Making your first iPhone app can seem a bit daunting at first. You need to line up top development talent, get an artist onboard, design and mockup each part of your application, and set up legal infrastructure to handle sales and customer support.
And then there are the hard questions: do you need to get registered with Apple? How do payments work? How long will my app be in review? What’s the risk of my app being rejected?
At DrewCrawfordApps, we eat questions like this for breakfast. We know all the ins and outs of the business, and we’re happy to provide advice tailored to your situation. Here are answers to some of our common questions.
Do I need to set up a company?
We strongly recommend setting up an LLC for your first iPhone app. An LLC gives you additional legal protection and a lot of flexibility when dealing with Apple. If you even might want to sell your app to a third party, starting out with an LLC is the only way to go.
We have off-the-shelf companies available that are already prepped for app submission.
Do I need to get registered with Apple?
If you want your apps listed under your name or your firm’s name, you must register directly with Apple. We strongly encourage you to contact us for assistance in this area, as we know all the right contacts to make sure your application stays on track. Lead times for getting registered are typically about 2-3 weeks in a best-case scenario, and this must be in place before any apps can be submitted for review.
We also have off-the-shelf companies available that are already registered with Apple.
How does payment work?
Apple keeps records of sales, in-app purchases, and other transactions and provides them to the registered developer approximately every 30 days. Payments vary but are approximately 30-60 days in arrears. Apple pays the registered developer via an ACH deposit (for transactions in the US) or an international wire (for non-US sales), and there is a $150 minimum payment (or equivalent in USD currency) for each group of regions.
This is another reason why it’s important to register directly with Apple: nobody stands between you and your royalty check.
How do updates and bugfixes work?
Updates and bugfixes are easy if we originally developed your app. Be careful, though, with other vendors, who often lock you in to their maintenance services! See our maintenance page for more details.
How long does App Review take?
App review times can vary pretty considerably, but for a simple app it’s typically in the neighborhood of 7-14 days. Occasionally, Apple will find a problem with the app, which means a change needs to be made and it needs to be re-reviewed. Make sure you allocate enough time for app review when planning your schedule! We can get your app approved and then “hold” it so that it isn’t released until your PR campaign is ready.
Will my app pass App Review?
We’ve shaken hands with the App Review team and we know both the written (and unwritten) rules of App Review. We know what roadblocks you might face and how to work around them better than anyone else in the industry. Contact us now to get a consultation.
