One codebase, real store app
The iOS app loads your published Macaly URL inside a native WebView. There is no second project to maintain and no code export.
Why wrapping beats rebuilding for Macaly apps
Macaly says plainly that it is not a tool for native iOS or Android apps, and it renders Next.js pages on the server with a Convex database, so the published site is the product and there is no separate API to build a native app against. WebViewGold loads that published address in native iOS and Android apps and adds what a website lacks in review: push notifications, an offline screen, native sharing. Publish in Macaly and the apps follow on the next launch.
Keep shipping from Macaly
Click Publish in Macaly and the app shows the new version on the next launch; edits that only exist in the preview do not reach the app. 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 Macaly app on a public HTTPS URL (yourproject.macaly.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
With a good optimized version of your web app you can have a stunning mobile app within a couple of minutes. Additionally to that the customer service is very nice and very helpful! I can just recommend WebViewGold :-)
Macaly to App Store: the walkthrough
Eight steps, no coding. Most people finish the native part in under an hour.
Publish your Macaly app to a production URL
Click Publish in the top-right corner of the editor. Macaly builds and deploys the latest version to a free yourproject.macaly.app subdomain (older projects use macaly-app.com). Preview and live site are separate, so publish again to push later changes live. The Free plan allows one published app. The editor preview and share links are not your live app. Use the published macaly.app address or your custom domain in WebViewGold. Custom domain: Needs a Starter, Pro or Agency plan: open Settings, Domains, enter your domain and click Connect, then add the A record for the root domain and the CNAME record for www that Macaly shows (or buy a domain inside Macaly). 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.
Macaly-specific checks before you submit
These are the points that come up most often with Macaly projects (Next.js (React) rendered on the server, with a Convex database hosted in the EU; hosting is handled by Macaly and powered by Vercel).
- With email OTP login the App Store reviewer cannot receive your codes. Ask the agent for an email and password login as well, create a demo account with it and put the credentials in the review notes.
- If you protected the live site with a password (Settings, General, Published website access), remove it before you submit, or the app and the reviewer stop at a password prompt.
- Live Stripe payments run only on the published site, not in the preview. For digital content or subscriptions sold inside the iOS app, Apple expects In-App Purchase; physical goods and services can keep Stripe.
- Macaly shines at fast, SEO-friendly sites. If your project is mostly marketing pages, add real app value (an account area, push notifications, an offline screen) before you submit, or Apple may reject it under guideline 4.2 as a website in a wrapper.
- Add a privacy policy page and, if users can sign up, an account deletion action before you submit.
- Made with Macaly: The "Made with AI in Macaly" badge cannot be turned off on the Free plan. On a paid plan (Starter is enough) hide it in Settings, General before you build the app. More on builder badges.
Let Macaly do the store-readiness work
Paste this into Macaly and let it apply the changes reviewers look for. Review the result, then publish.
Prompt to paste into Macaly
Prepare this project for publishing as a native iOS and Android app (it will run inside a native WebView wrapper that loads the published site): 1. Add /privacy and /terms pages with placeholder text I can edit and link them from the footer and the account area. 2. Add email and password login next to the email code login, so a demo account can sign in without an inbox. 3. Add a "Delete my account" action in the account settings that deletes the user's records in the database after a confirmation dialog. 4. Make every page responsive from 320px to iPad widths, with no horizontal scrolling and tap targets of at least 44px. 5. Remove newsletter pop-ups, "Download our app" banners and external promotional links from the main navigation. 6. Set the page title to the app name (max 30 characters) and keep the meta description.
App Store review: the rules that matter for Macaly apps
Apple reviews behavior, not tooling. Nobody is rejected for using Macaly; 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 Macaly 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 Macaly project to approved app
Say you built a record-keeping tool for a beekeeping association with Macaly: members log each hive inspection with notes and photos, see the club calendar and book the shared honey extractor. Convex keeps every entry in sync in real time, and you publish on the Starter plan with bees.yourclub.org as the domain. Wrapped with WebViewGold, the native camera handles inspection photos, the offline screen shows a clean retry when a member is out at the apiary without signal, and a OneSignal push confirms extractor bookings. Members sign in with email codes; the reviewer gets a password demo account with two sample hives. Both stores approve the app, and each Publish in Macaly updates it.
Your first week after launch
- Publish after every edit you want members to see; changes that stay in the preview never reach the app.
- Keep the demo account's password login working; if a later prompt turns the login into email codes only, the review of your next update fails.
- Watch the first inspection photos come in and ask the agent to compress large uploads if pages get slow.
- Send a push when an extractor booking is confirmed or changed, and nothing else in the first week.
- Ask for a rating with rateapp:// after a member logs their third inspection.
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
Does Macaly make native iOS or Android apps?
No. Macaly itself says it is not the tool for native iOS or Android apps; it builds web projects that work well in a mobile browser. WebViewGold adds the native part: it loads your published macaly.app address or custom domain in native iOS and Android apps and adds features such as push notifications.
Do I need a paid Macaly plan for the app?
Not strictly: the free macaly.app address works inside the app. A paid plan (Starter or higher) is still worth it before you submit, because it removes the Made with Macaly badge and lets you connect your own domain.
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.
Does a Macaly app work offline inside the store app?
Not by itself. Macaly renders pages on the server, so each new screen needs a connection. WebViewGold's offline screen shows a native message with a retry button instead of a browser error, which is what reviewers expect. If members must record data without signal, ask the agent for a form that keeps the input on the device until the connection is back, and test it in flight mode.
My project still uses a macaly-app.com address. Should I change it before I submit?
Either address works in WebViewGold as long as it is the published site. The safer choice is your own domain on a paid plan: it removes any dependence on Macaly's default domains, and Universal Links and App Links need a domain you control. Put the custom domain into Config.swift and Config.java before the first submission, because changing the app URL later needs a new build.
Do I have to resubmit the app every time I change something in Macaly?
No. The app loads your published URL, so content and feature changes you publish in Macaly 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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