Why app review takes as long as it does
Few things frustrate developers more than a submission that sits for days with no news. Timing on both stores varies enough that official averages are poor predictors of any single case. This guide explains the stages a submission goes through and the factors that move it faster or slower.
It does not promise any particular timeline. Apple and Google publish their own guidance, which changes from time to time.
The stages of a submission
On the App Store, a submission waits in a queue, then moves to In Review when a reviewer picks it up, and finally receives a decision. The wait before review starts and the time spent in review are separate periods with different causes. A long wait at the first stage says little about how the review itself will go.
Google Play follows a similar pattern with less visible labelling. Automated checks run first, and more detailed review applies to some submissions, particularly new apps and sensitive categories.
Factors that influence timing
Volume is the largest. Submissions spike around major operating-system releases, holidays and the end of the year, which lengthens queues. Account history also appears to matter: new developer accounts and first submissions often attract closer review, and apps in sensitive categories such as health, finance or children's content tend to take longer.
The complexity of the app matters as well. An app that needs a login, depends on external hardware or relies on a live backend takes longer to evaluate than a self-contained utility, and any problem that stops the reviewer from reaching the main features can extend the process.
Why resubmitting can reset the clock
Withdrawing a submission and submitting again places it back in the queue, so the apparent delay can grow. The same applies when a build is replaced. This is one reason developers see longer waits after a cancel-and-resubmit pattern, and it is worth understanding as a property of how queues work, not as a penalty.
Expedited review and status inquiries
Apple offers a way to request expedited review for urgent cases, such as a critical bug fix or a time-bound event, and it is granted selectively. There is also a route to ask about a submission that has taken unusually long. Google handles delays and escalations through Play Console support. Neither is a way to jump the queue as a routine matter.
What to expect, realistically
Reports from developers range from a few hours to a couple of weeks, with most falling at the shorter end. Both companies have said at various times that the majority of submissions are reviewed within a day or two, but individual cases differ widely. Treat any single number as an average and check the official pages for current figures.
Why averages mislead
Published or reported averages combine many types of submission. A small update to an established app from an established account takes a different path from a first release in a sensitive category. Treating the average as a promise for a specific app produces disappointment, because the average hides a wide spread of outcomes.
What developers can and cannot observe
The status labels developers see, such as waiting, in review and a final outcome, are coarse. They do not reveal how many people are ahead in a queue or what the reviewer is currently examining. Because so much of the process is invisible, patterns that look like penalties, such as longer waits after a resubmission, are often explained by how queues work.
Common questions
Not necessarily. Waiting reflects queue length and other factors as much as it reflects the app.
They tend to increase submission volume, which can lengthen queues.
Expedited review exists for urgent cases, and it is granted selectively.
Review processes change often. This guide is a plain-language explanation written by AppReviewFix, not official guidance. Check Apple's App Store Review Guidelines and Google's Developer Program Policies for current details.