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Submit Your iOS App

Distributing an iOS app alternates between two consoles: you add your app and fill in the submission form in Aptoide Connect, while you accept Apple's terms, connect our marketplaces, and submit your build in App Store Connect. The process is the same for both marketplaces we distribute to — Aptoide (EU) and AppArena (Japan) — with a separate Marketplace Token for each.

Add your app to Aptoide Connect​

  1. Click the Add App button in the top menu bar.

    Add App button in the Aptoide Connect top menu bar

  2. In the dialog that appears, select iOS as the operating system and click Next.

    Dialog to select platform for app submission

  3. Enter your iOS app's Bundle ID and click Next.

    Add iOS App dialog with Bundle ID input field

This opens the submission form, which shows a set of cards tailored to your app. You complete those cards across the steps below — not every card appears for every app.

iOS app submission form with app details and configuration sections

The submission flow​

From here the process alternates between the two consoles. Work through the steps in order — each is labelled with where you do it.

1. Prove app ownershipAptoide Connect​

The Prove ownership of your app card confirms you're authorized to distribute this Bundle ID. It asks for details about you or your company and your application, and appears only until ownership is verified. See Prove ownership of your app.

2. Accept Apple's termsApp Store Connect​

Before the option to connect an alternative marketplace appears, you must accept Apple's terms for the regions you want to distribute in:

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Without these agreements, the marketplace option won't appear in App Store Connect.

3. Connect Aptoide and/or AppArena as marketplacesApp Store ConnectAptoide Connect​

Repeat for each marketplace you want to connect:

  1. In App Store Connect, copy your Developer ID (click your name → Edit Profile).
  2. In Aptoide Connect, paste it into the Marketplace Tokens card and generate one token per marketplace.
  3. Back in App Store Connect, register each marketplace under Users and Access → Integrations → Marketplace, pasting the matching token. Tick the box to notify the marketplace of changes so we can retrieve new builds automatically.

Full instructions: Marketplace Tokens.

4. Set up billing (only if your app has in-app purchases)Aptoide Connect​

Apple's in-app purchase system doesn't work on alternative marketplaces, so apps with IAPs must integrate the Aptoide Billing SDK (Swift or Unity) for purchases to keep working on Aptoide and AppArena. Use the Implement our billing solution card to get started; see the iOS Billing SDK and in-app products guides for setup.

If you distribute in Japan or Brazil, external in-app purchases must be reported to Apple and are subject to a 5% commission.

5. Submit your buildApp Store Connect​

Submit your build as usual, keeping two things in mind.

Pick the Review Type:

  • App Store — when the same build goes to both Apple's App Store and our marketplaces. Our SDK activates only for downloads from our marketplaces, so one unified build covers both channels. Recommended.
  • Notarization — when you keep a separate build distributed exclusively through our marketplaces. Apple performs a lighter review for these.

How we receive your build once Apple approves it:

  • With notifications enabled (step 3) — we retrieve and distribute the build automatically. No further action needed.
  • Without notifications — submit each build manually: open Apps → your app → Distribution → History, copy the Alternative Distribution Package ID, and paste it into the matching card in Aptoide Connect. See Manual iOS Version Submission.

6. Add app information, languages, and mediaAptoide Connect​

Complete the App Information and Generic Assets card (category, age rating, generic visual assets, etc.) and the Localized Assets card (title, description, release notes, and screenshots per supported language).

7. Submit the form for reviewAptoide Connect​

Complete the final Data for the Certified Developer Distribution Policy Annex card — a compliance form required by Appendix A of our Certified Developer Distribution Policy — then click Submit. Your app shows a Pending status while our team reviews it, typically within two business days; we'll notify you if anything needs attention. Submit at least a week before your planned release date in case we flag something to fix.

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Completing the Annex data field

The Annex data field is a free-text field that you complete yourself; it is not fetched from any web page. Describe:

  • The technical and organizational measures that secure your data (for example, encryption and multi-factor authentication);
  • Your company's subcontracting policy; and
  • The contractual, technical, and organizational safeguards you have in place against access by public authorities.