Review Process

Before an iOS app is published on our marketplaces — Aptoide in the EU and AppArena in Japan — it is reviewed by hand by our QA team. The goal is to make sure your app installs, runs, and behaves the way users expect. The sections below give a high-level overview of the areas we look at so you know what to prepare — they are not an exhaustive checklist.

📘

This review is separate from Apple's notarization, which your build must pass first. While your submission is under review, your app appears with a Pending status.

Stability

We install your app from the marketplace and go through its main flows to confirm it runs reliably, without crashes or freezes.

Device compatibility

We check that your app installs and works correctly on up-to-date iOS versions and supported devices.

Core functionality & usability

We use the app the way a user would, making sure the main features behave as expected and that the overall experience (UX/UI) is sound. This includes account creation and sign-in, such as third-party and social logins.

Billing integration

If your app includes in-app purchases, we verify that billing is correctly integrated with the Aptoide Billing SDK and works end to end: items can be purchased and are delivered, prices are shown consistently, and the purchase experience behaves as expected. For apps distributed in Japan or Brazil, we also check that external in-app purchases are reported to Apple as required.

Store listing & metadata

We confirm that your store listing accurately represents the app. This covers the title, icon, description, screenshots, category, and age rating, as well as any supporting links and contact details such as the website, privacy policy, promotional video, and support email.

Content guidelines

Beyond the checks above, your app must comply with our content and quality guidelines. Apps whose content does not meet these standards are rejected, even if everything else works as expected. See Restrictions for the reasons an app version may not be accepted.