Part 3: The Complete Launch Checklist

Print this out. Check every box. Ship with confidence.

Development Checklist

Project Setup

• Expo SDK on latest stable version
• TypeScript configured with strict mode
• ESLint and Prettier configured
• Git repository initialized
• .gitignore includes .env files
• Environment variables properly set up

Authentication

• Email/password login works
• Apple Sign-In implemented (required if you have any auth)
• Google Sign-In implemented
• Logout clears all user data
• Session persists across app restarts
• Token refresh works correctly
• Password reset flow tested

Core Features

• Main feature works as expected
• All CRUD operations tested
• Error states handled gracefully
• Loading states implemented
• Empty states designed
• Offline behavior defined

Payments & Paywall

• RevenueCat SDK integrated
• Products created in App Store Connect (weekly + yearly)
• Products created in Google Play Console
• Sandbox testing completed (iOS)
• Test purchases work (Android)
• Restore purchases works
• Paywall displays correctly with real prices
• Entitlement checks gate features properly
• PREMIUM_ENTITLEMENT_ID matches RevenueCat dashboard ("premium")
• Mock offerings use correct package types (ANNUAL + WEEKLY, not MONTHLY)
• Trial day calculation handles WEEK/MONTH/YEAR units (not just days)
• Hard paywall 3-layer guard working (index.tsx + _layout.tsx + usePremiumStatus)
• Dev skip button calls usePremiumStore.setState, not markPremiumScreenSeen
• Review screenshots uploaded for each subscription in ASC
• IAPs attached to app version in ASC (not submitted separately)
• Prices equalized across 175 territories via asc CLI

Data & Security

• document-level access control enabled on ALL tables
• No API keys in client code
• Sensitive data in SecureStore (not AsyncStorage)
• Input validation on all user inputs
• No sensitive data in console.log
• HTTPS used everywhere

Design & UX Checklist

Visual Design

• Consistent color palette
• Typography hierarchy clear
• Dark mode supported
• Icons consistent style
• Proper spacing/margins
• No UI clipping or overflow

User Experience

• Onboarding flow complete
• Navigation intuitive
• Back buttons work correctly
• Pull-to-refresh where expected
• Haptic feedback on key actions
• Keyboard dismisses appropriately
• Forms validate in real-time

Accessibility

• Text readable at all sizes
• Touch targets 44pt minimum
• Colors have sufficient contrast
• Screen reader labels added
• Supports Dynamic Type (iOS)

Performance

• App starts in < 3 seconds
• Animations run at 60fps
• Images optimized and cached
• No memory leaks
• Lists virtualized (FlatList)
• Bundle size reasonable (< 50MB)

App Store Assets Checklist

App Icon

• 1024x1024 PNG created
• No transparency (App Store requirement)
• No alpha channel
• Looks good at small sizes
• Distinct from competitors
• No text (usually)

Screenshots (iOS)

• 4-10 screenshots per device size
• First screenshot is most important
• Show key features
• Include text overlays explaining value
• Consistent design across all screenshots

Screenshots (Android)

• 2-8 screenshots
• Feature graphic (1024 x 500)
• High-res icon (512 x 512)

App Store Listing Checklist

App Information (Both Platforms)

• App name (30 characters max)
• Subtitle/short description (30-80 chars)
• Full description written
• Keywords/tags optimized
• Category selected correctly
• Support URL live
• Privacy policy URL live
• Marketing URL (optional)

iOS Specific

• App Store Connect account ready
• Bundle ID matches app.json
• SKU defined
• Content rights declared
• Age rating questionnaire complete
• Export compliance answered
• IDFA usage declared

Android Specific

• Google Play Console account ready
• Package name matches app.json
• Content rating questionnaire complete
• Target audience declared
• Data safety section complete
• App access instructions (if login required)

Legal & Compliance Checklist

Required Documents

• Privacy Policy (link in app + stores)
• Terms of Service (recommended)
• EULA (for subscriptions)

Privacy Policy Must Include

• What data you collect
• How you use the data
• Third-party services used
• Data retention policy
• User rights (GDPR/CCPA)
• Contact information
• Last updated date

Pre-Submission Testing Checklist

Device Testing

• Tested on iPhone (recent model)
• Tested on iPhone (older model)
• Tested on Android phone
• Tested on tablet (if supported)
• Tested with slow network
• Tested with no network

Flow Testing

• Fresh install flow
• Upgrade from free to paid
• Logout and login again
• Kill app and reopen
• Background to foreground
• Deep links work

Build & Submit Checklist

Pre-Build

• Version number incremented
• Build number incremented (or autoIncrement enabled)
• All console.log removed (or production-safe)
• Debug code removed
• Environment variables for production
• expo-constants pinned to exact "55.0.4" in package.json
• web.output is "server" in app.json (required for API routes)
• runtimeVersion is hardcoded string ("1.0.0"), not a policy object
• ios.supportsTablet: false (unless you support iPad)
• ITSAppUsesNonExemptEncryption: false in infoPlist
• API keys (OPENAI_API_KEY) set as PLAINTEXT in EAS env (not SECRET)
• API routes deployed via eas deploy (after setting env vars)
• No ChatGPT/OpenAI/GPT/Claude references in any metadata

EAS Build

# Verify configuration
eas build:configure

# Build for production
eas build --platform all --profile production

# Check build status
eas build:list

• Build completes successfully
• Download and test the build
• Install on real device
• All features work in production build

Submit

# iOS
eas submit --platform ios

# Android
eas submit --platform android

• Submission accepted
• All metadata complete
• No errors or warnings

Post-Launch Checklist

Monitoring Setup

• Sentry error tracking enabled
• RevenueCat dashboards accessible
• Analytics tracking key events
• Push notification setup (optional)

Quick Reference: Version Numbers

{
  "expo": {
    "version": "1.0.0",        // User-facing version
    "ios": {
      "buildNumber": "1"        // Increment each build
    },
    "android": {
      "versionCode": 1          // Increment each build
    }
  }
}

Emergency Fixes

If App Gets Rejected

1. Read the rejection reason carefully
2. Don't panic - most are easy fixes
3. Fix the issue
4. Increment build number
5. Rebuild and resubmit
6. Add notes explaining the fix

Common Quick Fixes