App store rejections we've actually seen
A short list of the rejections that surprised us - and the rules to ship without hitting them.
Most app store rejections are predictable. A few aren't. Sharing the surprising ones in case they save someone a submission cycle.
"Subscriptions must use IAP"
We've seen this fire even when the app didn't have a subscription on screen. A client used a third-party payment link buried two pages deep. Apple flagged it on review three. The fix was disabling the link inside the iOS app and routing users to a web page if they tried.
"Insufficient functionality"
A wrapper around a website got rejected. The reviewer noted the app was "essentially a web view." We had to add at least one feature only available in the app - push notifications, offline mode, native sharing - before the next review passed.
"Sign in with Apple required"
If the app offers any third-party sign-in (Google, Facebook), it must also offer Sign in with Apple. We've seen this skipped on launch because the founder considered it optional. It is not.
"Inappropriate metadata"
Screenshots that don't match the actual app UI. App description claiming features the app doesn't have yet. Apple's reviewers do compare.
The pattern
Most rejections are the App Store enforcing rules that exist in writing. Read the guidelines once carefully before submission. The rejection cycle adds days to launch - sometimes weeks.