Bolt App to App Store: Why Expo Go Is Not Enough

Why Expo Go is not an App Store build

Expo Go is an app made by Expo. It loads your JavaScript and runs it on your phone. It's built for testing. It is not your app. Bolt runs in your browser. It can't run Xcode, Android Studio or the Expo build pipeline, so it stops at the preview. That's why everything feels finished on your phone and still can't be submitted. Here is how the Expo Go preview compares with a signed App Store build:

• What runs. Expo Go preview: your code inside Expo's own app. Signed App Store build: your own app binary (.ipa).
• App name, icon, splash. Expo Go preview: Expo Go's. Signed App Store build: yours.
• Native modules. Expo Go preview: only the ones already bundled in Expo Go. Signed App Store build: any module your app needs.
• Who can install it. Expo Go preview: anyone with Expo Go and your link. Signed App Store build: TestFlight testers, then the public.
• Signing. Expo Go preview: done by Expo, not by you. Signed App Store build: your Apple certificate and bundle ID.
• Apple review. Expo Go preview: none. Signed App Store build: every build that goes public.

Watch the native modules

Native modules are the line to watch. If Bolt added a library that needs custom native code, it may fail or behave differently once you build the app for real. Expo Go also gave you permissions, an icon and a name you never had to set up yourself.

How to publish a Bolt app to the App Store

Here are the steps, in order. Expo's own guide follows the same path. For more on steps 5 to 7, see our App Store launch guide for an Expo iOS app.

• 1. Join the Apple Developer Program. Apple lists the membership at 99 USD per year, with prices that can vary by region, on its Apple Developer Program enrollment page. If you enroll as an organization, Apple asks for a D-U-N-S Number, so start this step first.
• 2. Export the code from Bolt. Use Export, then Download. Push it straight to a GitHub repository you own.
• 3. Install it locally. Install Node.js, run `npm install` and check that the app still starts outside Bolt.
• 4. Set up app.json. Set the app name, a unique bundle identifier, the version, the icon, the splash screen and every permission message (camera, location, photos).
• 5. Build with EAS. Run `eas build --platform ios`. EAS creates the certificates and gives you a signed build. Expo also has a `npx testflight` command that builds and uploads in one go.
• 6. Test on TestFlight. Install the real build on real phones. This is the first time you see your actual app, not the Expo Go version.
• 7. Submit in App Store Connect. Add screenshots, a description, a privacy policy link, privacy labels and a demo login for the reviewer, then submit.

What breaks between Bolt and a signed build: build blockers

This is the part the step lists skip. Check these before your first build. Each one works fine in Expo Go and causes trouble later.

• Native libraries Expo Go doesn't include. The build fails, or the feature crashes on launch. Replace the library or set up a development build.
• Missing permission messages. If your app uses the camera or location without a clear message, Apple can reject it.
• No bundle identifier or icon. You can't build without them, and you can't change the bundle ID once the app is live.

Security problems a reviewer won't flag but users will

These don't stop a build and App Review won't look for them. Your users will find them for you.

• Secret keys in the app code. Anything shipped inside a mobile app can be pulled out of it. API keys for paid services belong on a server.
• Open database rules. If Bolt connected Supabase, check that row level security is on. Otherwise any user can read other users' data.
• Login flows that only worked in preview. Email links and OAuth redirects often point to the preview URL. They need your app's own scheme.

App Review rejections

These come straight from Apple's App Store Review Guidelines.

• Selling digital content with your own checkout. Guideline 3.1.1 says that if you unlock features or content inside the app (subscriptions, premium content, a full version), you must use in-app purchase. The rules on linking to an outside payment page differ by storefront: Apple says that prohibition doesn't apply to the United States storefront, while other storefronts have their own rules and entitlements. Check the current guidelines for every country you plan to launch in before you wire up Stripe.
• No way to delete an account. Guideline 5.1.1(v): "If your app supports account creation, you must also offer account deletion within the app."
• An app that is just a website. Guideline 4.2 asks for "features, content, and UI that elevate it beyond a repackaged website." An app that adds nothing to your site may not be accepted.
• No demo account. Guideline 2.1 asks you to include demo account details if your app has a login, and to keep your backend running during review.

When the export becomes a production job

If several of these apply to your app, you're no longer looking at a quick export. That's a production job. Book a call and we'll go through your Bolt project with you.

Can you publish a Bolt.new app on the App Store yourself?

Yes, if the app is simple. Use this list to decide.

• Display screens, no login, no payments: do it yourself.
• Login with email only, data per user: do it yourself if you can check database rules.
• Payments, subscriptions or paid content: get help.
• Camera, maps, Bluetooth, background tasks: get help.
• Build fails and the errors make no sense to you: get help.
• Already rejected once by App Review: get help.
• Investors or customers waiting on a launch date: get help.

The launch date question

The last case is about time, not skill. Certificates, build errors and App Review are new ground for most founders. If you have a fixed launch date, ask yourself whether you want to learn all of it on the clock.

What we do with a Bolt project

When a founder brings us a Bolt app, we start from the exported code and decide one of two things: harden it, or rebuild the weak parts. Our AI prototype to production page explains how that works. In short:

• An audit of the exported code, with a punch list of what to fix
• Auth, database rules, secrets and payments made production safe
• iOS and Android builds from one Expo project
• TestFlight and Play submission support
• The code stays 100% yours, on your GitHub
• 2 weeks of fixes after launch

Fixed quote, weekly progress

You get a fixed quote before we start, and you see progress every week. If the prototype is only a starting point and you need a full MVP, our guide to how long it takes to build an MVP shows what fits into about 20 days. For budget questions, see what MVP development costs. Want your Bolt app in the App Store without fighting the build yourself? Book a call. It's a free 30 minute call, and you'll leave knowing exactly what your app needs.

Can Bolt publish directly to the App Store?

No. Bolt runs in the browser and can't produce a signed iOS build. You export the code, build it with EAS under your Apple Developer account and submit it through App Store Connect.

Why does my Bolt app work in Expo Go but fail to build?

Expo Go ships with its own set of native modules and settings. A real build uses only what your project declares. Missing native libraries, permission messages or app.json settings only show up at build time.

Do I need a Mac to get a Bolt app on the App Store?

Not for the build. EAS builds iOS apps on Expo's servers. You still need an Apple Developer account, and a real iPhone helps for testing on TestFlight.

Is a Bolt app good enough for production?

It's a strong first draft. These are the parts to check before real users arrive: login flows, database rules, secret keys and payments. App Review won't check them for you.