iOS- Does TestFlight have the same strict criteria as if an app was being published live to the App Store?

Question

I want to push an app to TestFlight. I hear there is still a discovery process that Apple goes through before they release it to you. I also hear that if your pushing an app to the App Store they make sure it adheres to their H.I.G.

My question are:

-if my app needs T&C and a PP to go live, do those need to be available in order to use TestFlight?

-apps now have to work using IPv6. Does pushing to TestFlight require that?

-my current ui is rudimentary but it gets the point across, however it does look very unprofessional. Pushing to TestFlight do I need to have the visuals up to par with Apple's standards as if I was publishing live?

-Assuming Apple will let me get away with certain things that are inconsistent with a live app but is fine for TestFlight, will they point those problem areas out to me so when I push it to them to go live I'll already have them sorted out?

My main concern right now is to get the beta app into some people's hands and get their opinions on the concept and tweak whatever needs to get done and then go live.

Answer 1

Since I asked this question I have pushed multiple times to TestFlight. I never pushed to team members because I don't have any and all my users were beta users. I recently published my app live to the App Store. Here are the answers to my own questions:

-if my app needs T&C and a PP to go live, do those need to be available in order to use TestFlight?

• I got the actual T&C drawn up before I pushed to TestFlight but my beta was approved in a couple of hours or so. There's no way they read through the entire T&C. I would suggest finding some blanket T&C somewhere on Google and using that. You don't need the same exact criteria that you would need inside a live app and something generic should be fine.

-apps now have to work using IPv6. Does pushing to TestFlight require that?

• I didn't check for IPv6 before pushing my app to TestFlight and it got approved. I also never checked before it went live in the App Store and it got approved. My app must have already been IPv6 compatible so I cannot answer what would happen when pushing to TestFlight and it's not compatible.

-my current ui is rudimentary but it gets the point across, however it does look very unprofessional. Pushing to TestFlight do I need to have the visuals up to par with Apple's standards as if I was publishing live?

• I had most of my designs done and they're basically the same designs I use in my live app. Other iOS devs that I know have pushed some very rudimentary apps with beta ui to TestFlight and they got approved. They also pushed some of those apps to the App Store with the same beta ui and they still got approved. So no you don't need a pixel perfect app when pushing to TestFlight.

-Assuming Apple will let me get away with certain things that are inconsistent with a live app but is fine for TestFlight, will they point those problem areas out to me so when I push it to them to go live I'll already have them sorted out?

• Based on my previous answer above this one, the other people I know who pushed their apps to Test Flight with beta ui still got approved. I tested a couple of the apps and pointed out a few flaws and crashes. Apple didn't point them out to them so in the Test Flight stage I doubt they point them out. FYI Apple also didn't point them out inside my app and I had multiple flaws and crashes that I didn't know about until after I pushed to Test Flight and was approved. They would've never let the app into Test Flight with all the problems I had.

Answer 2

If all you want to do is beta test an app that you know isn't compliant for the App Store, you can simply provision the devices of your team members and build and run on those devices while you sort things out.

As others have mentioned TestFlight submissions should be compliant with AppStore guidelines for review. If so, you are permitted to use TestFlight for "external" "beta" testing with non team members before you submit for final reivew. Apple will do a quick review and then you'll be able to invite a limited number of external users who will need Apple IDs and TestFlight to download and run your app.

With TestFlight beta testing, you can distribute prerelease builds of your app to testers to collect feedback and prepare your app for release in the App Store. TestFlight beta testing is optional; you can submit your app for review without using it. However, it’s easy to do, free, and a valuable way to improve your app before releasing it in the App Store. You can enable TestFlight beta testing for up to 100 apps at one time in your developer account. For an overview of this feature, go to TestFlight Beta Testing.

Answer 3

You can push the build app to TestFlight without it being reviewed by the apple team. But it should be in a good enough order to do proper testing, otherwise, whats the point.

Answer 4

From the App Store Review Guidelines, section 2.2:

Any app submitted for beta distribution via TestFlight should be intended for public distribution and should comply with the App Review Guidelines.

So, simply put, the same rules apply as if you were publishing the app on the App Store publicly.