Publishing Overview
Since Thunkable allows you to build one app that works on Android and iOS devices, most Creators who want to distribute and monetize their app with larger audiences choose to publish in both the Apple App and Google Play Stores.
The Apple App Store review is typically more rigorous and consequently more time-intensive than the Google Play Store review--but both stores are continually raising the bar for what can be listed in their stores.
Assets You Need for Publishing
The publishing process requires a few pieces of written and image assets to complete. Here’s a checklist for both the App Store and Play Store to help you prepare all the creative assets so you can be up and running.
| Publish to App Store (iOS) | Publish to Play Store (Android) | |
|---|---|---|
Developer Account | Apple Developer Program account ($100 / year) | Google Play Developer account ($25 one-time fee) |
App Name | An app name can be 30 characters long. | An app name can be 30 characters long. |
Subtitle (App Store) or Short Description (Play Store) | Your app’s subtitle is intended to summarize your app in a concise phrase. A subtitle can be up to 30 characters long and appears below your app’s name throughout the App Store. | The Google Play short description is a sentence that appears in the first impression of your Google Play product page below the screenshot. It can have up to 80 characters. |
Description (App Store) or Long Description (Play Store) | Provide an engaging description that highlights the features and functionality of your app. The ideal description is a concise, informative paragraph followed by a short list of the main features. | Provide an engaging description that highlights the features and functionality of your app. The ideal description is a concise, informative paragraph followed by a short list of the main features. |
Privacy Policy URL | Link to your privacy policy on your website. | Link to your privacy policy on your website is required for certain apps that require sensitive information e.g. access to phone camera. |
Account Deletion Option | n/a | If you allow users to create an account through your app, you must now allow users to request that their account also be deleted - details here in our community |
App Icon | The app icon appears when a user downloads your app from the App Store.
| The app icon appears when a user downloads your app from the Play Store.
|
Feature Graphic | n/a | Feature graphics are images for highlighting Android apps on Google Play. They are not mandatory but are highly recommended since they are required for featured placement on Google Play.
|
Screenshots (App Store) or Phone Screenshot (Play Store) | Use images captured from your app’s UI to communicate your app’s user experience visually. | Use images captured from your app’s UI to communicate your app’s user experience visually. |
*Optional* Promotional Text (App Store) or Promotional Content (Play Store) | Your app’s promotional text appears at the top of the description and is up to 170 characters long. You can update the promotional text anytime without submitting a new version of your app. Consider using this to share the latest news about your app, such as limited-time sales or upcoming features. | Promotional content are self-serve merchandising units on Google Play that feature fresh and timely content such as special offers, limited-time events, new content, and major updates. |
Estimated approval time | A few days | A few hours |
You may need to create screenshots in different sizes for your app listing. You can learn how to do that here: Generate Screenshots.
Last updated