App Store Pathway
Get started with this easy-to-navigate collection of videos, documentation, and tools to build great apps and games.
Get to know the App Store
The App Store makes it easy for you to distribute apps in the thriving app economy and successfully run and grow a global business. The App Store is also a safe and trusted place for customers to discover apps and games across Apple platforms, on more than 2 billion Apple devices.
The guiding principle of the App Store is simple — we want to provide a safe experience for people to get apps and games, and a great opportunity for developers to succeed. To do this, Apple reviews all apps, app updates, bundles, In-App Purchases, and In-App Events to ensure they're reliable, trustworthy, and perform as expected. As you plan and build, get acquainted with the App Review Guidelines early on in your app or game's development in order to make appropriate design decisions and help your review process goes as smooth as possible.
The App Store empowers you to scale your app distribution worldwide using a variety of business models — including free, freemium (free with optional In-App Purchases), paid, and more. We recommend determining your business model in the early stages of your app or game’s development so you can design your onboarding and user experience accordingly. When choosing a business model, be sure to balance your app or game’s goals with your intended audience’s expectations.
The App Store commerce system makes it simple for customers to purchase your digital goods and services on the App Store as well as in your apps and games using In-App Purchases. You can offer one or more types of In-App Purchases including consumable, non-consumable, auto-renewable subscriptions, and non-renewing subscriptions.
Apple handles worldwide payment processing for any In-App Purchases you offer, as well as supports more than 200 payment methods, so it’s easy for people to pay for your digital goods and services.
To configure In-App Purchases, you’ll use App Store Connect, the StoreKit framework, and In-App Purchase APIs in order to retrieve product information, process payments, and deliver your product.
- In-App Purchase page
- Overview for configuring In-App Purchases
- Human Interface Guidelines: In-App Purchase
- Auto-renewable subscriptions
Before distributing your app or game, you’ll want to test it thoroughly. To assist you, Apple provides a suite of testing tools that you can use throughout development:
- Unit testing: Use the XCTest framework to create and run unit, performance, and UI tests for your Xcode project.
- In-App Purchase testing: The StoreKit Testing framework lets you write unit tests and continuous integration tests as well as create and automate tests in Xcode for your In-App Purchase transactions (including subscriptions). You can also use the Apple sandbox environment to test any In-App Purchases configured in App Store Connect to ensure they’re properly implemented and provide a seamless purchase experience. For more information, see Setting up StoreKit testing in Xcode and Testing In-App Purchases with sandbox.
- Beta testing: TestFlight, Apple’s beta testing service lets you get feedback on your apps, games, and App Clips throughout development. Testers can be from your internal team, or external testers who you invite via email or public link. Testers can download and test your beta, as well as provide feedback all within the TestFlight app. You can then use any feedback they’ve provided — including screenshots with contextual feedback or crash details — to improve your app or game. Learn more about TestFlight.
Distribute your app or game
When you publish your app or game on the App Store, people in 175 regions around the world can discover and download from a variety of places, including the Today, Games, and Apps tabs, in editorial selections, and from your product page.
Before you submit for review, evaluate your app or game for common review missteps, and ensure you’ve added all required app review information. You can also make the most of your product page — the homepage for your app or game — with thoughtful metadata. This includes the copy, imagery, video, and additional details that appear on your App Store product page based on information you provide in App Store Connect. When you’re ready, you can submit and easily track your status in App Store Connect. You can also use the App Store Connect API to submit your app automatically. Please note that it can take up to 24 hours after your app or game’s approval for it to appear on the App Store.
Once you’ve started distributing your app or game on the App Store, you can use App Analytics, Sales and Trends, and Payments and Financial Reports to get data about your performance in App Store Connect. These tools are included with Apple Developer Program membership and require no technical implementation.
Monitor your user acquisition, engagement, and sales
Use App Analytics to learn how people are downloading and engaging with your app or game, as well as dig into conversion rate, sessions per active device, sales, and retention rates.
Compare your app to its peers
Use peer group benchmarks in App Analytics to put your app’s performance into context by comparing it to similar apps on the App Store. Compare your results across the customer journey including conversion rate, crash rate, and average proceeds per paying user. Once you’ve reviewed your performance, you can take action.
Understand your final proceeds
If you offer a paid app or any In-App Purchases, use Payments and Financial Reports to view your final paymentsand proceeds and download financial reports.
Promote your game or app
Once you’ve published your app or game on the App Store, keep things going by promoting your app, keeping people engaged, and refining your product page.
Share your story with us. The App Store showcases incredible apps and games that people love across Apple platforms, and shines a spotlight on developers from communities around the world. Each Apple platform has a dedicated App Store to help people discover the best apps, games, in-app content, and more. You can use Featuring Nominations in App Store Connect to share your story with our team.
Get custom marketing assets. The App Store marketing tools and the App Store Connect app provide you with premade assets to celebrate moments such as a launch, new version, and more. Simply download your selected assets, then share them using your social media or marketing channels to amplify your app or game.
Try Apple Ads. Help people discover your app or game on the App Store and match customers with your app at the right moments with Apple Ads.
Make the most of your product page
Use App Store features to provide an even more relevant experience for people on the App Store.
Create custom product pages: In addition to your default product page, you use custom product pages to showcase a particular feature, content, character, or aspect of gameplay. Highlight this content on each page with unique screenshots, app previews, and promotional text that differ from your default product page. Share a particular page with people by using its unique URL in your marketing efforts or Apple Ads campaigns.
Use product page optimization: Test different elements of your App Store product page to understand if different app icons, screenshots, or app preview videos result in more engagement. For example, you can find out if:
- Showcasing a certain character or value proposition results in more product page views.
- Highlighting a particular feature or culturally relevant content for a certain country or region results in an uptick in downloads in that location.
- Changing your app icon to a different style or color improves your conversion rate.
- Including seasonal content leads to more downloads.
These different elements are tested on alternate versions of your product page called “treatments” and are shown to a percentage of randomly selected people on the App Store. You can also set up a product page optimization test in App Store Connect, under the distribution section of your selected app.
Drive further engagement
Continue to keep people engaged and grow your audience by adding new content, supporting new localizations, and more.
Update your app
When you’re ready to distribute a new version of your app, you’ll create it under the original app record you made in App Store Connect. You can also create a new version using the App Store Connect API.
Localize for new markets
Attract people from around the world by localizing your app and product page to support additional languages.
Ask for ratings and reviews
Ratings and reviews on your App Store product page can improve your discoverability and encourage downloads. People can rate your app or game on a scale of one to five stars, and provide written reviews to share more detail about their experience. Be sure to monitor your rating and consider responding to reviews in order to build further rapport with people.
Offer In-App Events
Boost discovery of any timely content within your app or game — such as game competitions, movie premieres, livestreamed experiences, and more — using In-App Events. People can find In-App Events across the App Store, including on your product page, in search results, and on the Today, Games, and Apps tabs.
Keep learning
Explore effective ways to increase your app or games discovery and grow your business on the App Store.