One codebase, real store app
The iOS app loads your published Databutton URL inside a native WebView. There is no second project to maintain and no code export.
Why wrapping beats rebuilding for Databutton apps
Databutton's FastAPI backend and React front end are deployed together on databutton.app, and a native rebuild would mean recreating the Python endpoints and the Firebase or Stack Auth login on two platforms. WebViewGold loads the deployed URL, so the WebView calls your API exactly like the browser does and the backend never changes. Enable the splash screen so a backend cold start reads as loading, not as broken.
Keep shipping from Databutton
Deploy again and the app updates instantly. Only changes to the native shell itself (icon, new native feature) need a store update.
Native features on top
Push notifications, offline screen, native sharing, biometric login, QR scanner, in-app purchases and deep links are single settings or one-line JavaScript calls.
App Store approval guarantee
Apple App Store approval guarantee – or your money back within 14 days. 96.4% of all WebViewGold apps get approved by the review teams on the first attempt.
What you need
- A published Databutton app on a public HTTPS URL (yourapp.databutton.app or, better, your own domain)
- An Apple Developer Program ($99 per year) to submit to the Apple App Store
- Xcode on a Mac – or the WebViewGold Cloud Builder in your browser (no Mac needed)
- WebViewGold for iOS ($109 one-time, free updates)
- A privacy policy page, a 1024 × 1024 px icon and 30 to 60 minutes
I am very happy I bought this app! Extremely easy and great documentation. Was in contact with the customer service, they replied very quickly and very friendly. They solved my question within a day. 10/10 would recommend.
Databutton to App Store: the walkthrough
Eight steps, no coding. Most people finish the native part in under an hour.
Publish your Databutton app to a production URL
Use Deploy in Databutton. The app is published to a databutton.app address; deploy again to ship changes. The workspace preview is not public. Deploy first and use the deployed URL. Custom domain: Connect a custom domain in the app settings and set the DNS records Databutton provides. See why a custom domain before submission is worth it.
Make it store-ready
Add a privacy policy page, an account deletion option (if users can sign up), and remove builder badges or "download our app" banners. Run the free App Store readiness check on your URL: it flags mixed content, missing viewport tags, builder preview domains and other blockers in seconds.
Get WebViewGold for iOS
One-time payment, free updates. You receive the ready-made Xcode project. If you do not own a Mac, activate the WebViewGold Cloud Builder and do everything in the browser.
Insert your URL and brand the app
Open Config.swift (or the Cloud Builder form) and paste your published URL. Set the app name, upload your icon, pick splash screen and status bar color. No coding needed.
Switch on native features
Enable push notifications, the offline screen, social-login handling, pull-to-refresh, biometric login or the QR scanner with single settings. Everything is optional.
Build and upload
In Xcode: Product → Archive → Distribute to App Store Connect. In the Cloud Builder: click Build, the upload to App Store Connect is done for you.
Create the App Store listing
In App Store Connect add name, subtitle, description, keywords, screenshots, privacy policy URL and the App Privacy answers. Add a demo account in the review notes if needed.
Submit for review
Apple reviews most apps within 24 to 48 hours. Answer reviewer questions in Resolution Center if any come up. Our approval guarantee covers you.
Databutton-specific checks before you submit
These are the points that come up most often with Databutton projects (React front end with a FastAPI (Python) backend, Firebase Auth or Stack Auth, hosted by Databutton).
- Backend cold starts can delay the first response: enable the WebViewGold splash screen so the app never looks frozen in review.
- Google login through Firebase Auth needs WebViewGold's Social Login Helper inside the app.
- Add a privacy policy page and an account deletion action before submitting.
- Keep API keys in Databutton secrets, never in the front end.
Let Databutton do the store-readiness work
Paste this into Databutton and let it apply the changes reviewers look for. Review the result, then publish.
Prompt to paste into Databutton
Prepare this app for publishing as a native iOS and Android app (it will run inside a native WebView wrapper): add /privacy and /terms pages linked from the footer; add a "Delete my account" endpoint and button in settings with confirmation; make all pages responsive from 320px to tablet widths with 44px tap targets and no horizontal scrolling; remove external promotional links and any "Download the app" banners; show a retry state when API calls fail; set the title to the app name (max 30 characters).
App Store review: the rules that matter for Databutton apps
Apple reviews behavior, not tooling. Nobody is rejected for using Databutton; apps are rejected for the points below.
- 4.2
Minimum Functionality
The app must offer more than a repackaged website. Responsive layout, native navigation and at least one native capability (push notifications, offline screen, native sharing, biometric login) make the difference. WebViewGold switches these on with one setting each.
- 2.1
App Completeness
No placeholder content, no dead links, no crashes. If content sits behind a login, provide a demo account in the App Review notes.
- 5.1.1
Privacy
A public privacy policy URL is mandatory. Apps that let users create accounts must also let them delete the account inside the app.
- 4.8
Login Services
If the app uses Google, Facebook or another third-party or social login for the user's account, it must also offer an equivalent login that limits data to name and email, lets users keep their email private and does not track them for advertising. Sign in with Apple is the safe way to meet this. An app that only uses its own email/password login is not affected.
- 3.1.1
In-App Purchase
Digital goods and subscriptions sold inside the app must use Apple's In-App Purchase. Physical goods and real-world services can keep Stripe or PayPal.
- 2.3
Accurate Metadata
Screenshots, description and app name must match what the app does. Do not mention other platforms or "beta" in the listing.
Native features your Databutton app gets in the iOS app
Every feature is optional and documented step by step in the WebViewGold for iOS documentation.
Push notifications
Remote push via OneSignal or Pushwoosh, local scheduled pushes via a JavaScript call, permission prompt at the moment you choose.
DocumentationSocial Login Helper
Google and Facebook logins work inside the app; Sign in with Apple is handled automatically.
DocumentationUniversal Links
Links from emails (magic links, password resets) open directly in the app.
DocumentationIn-app purchases
App Store subscriptions and one-time purchases via RevenueCat, triggered from your web app.
DocumentationOffline screen and fallback
A native "Try again" screen when the user is offline, or a local HTML fallback.
DocumentationLoading indicator and splash
Keep the launch screen until the web app is loaded, or show a native spinner.
DocumentationBiometric login
Face ID / Touch ID gate from a JavaScript call.
DocumentationQR and barcode scanner
Native scanner that returns the result to your web app.
DocumentationNative share sheet and haptics
Share dialog and haptic feedback from your web app.
DocumentationCustom CSS and JavaScript
Hide website-only elements and inject code when loaded inside the app.
DocumentationPre-flight checklist for App Store
Tick these off and the review is a formality. The free readiness check verifies the technical half automatically.
- HTTPS everywhere: App Transport Security blocks plain http:// content and invalid certificates.
- Responsive layout from 320 px to iPad widths. Apple also opens iPhone apps on an iPad during review.
- Privacy policy URL ready (a page inside your web app is fine).
- Account deletion available in the app if users can sign up.
- Demo login for the reviewer if content is behind authentication.
- No "Download our app" banners, no links to other app stores, no builder badges inside the app.
- A 1024 × 1024 px app icon without transparency and rounded corners (Apple adds the mask).
- Screenshots for the current iPhone sizes (and iPad if supported) taken from the real app.
- App name of 30 characters or fewer, a subtitle and keywords prepared.
- Export compliance answered (an app that only uses HTTPS qualifies for the standard encryption exemption).
Example: from Databutton project to approved app
Say you built a pipeline dashboard for small solar installers with Databutton: a Python endpoint pulls deals from their CRM, forecasts the month and serves it to a React front end. You deploy, connect your domain and wrap it with WebViewGold, turning on biometric login so a lost phone does not expose the pipeline. A scheduled Python job sends a push through the OneSignal REST API every morning with the day's site visits, and installers open the app straight from that notification. Apple asks for a demo login, which you seed with fictional deals and forecasts. Once approved, every Databutton deploy updates the forecast logic for every user at once.
Your first week after launch
- Watch the FastAPI error logs in Databutton during launch week; mobile networks drop and retry requests more often than office Wi-Fi.
- Send scheduled pushes from a Python job with the OneSignal or Firebase ID you stored per user, and keep it to one useful message a day.
- Deploy backend and front-end fixes in Databutton as usual; the app needs no store update for them.
- Ask for a rating with rateapp:// after a user has opened the dashboard on three different days.
- Keep the demo account's sample data current, since Apple checks it again with every app update.
What you get with WebViewGold
A complete native app project, not a subscription. Everything below is included in the license and switched on with a setting.
- Complete Xcode project
- Push notifications
- Offline screen
- App icon & splash screen
- Share sheet & haptics
- Deep & universal links
- In-app purchases
- Free updates, white-label
Frequently asked questions
Can a Databutton app be listed in the stores?
Yes. Deploy it, put the URL into WebViewGold and submit the iOS and Android builds. The Python backend keeps running on Databutton.
Does the FastAPI backend need changes for the app?
No. The WebView calls your API exactly like the browser does. Only CORS rules that whitelist a single origin should include your app's URL (it is the same origin, so usually nothing changes).
Do I need a Mac to publish an iOS app?
Not with the WebViewGold Cloud Builder: configuration, build and upload to App Store Connect happen in the browser. If you own a Mac, the Xcode project works out of the box.
How long does Apple review take?
Most submissions are reviewed within 24 to 48 hours. First submissions and apps with logins sometimes get a question from the reviewer; answer it in Resolution Center and the review continues.
What if Apple rejects the app?
Rejections name the guideline and the reason, and you can resubmit as often as needed. WebViewGold comes with an App Store approval guarantee: if Apple rejects the app for a non-content reason, you get your money back within 14 days of purchase.
Do my Python background jobs keep running when the app is closed?
Yes. Scheduled jobs and API endpoints run on Databutton's servers, independent of the app. To reach users while the app is closed, store their push subscription ID (OneSignal or Firebase, read through WebViewGold's JavaScript bridge) and send a push from the job.
Can I add Face ID or fingerprint login to a Databutton app?
Yes, without touching the Python backend. Your front end calls the bioauth:// URL scheme, WebViewGold shows Face ID or Touch ID on iOS and the system biometric prompt on Android, and the result comes back to your web app. Use it to unlock an existing session, not as the only way to create an account.
Do I have to resubmit the app every time I change something in Databutton?
No. The app loads your published URL, so content and feature changes you publish in Databutton are live in the app immediately. A new store version is only needed when the native shell changes, for example a new app icon or an added native feature.
What does it cost in total?
$109 one-time for WebViewGold for iOS (free updates) plus the Apple Developer Program ($99 per year). Optional: the Cloud Builder add-on ($349 per license, one-time) if you want to build in the browser without a Mac, or the Full Service package (from $698 per platform) where our team configures, builds and submits the app for you.
Three ways to get your app into the stores
Same result, different amount of work on your side. All three come with the approval guarantee and 24/7 human support.
Do it yourself
$109 per platform, one-time
The WebViewGold license: a finished Xcode or Android Studio project. Paste your URL, set name and icon, switch on features, build and submit. Free updates forever.
See plans on the main pageCloud Builder
$349 per license, one-time add-on
No Mac, no Xcode, no Android Studio: configure in the browser, we build both apps in the cloud and hand them to App Store Connect and the Play Console.
How the Cloud Builder works Try the free demoFull Service
$698 per platform $798
Send us your URL and icon. Our team configures, builds and delivers your app within 72 hours, white-label, with source projects. Both platforms for $1,158.
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