I've Shipped 5 iOS Apps. Here's the Exact Checklist I Use Every Time (Steal It)

The first app I shipped took months longer than it should have. So I wrote it all down. This is the checklist I now run for every single app, empty repo to App Store, nothing skipped. It's built for coders shipping iOS apps.

Save this. It'll save you weeks.

The full checklist

1. Technical setup

• Set up project with your Coding Agent (Cursor, Claude, Codex)
• Create GitHub repo
• Set up Expo Go build
• Install dependencies
• OTA updates (push JS fixes without a full rebuild)
• Integrate Sentry + Mixpanel
• Integrate Appsflyer
• apple-appstore-reviewer (Git repo)

2. Navigation & foundation

• Integrate native Liquid Glass nav bar
• Prepare language localization
• Responsive layout (SafeArea + padding)

3. App Store Connect prep

• Create Bundle Identifier
• Create the app in App Store Connect

Only use a DB if you actually need one - you only need one if you're building something social/networked; everything else can live locally on the device)

4. Storage / database

• Create a Supabase project OR save locally
• Connect to code (URL + API keys)
• Enable RLS (Row Level Security)
• Model your tables
• Auth / Apple Sign In / Google Sign In — paywall first, then sign up
• Define onboarding flow
• Edge function (delete user)

5. Onboarding

• Launch screen
• TikTok Ads SDK with ATT — ATT prompt FIRST, then initialize the SDK
• Onboarding steps
• Notifications
• Rating modal
• Paywall (RevenueCat / Superwall)
• Sign up / Sign in ("save your progress" framing)
• Secure password fields: textContentType, autoComplete="off", clear fields + delay before navigation
• Mixpanel integration

6. Purchases with RevenueCat

• Create in-app products in App Store Connect
• Create project in RevenueCat, add the app
• Create entitlement
• Import / create products and link them to the entitlement
• Create offerings (e.g. default)
• Set up packages inside them (monthly / yearly / lifetime)
• Initialize the SDK, fetch offerings
• Implement the purchase flow
• Add Restore Purchases
• Store user entitlement in Supabase
• Submit an (unfinished) build for review
• Set up a subscription guard (protected screens)
• Build a cancel flow (with a special offer)

7. App Store Connect listing

• App name, subtitle, keywords
• Screenshots (iPhone / iPad)
• Description (SEO + benefit-focused), promo text
• Upload privacy policy
• Support URL
• Localizations
• Review notes

8. Additional assets

• Localizations: translate all text (CFBundleLocalizations must be in the final Info.plist)
• App icon
• App Store Connect sub-pages (privacy / age rating / etc.)
• Widgets

9. Build & testing

• Create the build
• Test sign in / sign out
• Test purchases
• Test on different devices (especially iPad and Pro models)
• Create / test notifications

That's the whole thing

Every app I ship runs through this exact list. The boring parts are where launches actually go wrong — so the checklist is the difference between shipping in a weekend and debugging for three weeks.

I'm building in public — 5 apps, real numbers, every fail and win as it happens. If this saved you time, follow along. 🚐