From Rork Max to the App Store — A Real Submission Journey

Introduction

Building an app with Rork Max is one thing. Getting it onto the App Store is another skill set entirely. If you've finished your app and are staring at App Store Connect wondering where to start, this is for you.

Here's an honest account of how we submitted a Rork Max app, what went wrong the first time, and what finally got it approved.

Prerequisites

Apple Developer Program

You'll need to enroll in the Apple Developer Program at $99/year (individual account is fine). This gives you access to:

• App Store Connect (app management portal)
• TestFlight (beta distribution)
• Code signing certificates and provisioning profiles

Configure app.json

Since Rork Max is Expo-based, your app.json settings matter. Get these right before building:

{
  "expo": {
    "name": "MyApp",
    "slug": "my-app",
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "ios": {
      "bundleIdentifier": "com.yourname.myapp",
      "buildNumber": "1"
    }
  }
}

Note: bundleIdentifier is permanent once set. Choose carefully.

Building the App

EAS Build

Use EAS (Expo Application Services) Build to create your iOS build:

npm install -g eas-cli
eas login
eas build:configure
 
# Production iOS build
eas build --platform ios --profile production

The build takes 10–20 minutes and produces an .ipa file.

App Store Connect Setup

Create a new app listing

In App Store Connect, create a new app with:

• App Name: What appears in the App Store
• Bundle ID: From your app.json
• SKU: Any unique identifier

Screenshots

Required screenshot sizes:

• iPhone 6.7" (required)
• iPhone 5.5" (recommended)
• iPad (if your app supports it)

Capture these from the simulator at the correct device sizes.

Metadata

• Description: Up to 4,000 characters. The first few lines appear in search results — make them count.
• Keywords: Up to 100 characters. Directly impacts search ranking.
• Category: Choose carefully — hard to change later.

What Got Us Rejected

We were rejected on the first submission for two reasons.

1. Missing Privacy Policy URL

Any app that handles user data needs one. We quickly set up a simple page on GitHub Pages and added the URL.

2. Apple Sign In Required

We had Google login implemented. Apple's guideline states: if you offer any third-party sign-in, you must also offer Sign in with Apple.

Adding Apple Sign In in Rork Max wasn't too complicated, but it was unexpected work we hadn't planned for.

Resubmission and Approval

After the fixes, we resubmitted and got approved in 3 business days.

Normal review times are 1–3 business days. Around holidays, expect longer. Build buffer time into your release schedule.

Lessons Learned

Test on TestFlight before submitting: You'll catch real-device bugs early. We had at least 5 testers before submitting.

Write a detailed review note: If your app needs a test account or has non-obvious flows, put it in the review notes. It prevents unnecessary rejections.

Screenshots must show real functionality: Don't use mockups or screens for features that aren't implemented yet. Reviewers will check.

Summary

The App Store submission flow from a Rork Max app:

1. Enroll in Apple Developer Program ($99/year)
2. Configure app.json (especially bundleIdentifier)
3. Build .ipa with EAS Build
4. Set up screenshots and metadata in App Store Connect
5. Add a Privacy Policy URL
6. Submit → review (1–3 business days)

First-time rejections are common. The reasons are usually fixable. Don't be discouraged — just address the feedback and resubmit.