Publishing on iOS is possible, but the App Store process is far more stringent, more opinionated, and more controlled than most founders expect.
Working through the final steps of publishing on iOS has reminded me how much more controlled Apple’s ecosystem is compared to the web or Android. The requirements are stricter, the review process is less forgiving, and even seemingly straightforward workflows come with layers of conditions and interpretation.
One of the clearest examples is subscriptions. If you are selling digital subscriptions inside an iOS app, Apple expects you to use its own in-app purchase system. That closed payment loop is not just a technical preference, it is a platform rule. As a founder, you can understand the logic from Apple’s side, but as a builder it does make the product and business design more constrained.
The App Store Connect interface itself also feels more confusing than it should be. There are many screens, many states, and a lot of places where it is not immediately obvious what exactly is blocking approval. The whole experience leaves you with the impression that iOS is a high-quality platform, but also one where Apple wants to remain firmly in control of how things are built, sold, and shipped.