January 3, 2025
14 Common Apple App Store Rejections and How To Avoid Them
Apple App Store has become a crucial platform for you to showcase their applications and attract potential consumers, offering over 3.8 million apps for iOS devices as of July 2023.
However, while it provides an excellent opportunity for consumers with such a vast app ecosystem, App Store rejection remains common. According to Apple’s 2020 App Store report, up to 60% of submissions were either rejected or sent back for review during the initial evaluation by the App Review team.
To help you understand the common mistakes leading to app rejections, OneMobile team has outlined 14 common App Store rejections along with practical solutions to help you overcome those challenges with ease.
Violence of App Store guidelines
Firstly, Apple has a strict set of rules that you must follow to get their apps listed on the App Store. Failure to comply with these rules can result in app rejection. Some of the guidelines you may inadvertently violate include:
- Privacy policy
- Profanity – Adult/Explicit content, Adult toys
- Spam
- Business – Payments – In-app purchase
1. Privacy policy
Non-compliance with privacy standards is among the biggest App Store denial reasons. If your app collects any form of user data, a robust and easily accessible privacy policy is mandatory. Otherwise, your app will likely face rejection during the App Store review process.
Apple’s App Store review guidelines require transparency about data collection, storage methods, and whether the data is shared with third parties.
✨Solutions:
- Provide a user-friendly privacy policy that is accessible both within the app and on the app’s listing page.
- Include your privacy policy statement in the app’s metadata.
- Explain your data retention policy clearly.
- Offer users the ability to withdraw consent for data collection.
2. Profanity - Adult/Explicit content, Adult toys
Apps containing offensive, discriminatory, or insensitive content violate Apple’s App Store compliance issues and will not be approved. Content related to violence, pornography, or substance abuse is strictly prohibited.
Apple emphasizes a safe user experience, and any app violating these fundamental App Store submission problems will be rejected.
✨Solutions:
- Plan during development to ensure your app does not unintentionally offend users.
- Implement content filtering or reporting mechanisms for user-generated content.
- Include age restrictions in your app’s privacy policy where necessary.
3. Spam
In addition to ensuring compliance with content standards, you must also address another frequent reason for app rejection: spam.
Spam not only violates Apple’s App Store compliance issues but also undermines user trust in the ecosystem. Apps rejected for spam typically fail to provide unique value, feature duplicated content, or violate Apple’s rules against spam. These App Store rejection causes are common, especially for apps with repetitive designs or features.
✨Solutions:
- Ensure all content (text, images, videos) is original and not copied from other sources or your previous apps.
- Review section 4.3 (Spam) of the App Store review guidelines.
- Clearly describe your app’s unique value and purpose in the metadata to differentiate it from others.
Apple noticed that your app provides the same feature set as other apps submitted to the App Store; it simply varies in content or language, which is considered a form of spam. The next submission of your app may require a longer review time, and your app will not be eligible for an expedited review until this issue is resolved. |
4. Business - Payments - In-App purchase
During the App Store review process, Apple may reject apps allowing users to purchase digital goods or services outside the app without using in-app purchases (IAP). This is a violation of the App Store approval criteria.
✨Solutions:
- Remove links or instructions leading to external payment platforms.
- Integrate Apple’s IAP system to comply with the guidelines.
- Thoroughly review section 3.1.1 (In-App Purchase) in the App Store review guidelines.
🔎 Section 3.1.1. In-App Purchase Apple noticed that your app contains a payment mechanism other than in-app purchases for digital content or to unlock features or functionality within your app, which is not appropriate for the App Store. In-app purchase is the only valid in-app payment mechanism for digital content. Note: Continuing to hide functionality within your app or other dishonest acts may result in the removal of your apps from the App Store and termination of your Apple Developer Program membership and all associated memberships. |
Incomplete information
As we know, Apple emphasizes thoroughness in app submissions. Providing complete and accurate information, including detailed descriptions, high-quality screenshots, and comprehensive metadata, is crucial. Otherwise, incomplete or inaccurate information can significantly increase the risk of rejection during the App Store review process. Those rules include:
- Improper description format
- Incomplete sentences/ Improper formatting in the description
- App completeness
- Repetitive words in the description
5. Improper description format
The description section is one of the most critical parts of your app listing. However, disjointed or unclear descriptions can make it difficult for users to understand your app’s purpose and features.
✨ Solutions:
- Clearly outline your app’s offerings and emphasize its unique features. Show how your app can enhance users’ lives.
- Understand your target audience’s needs, preferences, and language to craft compelling and relatable messages.
- Use specific examples and persuasive language to motivate users to download your app.
For more detailed guidance, check out our comprehensive article on how to prepare iOS/Android app listings.
6. Incomplete sentences/ Improper formatting in the description
Many descriptions overly rely on short, incomplete sentences lacking a subject and predicate. Consequently, this can make it difficult for readers to understand the purpose or main features of the app.
✨ Solutions:
- Use complete, clear, and easy-to-understand sentences to effectively convey the app’s purpose and key features.
- Break content into short paragraphs or use bullet points to highlight each feature.
- Focus on describing features and benefits without repeatedly mentioning the app’s name.
7. App completeness
One of the most frustrating things for anyone evaluating your app—whether it’s Apple’s review team or end-users—is encountering placeholder content in the app or its listing.
This issue not only indicates that your app that your app is incomplete and not ready for submission. It also gives reviewers more reasons to scrutinize and identify additional errors in your app.
✨ Solutions:
- Ensure your app binary or metadata does not include placeholder text like “lorem ipsum.”
- Avoid placeholder screenshots such as “screenshot coming soon” in your app metadata.
8. Repetitive words in the description
Some app descriptions fall into the trap of repeating the same word or phrase multiple times, especially when emphasizing a specific feature or benefit. This not only makes the content dull and less engaging but can also appear unprofessional.
Furthermore, overusing identical phrases may also miss opportunities to describe the app creatively and diversely, making the description monotonous and less appealing compared to others.
✨ Solutions:
- Identify and remove any overused words or phrases in the description. Replace them with synonyms or alternative expressions if necessary.
- Instead of repeating the same term, use varied phrasing to maintain diversity and creativity in the content.
- Allocate more space to describe other unique features of the app rather than emphasizing a single repeated element.
Technical information
Besides incomplete information, you also have trouble when submitting an app to the App Store because it’s technically complicated. These mistakes can delay or hinder the approval process.
For instance, issues can range from improper functionality, broken links, and inadequate metadata to non-compliance with Apple’s technical standards. Therefore, understanding and addressing these mistakes before submission can help ensure a smoother review process and increase the chances of app approval.
Those rules include:
- The terms and conditions page is not loading
- The team name does not match the app name/ authorization issues
- Checkout issues
9. Terms and conditions page is not loading
The “Terms and Conditions” page failing to load or display content is a critical issue. This page is a mandatory requirement for compliance with App Store regulations, ensuring users are informed about their rights and obligations when using the app. If this page is non-functional, it can lead to a lack of user trust and may result in app rejection during the review process.
✨ Solutions:
- Verify the URL to ensure it hasn’t been broken or altered during app development.
- Implement error-handling mechanisms to notify users if the page fails to load, rather than displaying a blank screen or technical error.
- If an external webpage cannot always be guaranteed to work, consider embedding the terms directly into the app instead of relying on an external link.
10. Team name does not match the app name/ authorization issues
One common reason for app rejection on the App Store is inconsistency between the developer team name and the app name. This typically happens when:
- The developer account name doesn’t accurately reflect the brand or app name.
- There is no clear authorization from the brand or organization to use the app name.
- Intellectual property policies are violated, such as using a registered trademark without permission.
These issues reduce transparency and trustworthiness, often resulting in app rejection.
✨ Solutions:
- Avoid naming the app in a way that conflicts with the developer team name or brand, preventing confusion or intellectual property disputes.
- Include valid contact information and legal policies in the app description to enhance transparency and provide users with a way to reach the development team.
- Before submitting the app for review, thoroughly check the developer account details and ensure they are consistent with the brand name.
11. Checkout issues
At the moment, the OneMobile app supports the default check-out process from Shopify. However, if you are using a 3rd party to act, we could not work well on these platforms.
So, you are advised to use the default check-out or reach out to the Expert team for further support.
Other mistakes
Last but not least, there are additional issues that, while less common, can still lead to app rejection. These errors often stem from overlooked details or technical oversights but can significantly impact your app’s approval chances.
12. Compatibility
Per Apple’s guidelines, your app must function seamlessly across all recent hardware and software. Special attention is given to iPad compatibility. Additionally, Apple emphasizes the importance of efficient resource usage to avoid issues such as overheating or battery drain. Apps requiring users to disable core iOS features are heavily discouraged.
✨ Solutions:
- Test the app on multiple devices, operating system versions, and screen resolutions to ensure stable functionality.
- Use flexible layouts and compatible UI components.
- Leverage recommended APIs and frameworks from Apple and Google to ensure the app performs optimally on the latest platforms.
13. Same as a copycat
Apple is unlikely to welcome your app if it merely replicates existing ones. Lack of uniqueness not only diminishes its appeal but may also lead to rejection for violating guidelines on originality and user value.
✨ Solutions:
- Refine every aspect of your app, from screenshots and UI to its functionality, ensuring it stands out.
- Research your target keywords on the App Store, review top results, and identify ways to differentiate.
- Avoid designs, features, or workflows that closely resemble those of other apps.
14. Offer a poor in-app purchase experiences
App Store reviewers require that your in-app purchases comply with its terms. Improper implementation of in-app purchases will lead to app rejection.
✨ Solutions:
- Ensure all in-app purchases work smoothly; any glitches experienced by reviewers during test purchases will result in rejection.
- Maintain fair pricing, as Apple often rejects apps with “unreasonably high prices.”
- Be transparent about what users are subscribing to, especially for recurring subscriptions. Ensure terms are clear and easy to understand.
💡 Suggested reading:
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Conclusion
Avoiding common app store rejection mistakes is key to launching a successful mobile application. By addressing issues like missing Terms and Conditions, team name mismatches, and poor in-app purchase experiences, you can ensure your app is ready to meet the high standards of Apple’s App Store. At OneMobile, we’ve compiled these solutions in 16 Common App Store Rejections to help you create polished, approval-ready apps.
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