing, build your app with CatDoes. It builds for both stores and can submit iOS apps to the App Store for you. For platform-specific depth, see our guides on how to submit an app to the App Store and how to publish an app on Google Play.