Put your app on the App Store and Google Play

Phone app code that wraps your web app

What do I get?

• An Xcode project for iPhone and an Android Studio project for Android. The code is yours.
• Your app's name, an icon (first letter of the name on your app's main color) and the start address are already filled in. If you connected your own domain, the app opens that address.
• Screens inside the app are your web app as it is. When you change screens or features in fingr, the phone app shows them right away — no new store review for each change.
• Navigation, back gestures and pull-to-refresh work like a native app. It's built with Hotwire Native from 37signals, the makers of Basecamp and HEY.
• Get it from App info → iPhone · Android apps. Each platform uses 100 credits the first time; downloading again is always free.

Accounts, tools and store details

Before you publish

• iPhone — a Mac, Xcode (free on the Mac App Store) and the Apple Developer Program ($99 a year)
• Android — Android Studio (free, Windows or Mac) and a Google Play Console developer account ($25 once)
• A privacy policy address — if your app has no privacy policy page, ask fingr: “Add a privacy policy page”
• If people can sign up in your app, an in-app “Delete account” option — Apple rejects apps without it. Ask fingr: “Add a delete account option”
• A test account the reviewer can sign in with — the test account from your fingr result works
• An app description, 3–5 phone screenshots and a support email

Review usually takes 1–3 days

Publish the iPhone app

1. 1

   In App info → iPhone · Android apps, get the iPhone app code and unzip it.

2. 2

   Double-click App.xcodeproj to open Xcode. The first time, it downloads what it needs (1–2 minutes).

3. 3

   Click “App” at the top left, open “Signing & Capabilities” and pick your Apple Developer account under “Team”. If you see a red message that the bundle ID is taken, change PRODUCT_BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER in Config.xcconfig to your own (for example com.mycakeshop.app).

4. 4

   Pick an iPhone simulator at the top and press ▶. When your app opens on the phone screen, you're ready.

5. 5

   Sign in to App Store Connect, go to “Apps” → “+” → “New App” and enter the name, primary language, bundle ID and an SKU (any letters and numbers).

   Open App Store Connect ↗

6. 6

   In Xcode, choose “Any iOS Device” at the top, then “Product” → “Archive”. In the window that opens, choose “Distribute App” → “App Store Connect” → “Upload”.

7. 7

   In App Store Connect, fill in the description, keywords, screenshots, privacy policy address and “App Privacy” (what data you collect), pick the uploaded build, add the reviewer test account and choose “Add for Review”.

Review usually takes a few days

Publish the Android app

1. 1

   In App info → iPhone · Android apps, get the Android app code and unzip it.

2. 2

   In Android Studio, choose “Open” and pick the unzipped folder. The first time takes a few minutes.

3. 3

   Press ▶ “Run” at the top to open the app on an emulator (a virtual phone on your computer).

4. 4

   Choose “Build” → “Generate Signed App Bundle / APK” → “Android App Bundle” → “Create new” to make a signing key and an .aab file. Keep the key file and password somewhere safe — you need the same key for updates.

5. 5

   In Play Console, choose “Create app” and set the name, default language and free or paid.

   Open Google Play Console ↗

6. 6

   Under “Store listing”, add the description, icon (store-icon-512.png in the zip), feature graphic (1024×500) and screenshots. Under “App content”, fill in the privacy policy, data safety, ads and target age.

7. 7

   Upload the .aab under “Test and release”. Personal developer accounts created after November 2023 must first run a closed test with 12 testers for 14 days before applying for production. Organization accounts can go straight to production.

Common reasons for rejection and how to avoid them

Passing review

1. 1

   Apple sometimes rejects apps that look like a website in a box (“minimum functionality”). In the description and review notes, say what customers do in the app again and again — booking, ordering, checking records.

2. 2

   If you sell digital goods in the app (subscriptions, passes, online content), Apple and Google may require their in-app purchase. Physical goods and in-person services, like cake orders or class bookings, can keep card payments.

3. 3

   Always give the reviewer a test account and password. Apps with little to see before signing in are often rejected.

4. 4

   If you get a rejection, copy the reason and ask fingr: “Fix this App Store rejection”. Changes to the web app show up in the phone app right away, so you can resubmit the same build.

Most changes need no store update

Updating after launch

1. 1

   Screens, features and wording: just ask fingr. The phone app shows the change the next time it opens.

2. 2

   Only when you change the app name, icon or domain, download the code again (free). Raise MARKETING_VERSION (e.g. 1.1) and CURRENT_PROJECT_VERSION (e.g. 2) in Config.xcconfig for iPhone, or versionName and versionCode in app/build.gradle.kts for Android, and upload again.

3. 3

   To use your own icon, replace App/Assets.xcassets/AppIcon.appiconset/icon-1024.png (1024×1024, no transparency) for iPhone, or use “New” → “Image Asset” in Android Studio.

What people often ask about phone apps

Questions

Can I publish without knowing how to code?

Yes. You won't edit code — follow the steps, click through the tools and fill in the store forms. If you get stuck, ask the chat in the bottom right.

What if I want both iPhone and Android?

It's 100 credits per platform, so both use 100 credits twice. After that, downloading either one again is free.

Do I have to republish every time I change the app?

No. The phone app shows your web app as it is, so changes in fingr appear right away. Republish only when you change the name, icon or domain.

Does it support push notifications?

Not in the code we provide today. Your app can send email or text notifications instead.

Can I get it for a free app?

No. Free apps sleep when unused, which doesn't work for a store app. Upgrade the app to get the code.