# How long does App Store review take? Real data from 10 apps

> Source: https://gatheon.com/en/appstore-review-data/ · as of 2026-10-19 · free to cite with a link back

Gatheon records 157 App Store review submissions (app versions) from 10 apps (Daylumen, FocusFlow, GeoZine, PotPal, ScreenNote, ScreenStack, Signet, SnapCal, Twinsubs, VoiceInput) between 2026-03-29 and 2026-10-19.

## Key figures

| Metric | Value | n | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median time to first result | 14.1 hours | 153 | 2026-10-19 |
| P90 time to first result | 57.6 hours (2.4 days) | 153 | 2026-10-19 |
| Median time to approval | 14.1 hours | 124 | 2026-10-19 |
| Approved within 24 hours | 80% | 124 | 2026-10-19 |
| Approved with no issue raised | 78% | 157 | 2026-10-19 |
| Median issue to approval | 35.9 hours | 30 | 2026-10-19 |
| Manual release share | 46% | 123 | 2026-10-19 |
| Phased release share (iOS) | 15% | 120 | 2026-10-19 |

## Issues by guideline

| Guideline | Topic | Events |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | App completeness (crashes, demo account, in-app purchase not found) | 12 |
| unknown | Clause not recorded | 5 |
| 3.1.1 | In-app purchase (e.g. bring-your-own API key) | 4 |
| 5 | Legal (incl. China AI-service rules) | 4 |
| 4.0 | Design (unspecified sub-clause) | 3 |
| 5.2.5 | Apple trademarks and attribution | 3 |
| 2.3.3 | Screenshots must show the real app | 2 |
| 5.1.1 | Privacy: data collection and storage | 2 |
| 5.1.2 | Privacy: data use and sharing | 2 |
| 1.5 | Developer contact information | 1 |
| 2.3 | Accurate metadata | 1 |
| 2.3.7 | Metadata: pricing references | 1 |
| 2.5.1 | Software requirements (public APIs only) | 1 |

## By month

| Month | Submissions | Median to first result | With an issue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03 | 1 | n/a | 1 |
| 2026-04 | 29 | 6.7 hours | 8 |
| 2026-05 | 4 | n/a | 0 |
| 2026-06 | 17 | 13.8 hours | 3 |
| 2026-07 | 27 | 18.3 hours | 9 |
| 2026-08 | 21 | 14.8 hours | 3 |
| 2026-09 | 22 | 11.7 hours | 5 |
| 2026-10 | 36 | 16.6 hours | 2 |

## FAQ

**How long does App Store review take?**  
In Gatheon's own data, Apple returned a first result (approval or an issue) a median of 14.1 hours after submission, and 9 in 10 submissions got one within 57.6 hours (2.4 days) (n=153 app-version submissions, as of 2026-10-19). Median time to approval was 14.1 hours (n=124).

**What share of submissions pass review the first time?**  
78% of app-version submissions were approved with no issue raised (122 of 157, as of 2026-10-19); 20% had at least one issue.

**Which App Review guidelines flagged Gatheon apps most often?**  
Of 31 issue events (26 with a recorded clause), the most frequent were 2.1 (12), 3.1.1 (4), 5 (4). Full table on this page.

**How long does it take to get approved after an issue is raised?**  
Median 35.9 hours from the first issue message to the next approval of the same app (n=30, as of 2026-10-19).

**Can I cite these numbers?**  
Yes. Quote them with a link to this page and the 'as of' date; the full dataset is available as JSON at the same path.

## Cite

Gatheon, “App Store review data from 10 apps”, https://gatheon.com/en/appstore-review-data/, data as of 2026-10-19.

JSON: https://gatheon.com/en/appstore-review-data.json