Question 1

Why does the iOS (.ipa) build require my Apple credentials, while Android does not?

Accepted Answer

Android allows automated keystore generation, which Tapbound creates for you automatically so your .aab compiles right away. Apple's operating system strictly forbids compiling or exporting a production iOS app (.ipa) without a cryptographic certificate issued directly to your own Apple Developer account ($99/year charged by Apple). You simply upload your Distribution Certificate (.p12) and Provisioning Profile in the dashboard's Integrations tab, and your .ipa compiles and signs with your credentials.

Question 2

How do I publish the files myself?

Accepted Answer

You receive an Android aab and an iOS ipa. Publishing them is your task, under your own Apple and Google developer accounts. The step-by-step guide is at /publish-guide, and every paid build email links to it. A store-submission add-on [beta] that does it for you is in progress and will be announced when verified against real stores.

Question 3

What exactly do I get for the base price?

Accepted Answer

Your website turned into a working Android (aab) and iOS (ipa) app, store-ready icons, and a dashboard to manage it afterward. Before that point everything is free: the Preview plan is the full configurator, so you create your app, design it with your own icon, colors, and features, and preview it live on a phone frame, and you choose Android, iOS, or both at the moment you build. An ipa always requires your own valid Apple signing credentials, and every integration runs on credentials you provide and manage on your end. Tapbound never uses its own accounts for your app's push, ads, or analytics.

Question 4

Are push notifications, ads, and analytics included?

Accepted Answer

They are one-time-fee add-ons. Push, ads, and analytics come together in one Engagement add-on, and you bring your own accounts. A Firebase or OneSignal project for push; AdMob or AppLovin for ads; Firebase, Amplitude, or PostHog for analytics. Enter those credentials in your dashboard. They are stored encrypted and baked into your build. You manage each provider on your own console; your data and your tokens stay with your account.

Question 5

Do I need any coding knowledge?

Accepted Answer

No. You enter your website address, choose colors and features in a guided form, and preview the result. The build is handled for you.

Question 6

How long does a build take?

Accepted Answer

A typical build runs in under an hour per platform, and you see live status rather than a blank wait. Android and iOS finish at their own pace, which is normal.

Question 7

Does this work with any website?

Accepted Answer

Any live website with a real HTML response and reasonable mobile behavior can be converted. WordPress, Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento, PrestaShop, and custom sites are all supported. A pre-check tells you honestly if your site has issues.

Question 8

What kinds of websites does this not work well for?

Accepted Answer

Sites that are mostly files or downloads, sites that require an app to function at all, and sites with content that depends on browser-only features. The pre-check flags these before you commit to a build.

Question 9

Can I change my app after it is built?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Changes are saved from the dashboard and apply on your next build. Runtime-only changes like colors and menus are marked as needing no store review, and changes that affect the native build, like new features, go through a rebuild with a clear confirmation first.

Question 10

Do I need my own Apple and Google developer accounts?

Accepted Answer

Yes, for the stores. Apple and Google require every app to publish under a real developer account, and yours is the one that publishes it. We never publish under our own accounts.

Question 11

What does the publishing add-on actually do?

Accepted Answer

It submits your finished app to the App Store and Google Play using scoped credentials you create, and reports status in plain terms. It is available in the dashboard as a [beta] add-on; it is not part of the initial launch scope until it has been verified against real stores. At launch you download your finished Android and iOS files and submit them yourself with the accounts you already own. You keep ownership of the account, the app, and the credentials either way.

Question 12

Will my app get rejected by the App Store or Play Store?

Accepted Answer

A software gate enforces the store minimum bar before any submission, checking the requirements each store actually tests for. It does not remove the stores' own review, and it does not guarantee approval, no product can. At launch, you submit the files we deliver; the gate's checks are what the files are built against.

Question 13

What happens if my app is rejected?

Accepted Answer

When you submit, you see the store's stated reason in plain language and the next step. The free resubmission terms that apply to your plan are stated before you submit.

Question 14

Can I use my own app icon and colors?

Accepted Answer

Yes. One icon upload generates every required size for both stores, and the color choices are applied consistently across the app.

Question 15

Can I add push notifications?

Accepted Answer

Yes, as a one-time add-on available on either plan. You bring your own Firebase or OneSignal project; your app registers against it and shows you the device token to wire to your own sending.

Question 16

Does my website need to work offline?

Accepted Answer

No. Your site needs a real HTML response and reasonable mobile behavior; a pre-check tells you honestly if anything will cause problems before you build.

Question 17

Can more than one person manage the same app?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The account owner can invite team members by email from the dashboard; each member manages the shared apps with their own login, and the owner can remove them at any time.

Question 18

Can I transfer my app to someone else?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You start a transfer to the recipient's email, and the recipient must accept it from their own account before ownership changes.

Question 19

What happens if I delete my app?

Accepted Answer

Deletion requires a typed confirmation, and a short recovery window applies so an accidental deletion can be undone. After that, the app, its builds, and its stored files are permanently removed.

Question 20

Is my website content or account information stored anywhere?

Accepted Answer

Your app loads your live website directly. Your site's traffic and your visitors' data never route through our servers. We store your account details, your configuration, your builds, and any credentials you give us, under the rules in the privacy policy and the security page.

Question 21

What happens to my Apple or Google credentials after I submit them?

Accepted Answer

Credentials are encrypted at rest and never logged. They are used only for the submission they were provided for, and you can replace them at any time. We never ask for your Apple ID or Google password.

Question 22

Can I get a refund?

Accepted Answer

Yes, under the refund policy. Platform-caused build failures refund the rebuild credit, and purchases follow the stated refund terms. See the refund policy for the exact conditions.

Question 23

How do I report a problem with an app someone else built on this platform?

Accepted Answer

Use the report abuse address on the contact page, kept separate from general support so a live, harmful app gets priority attention.

Plain answers to real questions