App Store and Google Play Launch Checklist

What this checklist is

A step-by-step checklist for publishing a mobile app on the Apple App Store and Google Play for the first time, or for a client. It covers developer accounts, current build requirements, the review guidelines that cause most rejections, privacy labels and the Data safety form, store listing and screenshots, in-app purchase rules, testing tracks, crash reporting and phased or staged rollout, checked against Apple and Google documentation in October 2026.

It has 9 chapters and 37 checks, each with how to verify it and how much it matters. For developers shipping their own or a client's mobile app.

Chapter by chapter

1. Developer accounts (5 checks)

Set up the right accounts early. Enrolment and verification can take days, and Google Play adds a testing requirement for new personal accounts.

2. Build and platform requirements (4 checks)

Both stores reject builds that miss current SDK and API level rules. Check them before your final build, not after it is rejected.

3. Pass review the first time (5 checks)

Most rejections come from a short list of avoidable problems. Check these before you press submit.

4. Privacy labels, Data safety and permissions (4 checks)

Both stores show users what data your app collects. The answers must cover every SDK, match your privacy policy and stay current.

5. Store listing and screenshots (5 checks)

The listing is what turns a store visit into an install. Meet each store's limits and show the app actually being used.

6. In-app purchases and payments (4 checks)

Selling digital features follows strict store rules. Pick the right payment method for what you sell before you build checkout.

7. Beta testing tracks (3 checks)

Test with real users on real devices before the public sees the app. Both stores provide tracks for this.

8. Crash reporting and stability (3 checks)

Find out about crashes from your tools, not from one-star reviews. Google Play also uses stability to decide how visible your app is.

9. Release and staged rollout (4 checks)

Release gradually so a bad build reaches few users. Both stores support this for updates, with different rules.

How it works on Sefism

The checklist is one page: each check has a severity (must, should or nice to have) and a concrete way to verify it, and members can tick checks off as they go. The opening chapters are open to everyone. Adding it to your account uses credits, opens every chapter and keeps your progress.

Every claim is checked against the sources listed on the page (8 cited).