App Launch Plan: A 30-Day Checklist for iOS and Android
A practical app launch plan with a 30-day checklist. What to prepare before launch, what to do in launch week and how to measure the first month.
ScreenShipper team · · 6 min read
TL;DR: A good app launch plan counts down 30 days. Start long-lead items first (Google Play closed testing, featuring nominations), build your store assets and landing page in weeks four and three, submit for review with manual release two weeks out, then launch on a day you control. After launch, spend 30 days replying to reviews, fixing issues and improving your product page.
Before the Countdown: Long-Lead Items
Some steps take longer than 30 days or depend on someone else's schedule. Start them first.
- Developer accounts. Apple Developer Program and Google Play Console accounts, including any verification steps for organizations.
- Google Play closed testing. New personal Play accounts need 12 testers opted in for 14 days before they can apply for production. With setup and review, that is three weeks or more. See our Google Play closed testing guide.
- Featuring nomination. Apple recommends nominating up to three months ahead for wider consideration, and asks for at least a few weeks of notice. Details are in how to get featured on the App Store.
- Domain and landing page. You need a support URL and a privacy policy URL for both stores anyway.
- A waitlist. Even 100 interested people make launch day very different from zero.
Days 30 to 15: Build Your Launch Assets
Two weeks of focused asset work. Most of these items get reused in several places, so make them once and well.
| Asset | Where you use it |
|---|---|
| App icon | Both stores, landing page, press kit, social profiles |
| Store screenshots | App Store, Google Play, landing page, Product Hunt gallery |
| Google Play feature graphic | Play listing, promo video cover |
| App preview or promo video | Product page, social posts, Product Hunt |
| Name, subtitle, keywords, descriptions | Store listings, landing page copy |
| Device mockups | Landing page hero, press kit, social posts |
| Press kit | Journalists, newsletters, community moderators |
Start with the story, not the design. Write the five or six benefits your screenshots will show, in order of importance, and reuse that order everywhere. Then research keywords and write your metadata; our ASO guide for new apps walks through it.
A simple press kit is a shared folder with the icon, three to five screenshots, a few device mockups (the free mockup generator exports transparent PNGs), a short description, a longer description, a founder bio and a contact email. Keep it current.
Days 14 to 1: Submit, Test and Warm Up
This is where launches slip, so build in buffer.
- Day 14: Submit for review. In App Store Connect, choose to release the version manually. Approval then waits for you instead of going live at a random time. Submit the Play production release in the same window if you already have production access.
- Days 14 to 10: Keep testing. Run a final TestFlight round and fix anything critical. A rejection here still leaves time.
- Day 10: Check analytics and crash reporting. Confirm that installs, sign-ups and purchases are recorded before real users arrive.
- Day 10: Add a review prompt at a moment of success, using the official store APIs. See how to get app reviews.
- Days 10 to 5: Contact press and creators with a short, personal pitch, a TestFlight or promo code and an embargo date.
- Days 7 to 3: Prepare launch posts for your newsletter, social accounts and the communities you actually belong to. Draft them now; you will be busy on the day.
- Day 3: Prepare your Product Hunt page if you plan to launch there. See our Product Hunt launch guide.
- Day 1: Final check. Store listings in every language, pricing, availability by country, landing page links and the support inbox.
Before you hit submit, run through the full App Store submission checklist. It covers the build, metadata, privacy and age rating steps that most often cause delays.
Launch Week, Day by Day
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| Launch day | Release manually on the App Store, publish on Google Play, email your waitlist, publish posts, reply to every comment |
| Day 2 | Check crashes and the first reviews, reply to feedback, thank early supporters |
| Day 3 | Follow up with press and creators who did not reply |
| Day 4 | Post a "what we learned" update or a short demo video |
| Day 5 | Ship a quick fix if early users found real bugs |
| Days 6 and 7 | Review the numbers and plan next week |
Pick a launch day you can be fully online for. There is no universally best weekday, but avoid major holidays and big platform events when attention is elsewhere.
Days 1 to 30 After Launch: Measure and Iterate
A launch is a spike; the month after decides whether the app grows. Track a small set of numbers weekly.
| Metric | Where to find it | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Impressions | App Store Connect Analytics, Play Console | Whether people see your app in search and browse |
| Product page views | Same | Whether your icon and first screenshots earn a tap |
| Conversion rate | Same | Whether your product page convinces visitors |
| Day 1 and day 7 retention | Store analytics or your analytics tool | Whether the app delivers on the screenshots' promise |
| Crash rate | Xcode Organizer, Play Console vitals | Whether you need a hotfix before anything else |
| Ratings and reviews | Both consoles | What users love and what frustrates them |
Use what you learn. If impressions are fine but conversion is weak, improve your screenshots and test variants with Product Page Optimization or Google Play store listing experiments. If conversion is fine but impressions are low, work on keywords. If retention is weak, fix onboarding before spending on marketing.
For your first updates, use phased release on the App Store and staged rollouts on Google Play so a bad build reaches fewer people.
Common App Launch Mistakes
- Treating launch day as the finish line instead of the start.
- Submitting for review the day before a promised launch date.
- Letting the store release the app automatically when you are not ready to promote it.
- Spending on ads before the product page converts well.
- Ignoring early reviews. Replies show future users that someone is listening.
- Launching with English-only screenshots in markets where you localized the app.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should I plan an app launch?
Plan at least 30 days of active preparation. If you are a new personal Google Play developer or want Apple to consider featuring you, start six to twelve weeks out.
Should I launch on iOS and Android at the same time?
Only if you can support both well. Many small teams launch on one platform first, learn from real users and follow on the other a few weeks later with a better product.
What should a launch-day checklist include?
Release the app, confirm the live listings in each language, email your list, publish your posts, monitor crashes and reply to every review, comment and support message during the first 24 hours.
How do I launch an app with no marketing budget?
Focus on what costs time instead of money: a strong product page, a waitlist, communities you are part of, press outreach and a Product Hunt launch. A simple landing page with your screenshots and a waitlist form turns that early attention into signups.
Sources
Store-ready screenshots, no upload errors
Export exact App Store and Google Play sizes without alpha channels, and check any file with the free size checker.