How to Publish an App
A comprehensive guide on how to publish your app on Onside, explaining the two review paths: the standard App Store Review and the Onside-only Notarization.
Once your account is set up and connected, you're ready to publish. The process starts in App Store Connect, where you'll upload your build and submit it for review.
Onside offers two distinct paths for publishing your app, each with its own benefits. Choose the one that best suits your distribution strategy.
Choosing Your Publishing Path
This is the standard path for developers who want their app to be available on both the main App Store and Onside.
Best For: Developers looking to maximize their reach by being on both platforms and who want to easily sync their existing App Store presence with Onside.
Process: Your app goes through the standard App Store Review process. Once approved by Apple, it will appear on both stores.
Syncing: This path enables seamless, automatic syncing of your app builds and metadata from the App Store to Onside. You can set it up once and get additional visibility and installs from Onside with minimal extra effort.
This is the recommended path for most developers who already have or plan to have a presence on the main App Store.
This is a streamlined path for developers who want their app to be available exclusively on Onside.
Best For: Developers looking for a faster path to market or those with apps in categories that benefit from more flexible guidelines (provided they are fully compliant with EU law).
Process: Your app goes through Apple's Notarization process. This is a lighter, automated review focused primarily on security, checking for malware and basic functionality, rather than the full set of App Store content guidelines.
Speed: Notarization is typically much faster than a full App Store Review. While the first notarization can sometimes take longer, subsequent ones are often very quick.
Even with Notarization, your app must meet certain basic functionality requirements outlined in Apple's Notarization Review Guidelines. For example, if your app includes "Sign in with Apple," it must function correctly. If your app requires a login, you must provide test credentials in the review notes.
Publishing Steps in App Store Connect
The first part of the process happens in your App Store Connect account.
Prepare for Submission
In App Store Connect, select your app and navigate to the version you want to submit.
Scroll down to the App Review Information section.
If your app requires a login to access its core features, you must provide a valid username and password in the "Sign-in information" section. This is required for both App Store Review and Notarization.
Final Steps in the Onside Console
After your app successfully passes either App Store Review or Notarization, it will appear in your Onside Developer Console, with a status "Missing Info".
Go to the Apps section in your Onside Console.
Click on your app.
Complete the remaining setup steps, such as setting the app's Price and Availability (the countries where it will be available).
Once all information is complete, click Publish.
Your app will then be live on the Onside Store!
Troubleshooting & FAQs
I don't see the "Notarization" option in the Review Type pop-up.
This usually means the app has not been made eligible for alternative marketplace distribution in your App Store Connect settings.
Go to App Store Connect > Users and Access > Alternative Distribution.
Click on the Onside marketplace entry.
Ensure the app you are trying to publish is checked in the list of eligible apps.
Click Save.
My app was approved by Apple, but I don't see it in my Onside Console.
This can happen for a couple of reasons:
App Not Selected for Onside: The most common reason is that the app hasn't been enabled for Onside distribution. Follow the steps in the expandable section above to ensure your app is selected in the Alternative Distribution settings in App Store Connect.
Please note: If you add a new app to your App Store Connect account, it is not automatically enabled for Onside. You must manually go into the Alternative Distribution settings each time to add new apps to the list.
Marketplace Token Issue: In rare cases, there might have been an issue with your Marketplace Token connection. Please go to App Store Connect > Users and Access > Alternative Distribution and verify that the Onside marketplace is listed and active. If not, you may need to re-complete the connection steps.
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