Can ShipNative Publish to App Store and Play?

Yes, and publishing is the whole point of ShipNative. It is a React Native and Expo boilerplate built specifically to get a subscription app into the App Store and Google Play quickly, with authentication and payments already wired in. So unlike a web builder, ShipNative starts you at a real native project; the path to the stores is the standard Expo build-and-submit flow, just with less plumbing left to do. Below is exactly what it takes and where teams trip. To make the screens look store-ready, point your AI editor at a free VP0 design (the free iOS and React Native design library AI builders read from) so the UI is polished before review.

Why ShipNative is built to ship

ShipNative is a boilerplate, not a hosted builder, so you own a real Expo codebase from day one. It comes with auth and a subscription payments path (commonly Stripe or RevenueCat) already integrated, which removes the two slowest parts of getting a paid app live. Because the code is yours and exportable (see ShipNative AI export to a GitHub repository), the app builds and submits like any Expo project, and you are never locked in.

What you need to publish

The store requirements are the same for any Expo app, set by Apple and Google:

Requirement	App Store (iOS)	Google Play (Android)
Developer account	Apple Developer, $99/year	Google Play, $25 one-time
Production build	EAS Build (or Xcode)	EAS Build (or Android Studio)
Subscriptions	App Store Connect IAP	Play Console subscriptions
Store assets	Icon, screenshots, privacy	Icon, screenshots, privacy
Review	App Review	Play review

Note the two separate $99 figures people confuse: ShipNative itself is a one-time purchase around $99, and the Apple Developer Program is a separate $99 per year. Google Play is a one-time $25.

The publish flow, step by step

1. Configure the ShipNative project: bundle identifier, icon, splash, and your subscription products.
2. Set up Apple Developer and Google Play accounts, and create the in-app subscription products in each console.
3. Run EAS Build for a production binary per platform.
4. Submit with EAS Submit or upload manually, and complete the store listings.
5. Pass review, then release.

Because ShipNative apps sell subscriptions, the most common rejections are payment-related: follow Apple’s auto-renewable subscription guidelines so the paywall shows clear pricing, terms, and restore-purchases. For specific build errors, the ShipNative App Store deploy error guide is the place to look, and our best prompts for a subscription fitness app with ShipNative shows a complete build.

Where teams get stuck

The boilerplate removes the foundations, but the store gauntlet still applies. Configure your real subscription products before submitting (a missing or misconfigured IAP is a frequent rejection), ship a complete app with real content, and confirm the code is yours to edit, covered in does ShipNative make raw code editable. Starting from a polished design also keeps you out of the thin-design rejection bucket.

Key takeaways

• Yes, ShipNative apps publish to the App Store and Google Play; it is a native Expo boilerplate built to ship.
• Auth and subscription payments come pre-wired, so less plumbing stands between you and release.
• Note two $99 figures: ShipNative is about $99 one-time, and Apple’s program is $99 per year (Google is $25 once).
• Configure real subscription products before submitting; a misconfigured IAP is a common rejection.
• Start screens from a free VP0 design so the app is store-ready, not placeholder, at $0 design cost.

Frequently asked questions

Can ShipNative publish to the App Store and Google Play?

Yes. ShipNative is a React Native and Expo boilerplate built to ship subscription apps, with auth and payments pre-wired. You build a production binary with EAS Build and submit to both stores, needing an Apple Developer account ($99/year) and a Google Play account ($25 one-time), plus configured in-app subscriptions.

Do I own the code in a ShipNative app?

Yes. ShipNative is a boilerplate you buy and own, exportable to your own GitHub repository, so the app builds and submits like any Expo project with no platform lock-in. Owning the code lets you fix review issues directly.

How much does it cost to publish a ShipNative app?

There are three separate costs: ShipNative itself is a one-time purchase around $99, the Apple Developer Program is $99 per year, and Google Play is a one-time $25. The VP0 design layer is free at $0.

Why might a ShipNative app get rejected from the App Store?

Most often for subscription issues: a misconfigured in-app purchase, or a paywall that does not follow Apple’s subscription guidelines on pricing, terms, and restore-purchases. Configure your products correctly and present the paywall properly to pass review.

What is the best way to make a ShipNative app store-ready?

Configure your real subscription products, ship a complete app with real content, and start screens from a free VP0 design, the free iOS and React Native design library for AI builders, so the UI is polished. Then produce an EAS build; complete, compliant apps pass review far more reliably, at $0 design cost.