App Store review times: Apple's numbers and how to plan

Apple's stated goal for App Store review times is to review at least 50% of submissions in less than 24 hours and 90% in less than 48 hours. Apple says minor updates and bug fixes typically move quickly, while new apps and complex submissions can take longer. For planning, allow about two working days for a routine update and more for a first release.

This page keeps Apple's and Google's figures in one place, with the date we checked them. We haven't measured review times ourselves, so the planning figures are our judgment.

Official review time figures

Store	What the provider says	Source
App Store	Goal of at least 50% in under 24 hours and 90% in under 48 hours	Apple
App Store	Average of 1.5 days for all apps and 14 hours for minor updates, over the prior 12 weeks, in a statement reported by Mobilegamer.biz on October 20, 2026	Apple, reported by Mobilegamer.biz
App Store	A manually released version may take up to 24 hours to appear on the store	Apple
Google Play	A few hours up to seven days, longer in exceptional cases	Google
Google Play	At least a week of buffer recommended before going live	Google
TestFlight	The first build added to an external group goes to App Review. Later builds may not need a full review	Apple

Averages hide the slow cases. Mobilegamer.biz reported longer waits for new apps and games in October 2026, and Apple told the publication it had prioritized reviews of updates to existing apps. For a live view, third-party trackers such as Runway's collect current data, though their methods differ from Apple's. Forum threads tend to fill up when reviews are slow, because nobody posts to say that a review was normal.

What can make an App Store review slower

Apple says that apps with little review history, submissions needing documentation, and complex or novel issues can take longer. It also notes that submissions may not be reviewed in the order you submit them.

A wait can also grow because of your own submission. A demo login that fails, or a question from App Review that sits unanswered for a day, adds to the time. Resubmitting restarts the review, so a build you pull and replace goes back to the beginning. Our guide to App Store review status explains when you need to resubmit.

How much time to allow

These figures are our suggestions, built on the official numbers. Adjust them once you have your own history.

Release type	Time to allow on iOS	Time to allow on Android
Routine update, established app	2 working days	Google's range is up to 7 days. Check your app's own history
First release of a new app	At least a week	At least a week, longer for new accounts
Date-sensitive launch	Submit a week or more ahead and hold the release	Same, using managed publishing
Critical bug fix	Submit now and request an expedited review	Submit now and keep the change small

The third row saves the most stress. Both stores let you get approval first and pick the moment later. On iOS, use a manual release option. On Android, use managed publishing. Either way, you're no longer guessing how long review will take on launch week.

Include the time around review as well. A build can spend time in processing, or wait for someone to answer export compliance questions, before anyone at Apple looks at it. Adoption takes more time after release. If a client wants 80% of users on the fix by Monday, review is only one part of that schedule.

How to measure your own review times

The most useful number is your own, and you can get it cheaply. Record four dates for each submission:

1. Submitted for review
2. Moved to In Review
3. Approved or rejected
4. Released

App Store Connect's app status history shows each status, when it changed, and who initiated it, so you can fill in past releases. After ten submissions you will have a better estimate for your app than any general figure. Note rejections separately, because one rejection can change the whole timeline.

If you track several client apps, keep the numbers per app. A mature utility app and a new fintech app won't behave alike, and an average across both won't help you plan either one.

What to tell clients and stakeholders

Give a range and a reason. "Apple aims to review most submissions within two days, but it isn't guaranteed. We've submitted, and we'll tell you when the status changes" sets better expectations than a date. For anything with a fixed date, say that you're submitting early and holding the release.

Google Play review times

Google's range is wider, and Google says that certain accounts and apps can get extended reviews. If your update seems slow, first confirm that it was actually sent for review. See Google Play in review too long for the checks.

Specita gives each product one record of its releases across iOS and Android, including which version went where. For Android, it shows each track's release state, including In review and Published, through a read-only Google Play connection.

Apple and Google guidance checked on November 4, 2026.