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Building your apps from start to finish
Before you get started, we recommend reading this entire article so you can understand the different steps and time it takes to launch your app.
Launching your own mobile apps could feel daunting, thankfully you choose to use SupaPass, so that you can launch your apps quickly and seamlessly. This article covers some of the stages of preparing and launching your app, with links to our other resources to get you launched. Throughout the article we assume that you want to go live with apps for both Apple and Google.
How long does it take?
Some aspects of the App Setup are fixed, for example it can take up to two weeks for your account to be approved by Apple and Google, but after this you can go at your own pace. You could complete the remaining setup in a single day, or spread it over time as you consider your launch strategy.
Once you submit your app we will conduct some internal checks to improve your chances of passing review first time, this process takes 1-2 working days. The app will then be reviewed by the stores, this is generally 48 hours for a first Apple submission but can be up to 7 days for Google. Rejections of the app may delay the initial release of your app, but we will work to respond to any issues and resubmit the app as soon as possible.
Based on experience, an average timeline could look like this (note that there are a lot of variables and we cannot guarantee that this timeline will fit with your circumstances)
Steps | Apple | |
Create and get Developer Account Approved | 2 weeks | 2 weeks |
Connect Account to SupaPass | Less then a day | Less then a day |
Connect to Firebase Account | less then a day | Less then a day |
Adding app data, graphics, screenshots | less then a day | less then a day |
Pricing (optional) | less then a day | less then a day |
Complete your documents | less then a day | less then a day |
Internal quality review | 48 hours | 48 hours |
Initial submission | 48 hours | up to 7 days |
Register your accounts
The three accounts you’ll need
First, you’ll need to register with Apple and Google for your app to be authorized to be published on their stores. You will also need Firebase to activate Push Notifications and analytics in your apps.
Make sure to set aside time for this
The setup for your mobile app(s) includes steps external to SupaPass that we have no control over. Registration for the stores can take up to 2 weeks as they try to verify your account.
Account | What it's for | Cost |
Releasing Apps on iOS | $99/year | |
Releasing Apps on Android | $25 one-off-fee | |
Activating Push Notifications within the apps, collecting app analytics. | Free |
Verifying your accounts
When registering your Play Store account you'll also need to Verify your Google Developer account and sign up for a Google Merchant account using the same email used for your Google Developer account.
Get your content ready
Whilst you wait for your account to be verified, this is a great time to complete the setup and product creation & content curation of your site - this is required for app screenshots and to show off your content at app submission time.
We recommend you have a minimum of 4 items of content available when you submit your app
Connecting your accounts
Once your accounts are registered you can easily connect them to SupaPass by following our guides:
You can complete your Apple and Google connection at your own pace, but you must connect Firebase to launch on either platform.
Add your App Data
When you connect an account, the other steps in the App Setup will be unlocked for you to complete. You can determine how your apps appear in the stores by completing these modules:
App Information (Apple) - used to create the app store listing for your iOS and tvOS apps.
App Information (Google) - used to create the app store listing for your Android app.
App Graphics - Configure the graphic assets used in your apps, such as the app icons.
Screenshots - generate screenshots for your apps, or upload some custom images to adorn your store pages.
Pricing
If you have paid products you'll need to set prices for them in the apps, this is required for anything you sell via SupaPass but there are some exceptions for products you sell externally.
For your Apple App - If you have paid products, you need to make sure to have signed the Paid Apps Agreement before we can submit your app
Complete your Documents
You can complete these at any time, as long as you do so before trying to build an app. The documents section is a checklist to review for the different agreements between you and the store, there are different agreements to complete for Apple and Google, in addition to answering some common privacy questions.
Claim your Small business discount
You can also claim a reduction in the fees charged by the stores, Apple and Google both have schemes to reduce commission from 30% to 15%. We strongly encourage you to apply for these before launching your app.
Build and submit your apps
Once you've completed the setup for Apple or Google (and Firebase) you can build an app for that platform. Our articles cover how to build and submit your apps, whether you want to create a test version or send your app for review.
When you submit your app for review our team will run a few checks to make sure that your app is compliant with the Apple App Store Review Guidelines and Google Developer Content Policy, then submit the first version of your app for review.
If your app is rejected we'll handle the appeal and resubmission process, but we may need you to complete some additional steps depending on the rejection reasons.
Post-Launch
Once you've launched your app can be customized with any of the previous steps in the App Data section. When you're happy with the changes you've made you'll need to submit another build and add some release notes for the latest version.
We release regular updates for our apps, to add new features and to meet any new compliance standards set by the stores. We recommend checking for updates regularly in order to take advantage of the latest features and fixes.