Shopify App Store Review: Timeline and What Gets Rejected

App Store and Google Play review is a required step for launching a native Shopify app, and understanding what typically causes delays or rejections ahead of time is the difference between a smooth first submission and a cycle of resubmissions that pushes the launch date back repeatedly.

How the review process generally works

Apple's App Store review tends to be more thorough and slower than Google Play's, with review times that vary based on app complexity and current review volume. Google Play's process is generally faster, though it still requires proper metadata, permissions handling, and functional testing before approval. Both platforms review submitted apps against their own guidelines covering functionality, content, metadata accuracy, and technical requirements, and both can request changes before final approval rather than approving or rejecting outright on the first pass.

Common reasons apps get rejected or delayed

Incomplete or inaccurate metadata is one of the most common issues, screenshots that don't match actual app functionality, descriptions that overstate features, or missing required information like privacy policy links. Broken functionality during the reviewer's testing, links that don't work, features that crash or fail to load, is another frequent cause, since reviewers actively test core app flows rather than just checking the listing.

Guideline violations around specific functionality also cause rejections: payment handling that doesn't follow platform rules, permissions requests that aren't clearly justified, or content that violates either platform's policies. For ecommerce apps specifically, checkout flows and how they handle sensitive customer data get particular scrutiny.

Why a rushed first submission often costs more time overall

A submission with issues doesn't just get rejected once, it typically requires a full revision and resubmission cycle, which can take as long as or longer than getting the first submission right would have. Testing the app thoroughly against both platforms' guidelines before the initial submission, rather than treating review as a formality to get through quickly, tends to produce a faster overall path to approval even though it takes more time upfront.

What to prepare before submitting

Accurate, complete metadata that matches actual app functionality, a fully tested core user journey from browsing through checkout, clear privacy policy documentation, and properly justified permissions requests all reduce the chance of a rejection on the first pass. For apps built on Shopify's checkout specifically, making sure payment handling follows both platforms' guidelines is worth extra attention given how closely reviewers examine this area.

How Bonsify manages this

App Store submission is part of the launch phase of every Bonsify engagement, with submissions prepared to meet both platforms' requirements before the first attempt rather than treating review as an afterthought. When revisions are requested, Bonsify manages the resubmission process directly, so a merchant isn't navigating App Store or Google Play guidelines alone for the first time. Bonsify is a Shopify services company by FetchSky that builds native iOS and Android apps, PWAs, new Shopify stores, platform migrations, custom apps, and more.

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