Hi, I am a freelance developer who built a CRM and as part of the package provide a ToDo application. I managed to convince a client to get a White-Labeled solution for the application from me & uploaded in the client's developer profile (My profile has full developer access). Now, when I am uploading my original app for my other CRM users - App Store Review team is rejecting the app with the following message: "We noticed your app shares a similar binary, metadata, and/or concept as apps submitted to the App Store by other developers, with only minor differences.Submitting similar or repackaged apps is a form of spam that creates clutter and makes it difficult for users to discover new apps.". They mention - "other developers"; but the other developer is me - having full access rights. I have replied to the rejection 4 times with these comments & I feel they are just not reading my comments. Its disheartening to see that all the work you put in, apps get rejected for absolutely no reason. I have already appealed and I am unsure what I should do next.

Hi fellow developers, I built Video Restore AI which uses a number of models with CoreML on macOS to provide simple one-blick video upscaling and colorization. After uploading my archive, I received the following notification through email. ITMS-91109: Invalid package contents - The package contains one or more files with the com.apple.quarantine extended file attribute, such as “{com.kammerath.VideoRestore.pkg/Payload/Video Restore AI.app/Contents/Resources/ECCV16Colorize.mlmodelc/weights/weight.bin}”. This attribute shouldn’t be included in any macOS apps distributed on TestFlight or the App Store. Starting February 18, 2025, you must remove this attribute from all files within your macOS app before you can upload to App Store Connect. How do I deal with this? Is there a way to get Apple to just accept the model contents or do I need to convert it again with coremltools? Many thanks in advance! Jan

Hi all, I am a student trying to launch an app on the App store. The tool is a wait time predictor for bars and restaurants in the area. For months I have been failing the design minimum requirement and was hoping to get some assistance. Here some features: Push notifications, Check wait times at every different time on different, days on graphs, Favorite Venues, Discover other venues via a map system , Enter address into maps via map, Below are some pngs of my project. If anyone could help I would greatly appreciate it

Hey everyone, I’m dealing with a frustrating situation and hoping someone here can share insights. My app has been rejected multiple times under Guideline 4.3(a) - Spam, with Apple stating it resembles an app from a terminated Apple Developer account. Here’s the context: A month ago, my teammate purchased an Apple Developer account from a 3rd party. Then after the app was submitted, we got rejection after that, a couple of hours later. The old account was terminated. The termination notice cited Section 3.2(f) of the ADP Agreement, mentioning "commit any act intended to interfere with any of the Apple Software or Services, the intent of this Agreement, or Apple’s business practices including, but not limited to, taking actions that may hinder the performance or intended use of the App Store, Custom App Distribution, TestFlight, Xcode Cloud, Ad Hoc distribution, or the Program…". This old account was purchased from a suspicious source, which may be why it was terminated and you can imagine my relationship with the old teammate now. Anyway, we never know the real reason because it was a broad message The app was never published, only submitted, but it's now stuck in the terminated account. Then I created a second account on my own, and resubmitted the app. Good thing, I was never been terminated ever since despite multiple attends to resubmit. Bad things, I got rejected because of Guideline 4.3(a) - Spam, they said my app is similar to an app from a terminated account multiple times. Since the termination, I've: Rebranded my app completely, including a new app name, bundle ID, logo, and additional features. I've added like 6 pages alongside 10 other APIs. It's just amazing and terrifying to me at the same time how Apple can track my app linkage to the old account even after though changes Yet, I keep getting rejections claiming similarity to the app in the terminated account. My Questions: How long does it take for app metadata, features, and concepts to be fully released for reuse from a terminated account to be fully removed from Apple's system? Has anyone successfully resolved a similar rejection under 4.3(a)? Now it has been 1 month, should I resubmit the app? I will be joining an online meeting with an Apple Reviewer consultant to discuss the App Review matter one-on-one. What would you guys recommend me to discuss/ask them? About my app information, since I was not allowed to upload screenshots before getting a successful publishing by my CEO I can only share the below information, I pretty sure the app itself is not making any serious fault since I never got rejection in the 2nd account. The app have 2 main features: Chat with generative AI model: it provides finance information and insights linked to real-time finance data No nsfw, nsfl contents, I pre-process and chat and make sure those contents are flagged and the AI will answer in the way that discouraging the topic An overall finance information: volume, info, articles, and charts (we have access rights) Any guidance or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Hi all, My app was rejected because of Guideline 4.3(a). Below is the response: We noticed your app shares a similar binary, metadata, and/or concept as apps submitted to the App Store by other developers, with only minor differences. Submitting similar or repackaged apps is a form of spam that creates clutter and makes it difficult for users to discover new apps. Next Steps Since we do not accept spam apps on the App Store, we encourage you to review your app concept and submit a unique app with distinct content and functionality. Resources Some factors that contribute to a spam rejection may include: Submitting an app with the same source code or assets as other apps already submitted to the App Store Creating and submitting multiple similar apps using a repackaged app template Purchasing an app template with problematic code from a third-party Submitting several similar apps across multiple accounts Is due to another Beta Build of the same app that is also under App Review currently? Because the app idea, UI, code, everything is ideated by me without any inspiration

Hi everyone, We are developing an app, Video Tradie, which operates as a marketplace platform connecting customers with independent tradespeople for consultations. The app facilitates scheduling, communication, and payments but does not directly provide any services—our role is strictly as a facilitator. For payment processing, we are currently integrating Stripe to handle invoicing, payment splits to tradespeople, and detailed reporting features that are essential to our business model. However, we want to ensure compliance with Apple’s App Store guidelines, particularly regarding: Digital Services vs. Physical Services: Since the app facilitates consultations (virtual services), would it fall under Apple’s in-app purchase requirements, or could it qualify for exemptions, similar to apps facilitating physical services? Stripe Integration: If we continue using Stripe for payments, are we allowed to remit Apple’s 15% commission (under the Small Business Programme) while not using Apple’s payment infrastructure? Marketplace Positioning: Does positioning our app as a marketplace rather than a direct service provider exempt us from using Apple’s in-app payment system? Alternative Billing Options: If operating in regions like the EU or South Korea, where alternative billing is permitted, are there specific steps we need to follow to comply? We are seeking clarification to ensure we develop the app in a way that aligns with Apple’s expectations. If anyone has experience with similar setups or advice on communicating with Apple during the submission process, I’d greatly appreciate your input! Thank you!

I previously written here, and some advices were to appeal to rejection sending them message describing uniqueness of the app. Nothing is working. In short, i have a vpn app (of course by design shares some concept with other apps that are in the app store). But since the rejection i have completely changed the ui, added built in browser, p2p messenger so users could interact with each other without any interference. The app is completely free with no ads. I thought this is it, there's no way it would reject this time, but... i get a notification with rejection repeating the same old message. I'm extremely frustrated and don't know what to do. Tried changing the logo of the app, the name to "Incognito - Messenger, VPN", app store screenshots. I've already appealed with screenshots describing unique features that other vpn apps don't have, but the message just repeats from app review team. Submission ID: 1a49ee0b-c4e2-4a36-8372-e4d3b9a8b13f Does anybody have an advice what i can do?

Our problem is that our app was rejected for "Guideline 3.1.1 - Business - Payments - In-App Purchase". Specifically, "the app uses a promo code to unlock or enable paid features in store". Our app does use promo codes. But these codes do not directly unlock paid functionality. What our app actually does with promo codes is as follows... We have products with ids "Product1" and "Product1_Discount1". These are both valid product definitions in Apple IAP. They enable the same features within the app but have different price definitions. We allow the user to enter an optional promo code. We consult our backend to see if the promo code allows the user the opportunity to purchase "Product1_Discount1", and if it does we display the info defined by "Product1_Discount1", otherwise, we display the info defined by "Product1". We are trying to understand a) is it always going to be a guideline violation to offer our own promo codes for in-app purchases (these are not Apple generated codes, we generate them)?, or b) is there a scenario where it is acceptable to manage our own promo codes for in-app purchases? We didn't see anything in the guidelines that prohibited us to define multiple IAP products that have different prices but enable the same functionality. Is this allowed? Our business goal is to share revenue of purchases that our partners promote which we track using their designated promo codes. Is our approach a definite guideline violation? If so then what is the recommendation to achieve our business goal? Thanks

Was working ok, then after my latest attempt at submitting a .PKG it crashes right after displaying the list of previous submitted things. This make it impossible to make progress with my project, unless there's another way of getting it to TestFlight (not using Xcode). Transporter 1.3.2 on Intel Mac Sequoia 15.0

We recently received feedback under Guideline 4.3(b) suggesting our app duplicates functionality found in other apps in this category. However, our app is fundamentally not a dating app. It is a conversation facilitator designed to foster meaningful connections for friendships, networking, and shared interests. While romantic connections may occur naturally, they are not the primary focus. Thus, we are seeking insights on this key question: How do developers effectively demonstrate feature differentiation to reviewers? We want to clearly show how our app’s functionality uniquely addresses user needs and provides value beyond existing solutions. Our Core Features: Our app introduces distinct features that differentiate it from traditional apps in this space: Paths: Psychology-based prompts embedded in chats encourage users to explore meaningful topics like values and aspirations. These prompts are dynamically triggered to keep conversations engaging and productive. Aura: A rewards system that incentivizes thoughtful, high-quality engagement by awarding points for meaningful conversations, which can unlock additional features. Spark Matches: Real-time, themed events pair users for structured, 15-minute conversations on topics like technology or travel. Curated prompts ensure the focus is on shared interests, not romance. Flame Matches: AI-personalized matches adapt to user conversations, connecting individuals based on compatibility. Chats begin anonymously, focusing on personalities rather than appearances, and are designed for platonic, professional, or friendship connections. Market Analysis: Our app addresses key gaps in the connection space: No apps embed conversation prompts directly into chats; nor do they trigger them regularly or dynamically, to foster deeper discussions over a sustained period. No apps have rewards systems designed to specifically incentivize meaningful engagement. No apps have matchmaking systems that adapt dynamically based on users’ past conversations. No apps support the combination of real-time, one-on-one themed conversations with curated prompts. Traction: As an incorporated business with over a year of experience, we have helped thousands of users build platonic, professional, and interest-based connections. For example, users in relationships join our events to find new friends, and professionals use Spark Matches to discuss shared interests like technology. Consistent feedback highlights our prompts and structured events as refreshing alternatives to superficial, appearance-driven platforms. Our rapidly growing user base has validated the demand for these features, and we would like to bring this experience natively to them via a mobile app on the App Store. Additional Context: While some basic chat functionality may overlap with existing platforms, our focus is on facilitating meaningful conversations and incentivizing a thoughtful conversation culture that represents a novel approach validated by user research and feedback. We welcome advice from developers who have successfully highlighted their app’s uniqueness when facing similar review challenges. Thank you in advance! :)

Hello My app got rejected with the message "We noticed your app shares a similar binary, metadata, and/or concept as apps submitted to the App Store by other developers, with only minor differences." In short, my app is a vpn app built entirely by me. In Russia almost all vpn protocols are blocked: wireguard, openvpn etc. And the only protocol they could not block was vless. It was hard to implement it, i spent like 3 weeks on it writing my own package on flutter. The app first was uploaded to android and shared through testflight with some of my friends. And everyone switched to my app, because it works perfect for their needs: accessing instagram, twitter etc. Those apps are blocked here. So on my first attempt publishing i got 2 errors: Vpn should be published on the account that is organization Spam rejection I registered a company and switched from individual account to a company. I also changed the ui of the app (although i agree most vpns share the same concept design). I got rejected again with only "Guideline 4.3(a) - Design - Spam". I appealed with a question why was it it rejected, explaining that the app was built by me, and of course, i use some libraries. I got the same roboting response. After that i added some features: Built in private browser Network connection speed Today submitted the new version hoping it would pass, but yet again got "Guideline 4.3(a) - Design - Spam". I'm really frustrated, because i spent 3 months developing the app. I understand there are dozens of vpns. But vpn is not exactly the simple feature app. Some are bad, some are good, and some doesn't work at all. My app doesn't have any ads and paid subscriptions. I also renamed my app to "Incognito - Browser, VPN". But can't get pass. Would like to get some advices. Please help P.S. Sorry for my bad grammar

I am using RevenueCat to dynamically show subscriptions using experiments. I'm doing this to experiment with price and wording on the paywall. However, apple is rejecting this because they can't find all the subscriptions. However it's literally not possible for a user to see them all. I tried explaining this in my first rejection but they rejected it again. Any ideas? Guideline 2.1 - Information Needed We have started the review of your app, but we are not able to continue because we cannot locate the in-app purchases within your app at this time. Specifically, out of 9 only 3 were found during the review. Next Steps To help us proceed with the review of your app, please reply to this message providing the steps for locating the in-app purchases in your app. Note that in-app purchases are reviewed in an Apple-provided sandbox environment. Make sure they have been appropriately configured for review in the Apple-provided sandbox environment. If you are restricting access to in-app purchases based on factors such as storefront or device configurations, please include this information in your reply along with steps to enable the in-app purchases for our review. Resources Learn more about offering in-app purchases. Learn more about testing in sandbox. Support Reply to this message in your preferred language if you need assistance. If you need additional support, use the Contact Us module. Consult with fellow developers and Apple engineers on the Apple Developer Forums. Provide feedback on this message and your review experience by completing a short survey. Reply to App Review

Hi, My app has been on the store for a few months now with a few updates. Now I plan a major update that will affect the structure of core data itself (key attribute replaced by relationship). I see no other way than asking the users to delete and reinstall the app to reset all data and start it as new. In a previous update I provided users the possibility to backup their data in a file so they can restore it with the future release. Is there a better way than using the "What's new in this version" section to pass the message to the users ?

I'm trying to follow the instructions from https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/manage-submissions-to-app-review/submit-for-review's "Submit an in-app purchase for the first time" section. However, I can't get the “Add In-App Purchases or Subscriptions” dialog to open - there isn't a clickable link in the In-App Purchases and Subscriptions section. My IAPs seem to be set up properly, they're all in the "Ready to Submit" state.

Seeking developer insights regarding a 4.3(a) review response citing "similar binary, metadata, and/or concept." Our app implements distinct community-focused features that fundamentally differentiate it from existing applications in this category. Feature Implementation: Our app introduces new technological approaches to faith-based applications: Community System: Custom-built group participation with progress visualization Engagement Features: Peer support system with achievement tracking Progress Metrics: Proprietary points system for progress tracking Group Progress Features: Shared accomplishment tracking Achievement Architecture: Progress continuity tracking Performance metrics accumulation Custom recognition system for personal and group milestones Synchronized goal-setting framework Market Analysis: Our research indicates: No existing apps with group-based progress features No solutions combining community features with scheduling No applications with similar group achievement systems No platforms featuring synchronized progress tracking Substantial user base requesting these features Technical Questions: How have developers effectively demonstrated feature differentiation? What technical documentation best demonstrates unique implementations? What strategies work for showing market demand for new features? Best practices for documenting novel community features? Implementation Context: While core scheduling features necessarily overlap with existing solutions, our platform's focus on community engagement and achievement tracking represents a novel approach, validated through user research and community feedback. Seeking insights from developers who have successfully implemented unique social features in established categories.

Pre-Cod: full fill support url + policy url. When i try to add for review my App update at that time we got the following error: Unable to Add for Review The items below are required to start the review process: This field is required. We do not find any required thing highlighted on the AppStore page.

We are working on one product, with three independent code bases, one each for iOS, iPadOS, and MacOS. Functionality is basically the same for each device version and they sync between each other. Can we use one name for these three versions - as, for example apps from Adobe, Microsoft and Apple do?

I have a build, but Distribution won't add it because it doesn't see encryption info in the Info.plist file, but that's hidden in Xcode. How do I find/update it?

During the development of the application, we uploaded an application to a developer account for testing purposes because we had not created a developer account yet. Now we have created a developer account and have deleted this application from the developer account that was used for testing purposes. Please reconsider rejecting this application.

I recently decided to re-upload a game I've created a while back since I have the spare time to refine it to adhere to today's requirements. The old version has been deleted from the store and I needed to renew my App Store Connect paid agreement. I updated my product, paid for App Store Connect, uploaded and was horrified to receive a review of 'spam': _"We noticed your app shares a similar binary, metadata, and/or concept as apps submitted to the App Store by other developers, with only minor differences. Submitting similar or repackaged apps is a form of spam that creates clutter and makes it difficult for users to discover new apps. Learn more about our requirements to prevent spam in App Review Guideline 4.3(a)."_ Being confused by this response, I initially thought this must be because they're comparing it to the old upload which has been deleted from the store. I went ahead and expained this but also asked for more info just in case someone has repacked my product. I received this response: "Thank you for your reply. Just as we would not share information from your Apple Developer Program account with another developer, we do not share the details of apps submitted under other Apple Developer Program accounts. During our review, we found that this app duplicates the content and functionality of other apps submitted to the App Store, which is considered a form of spam and is not appropriate for the App Store. Since apps submitted to the App Store should be unique and should not duplicate other apps, we encourage you to create a unique app before resubmitting for review." I'm shocked because I have no idea how my app can be considered spam. If anything, it's fairly unique. I am only able to provide a YouTube link but would appreciate some feedback on how this is considered 'spam'. It looks like I have no way to make this go live. Can anyone help me understand this further? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnQrG1I5-PI