App Store Rejection Rates: Current Data and Trends
How common are app store rejections, really? Based on Apple's transparency reports and analysis of developer community data, here are the current rejection rates and what they mean for your submission strategy.
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Overall Rejection Rates
Apple reported rejecting 1.93 million app submissions in 2023 out of approximately 6 million total submissions, a rejection rate of roughly 32%. However, this includes resubmissions, so the per-unique-app rejection rate is lower. First-time submissions face higher rejection rates (estimated 40-50%) compared to updates from established apps (estimated 15-20%). Google does not publish comparable numbers but blocked 2.28 million apps in 2023.
Rejection Rates by Category
Rejection rates vary significantly by app category. Health and fitness apps face rejection rates around 45% due to strict medical claim rules. Kids category apps see 40%+ rejection rates due to COPPA and similar requirements. Finance apps face heightened scrutiny. Games have moderate rejection rates but face specific issues around loot boxes and age ratings. Utility apps generally have the lowest rejection rates.
Reducing Your Rejection Rate
Developers who implement pre-submission scanning report 70-85% reductions in rejection rates. The key metrics to track: first-submission approval rate (target: above 80%), average review cycles per release (target: 1.0-1.2), and time from submission to approval (target: under 48 hours). NoReject AI helps you hit all three targets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average app store rejection rate?
Apple's overall rejection rate is approximately 32% of submissions. First-time app submissions face rates of 40-50%, while updates from established developers see 15-20%.
Are rejection rates increasing or decreasing?
Rejection rates have been relatively stable for Apple but trending upward for Google as they increase automated enforcement. New policy areas (privacy, data safety) have added new rejection categories.
How does my rejection rate compare?
If you are getting rejected more than 30% of the time, you likely have systemic compliance issues. Pre-submission scanning typically brings rejection rates below 15%.
Related Resources
The most common reasons apps get rejected from the App Store and Google Play. Data-driven analysis with prevention strategies for each.
App Store Rejection ReasonsComplete list of App Store and Google Play rejection reasons. Learn why apps get rejected and how to prevent each rejection type.
Reduce App Store Rejection RateProven methods to reduce your app store rejection rate. Data-driven strategies that cut rejections by 70% or more.
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