At a glance
- 1. Read what 4.3 actually saysApple's App Review Guidelines split 4.3 in two.
- 2. Find the likely triggerYou, or an agency, already published a near-identical app for another client or location
- 3. Make it one app, not manyIf you have one app per location, brand or client, combine them into one app where the user chooses the location or signs in to their organisation.
- 4. Make it clearly its own productAdd what only your business offers: account features, bookings, ordering, loyalty, content your customers cannot get from the website.
- 5. Explain it in your review notesIn App Store Connect, use the review notes to say who the app is for, what it does that others do not, and which features to try.
1. Read what 4.3 actually says
Apple's App Review Guidelines split 4.3 in two. 4.3(a): do not create multiple Bundle IDs of the same app, such as a separate app for every city; ship one app with the variations inside it. 4.3(b): do not submit apps that are indistinguishable from what is already widely available. Apple names dating, flashlight, sound effects, wallpaper, simple timers and fortune telling apps as categories it will not accept without a meaningfully different experience.
2. Find the likely trigger
- You, or an agency, already published a near-identical app for another client or location
- The app is built on a white-label template other developers also ship
- The app is a thin wrapper around a website
- It sits in one of the crowded categories with nothing new
3. Make it one app, not many
If you have one app per location, brand or client, combine them into one app where the user chooses the location or signs in to their organisation. Apple suggests in-app choices for variations instead of separate apps.
4. Make it clearly its own product
Add what only your business offers: account features, bookings, ordering, loyalty, content your customers cannot get from the website. Change the design and copy so it does not match the template. A website in a frame is also likely to fall under guideline 4.2, minimum functionality.
5. Explain it in your review notes
In App Store Connect, use the review notes to say who the app is for, what it does that others do not, and which features to try. Give a demo account if there is a login; guideline 2.1 asks for one. If you think the rejection is wrong, reply in App Store Connect or appeal to the App Review Board.
Updated 2026-10-29. General guidance, not advice for your situation; we scope each project in writing before any work starts.
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We can read the rejection, make the changes, write the review notes and resubmit, or set up your developer accounts from the start.
Questions people ask first
Can I get past 4.3 by changing the icon and name?
Rarely. Apple looks at what the app does. Change the features, design and purpose, then explain it.
We build apps for clients from one codebase. Is that allowed?
Apple's guidelines expect such apps to be published from the client's own developer account, and each app still needs to be meaningfully its own.
How long does a resubmission take?
Most reviews finish within a few days. A clear explanation in the review notes avoids a second round.
Can repeated 4.3 rejections affect my account?
Apple's guideline says repeated submissions of low-effort apps may lead to removal from the Apple Developer Program, so fix the cause before resubmitting.
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