How to submit a Mac app
Checked October 30, 2026
There are two routes. The Mac App Store goes through App Store Connect, needs the $99 a year Apple Developer Program, and every build passes App Review. Selling from your own site needs a Developer ID signature and Apple notarization. Either way, you can then list the app on directories. On MacPip that means pasting your link and filling in a short form, for free and with no account.
The two routes
| Mac App Store | Your own site | |
|---|---|---|
| Who reviews it | Apple App Review | Apple's automated notary service, which is not App Review |
| Apple membership | Apple Developer Program, $99 a year | The same membership, for a Developer ID certificate |
| Sandbox | Required | Your choice |
| Updates | Through the store only | Your own, for example with Sparkle |
| Install method | Store only, no third-party installers | A .dmg, .zip or .pkg that you host |
| Payments | Apple's | Your own, for example Stripe or Paddle |
Apple's rules for store apps are in section 2.4.5 of its guidelines. They rule out license keys, startup items without consent and other update systems, so check them before you commit to the store. Many makers offer both.
What to have ready for any directory
- A live https link to the app's page, on the Mac App Store or your own site.
- A name and one plain line that says what the app does. "Saves your clipboard history" beats "Supercharge your workflow".
- A short description: what it does, who it is for, and what it costs.
- A square icon and real screenshots of the actual app. Directories that check, MacPip included, compare them with the app.
- For direct downloads, a signed and notarized build at a stable link.
Check your own build before you send it. These two commands are explained in our guide to telling if an app is safe.
spctl -a -vv /Applications/YourApp.app xcrun stapler validate /Applications/YourApp.app
You want to see source=Notarized Developer ID from the first and a success message from the second.
How to submit to MacPip
- Open the submit page and paste your link. A Mac App Store link fills in the most.
- Check the details and change anything that is wrong. Choose a category and a launch date, up to 21 days ahead. Each day takes up to 10 launches.
- For a direct download, add a link to the .dmg or .zip, so we can check the signature and notarization.
- Add your email. It is never shown, and there is no account to create.
- Save your status page link. It shows whether your app is approved, the reason if it is not, and a button that deletes the listing.
Web apps and iPhone-only apps are not listed. The full rules are on our rules page.
Where else to submit
Our guide to where to launch a Mac app compares the other sites, including the ones that cost money, and says where each one is stronger than we are.