I've read many App Store submission horror stories from developers in previous years. I've even experienced some of it myself. My first app, Bit Buddy, had a decent amount of back and forth, as did Quick.Link and Cribbo, before getting the coveted approval. I was expecting more of the same with Flyby, which frightened me with the 2026 Ship-a-Ton deadline fast approaching. I was prepared for the worst, but in reality, things were...nice?
Submitting to the App Store
For those who have never done it before, likely a large number of my readers, submitting to App Store review is much like submitting a job application. You need to fill out a lot of information, include reference material, and provide supporting documents to back your app.
There's two sides to every app listing. You must ensure your app interacts safely with the platform, handles user data securely, accounts for receipts and in‑app purchases, and stores data logically and safely, but you also have to handle all of the operational and "business" related details. This is where my first mistake with Flyby came in.
My first submission for Flyby, I had everything wired up perfectly. I had an in‑app event, a video on the App Store listing, beautiful screenshots, and a really well‑written “About This App” section for the App Store review team. But the app was still rejected, and I couldn’t understand why.
Then I read the review notes and realized I missed one thing. For apps that have a subscription attached to them, like Flyby does, you need to include links to both the privacy policy and the terms of use in the app description, not just on the app page. It confused me at first because these links aren’t tappable when they’re in the App Store description; they’re just listed as regular text. This came from an automated review system from Apple, so I couldn’t reply to it. It marked my submission as ineligible for further review.
So I did what any rational person does: I updated the App Store description, resubmitted the same set of items, and then we were just in the waiting game.
The Long Wait
It seems like every time I resubmit items to App Store review following a rejection,without having to rebuild and resubmit or re‑upload the app, I end up waiting a long time. This is certainly the case again for Flyby. I resubmitted, matching the specifications of the automated review, and I was left on read for about 36 hours. No progress or anything.
Then, overnight—around 11:00 p.m. California time—the app went into review. When I woke up, it was still in review. I was getting ready to go to bed that following day, and it was still in review. When I woke up the next morning, it had been updated to say, “Pending Developer Release,” which hits harder than it has any right to.
An Unfamiliar Experience
All told, this was a very unfamiliar experience from an App Store review standpoint. Every single one of my apps before had multiple rounds of submissions, re‑uploads, and builds that needed to be tweaked or adjusted. With Flyby, it was really only the App Store description that wasn't polished enough; everything else about the app was, at the bare minimum, functional enough to be an App Store‑worthy app.
I know it probably doesn't mean as much as it used to, but there is still something very rewarding about the idea of a real human installing your app, testing it, and then deciding that it meets the platform's standards. Say what you want about Apple's walled garden and their App Store practices and policies—getting approved to be on the App Store is still one of the best and most rewarding feelings, and I'm not sure that ever goes away.
Until next time, Nick out.