One codebase, real store app
The iOS app loads your published GitHub Spark URL inside a native WebView. There is no second project to maintain and no code export.
Why wrapping beats rebuilding for GitHub Spark apps
Keep shipping from GitHub Spark
Publish again (or redeploy the exported repo) 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 GitHub Spark app on a public HTTPS URL (yourspark.github.app or, better, your own domain)
- An Apple Developer Program ($99 per year) to submit to 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
GitHub Spark to App Store: the walkthrough
Seven steps, no coding. Most people finish the native part in under an hour.
Publish your GitHub Spark app to a production URL
Publish the spark from the Spark editor and set its visibility so the people you want can open it. The app is served on a github.app address; publishing again updates it. The editor preview is only visible to you. Publish first. Custom domain: Spark hosting does not use your own domain. For a custom domain, export the repository and deploy it to Vercel, Netlify or Cloudflare Pages. 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.
GitHub Spark-specific checks before you submit
These are the points that come up most often with GitHub Spark projects (React + TypeScript front ends with Spark's managed key-value storage and AI features, hosted by GitHub).
- If your spark requires visitors to sign in with GitHub, reviewers and most consumers cannot use it. Make it public, or export the code and add your own authentication before you submit.
- Reviewers need a stable address: if you export, deploy to a domain you control and use that in the app.
- Add a privacy policy page and, if you have accounts, an account deletion action.
- Enable the WebViewGold loading indicator for the first bundle load.
Let GitHub Spark do the store-readiness work
Paste this into GitHub Spark and let it apply the changes reviewers look for. Review the result, then publish.
Prompt to paste into Spark
Prepare this app for publishing as a native iOS and Android app (it will run inside a native WebView wrapper): make it usable without requiring a GitHub login; add /privacy and /terms pages linked from the footer; make all screens responsive from 320px to tablet widths with 44px tap targets and no horizontal scrolling; remove external promotional links; show a retry state when data fails to load; set the title to the app name (max 30 characters).
App Store review: the rules that matter for GitHub Spark apps
Apple reviews behavior, not tooling. Nobody is rejected for using GitHub Spark; 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 you offer Google, Facebook or another third-party login, you must also offer an equivalent option that limits data collection, such as Sign in with Apple. Email/password login alone needs nothing extra.
- 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 GitHub Spark 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).
Frequently asked questions
Can a GitHub Spark app be published in the App Store?
Yes, as long as the published spark is reachable without a GitHub login, or you export the repository and host it yourself. Insert the public URL into WebViewGold and submit the native build.
Does the Spark storage keep working inside the app?
Yes. The WebView loads the same hosted app, so Spark's managed storage and features behave as in the browser.
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 I have to resubmit the app every time I change something in GitHub Spark?
No. The app loads your published URL, so content and feature changes you publish in GitHub Spark 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 if you want to build in the browser, or the Full Service package where our team configures, builds and submits the app for you.