The rise of AI coding assistants has sparked a revolution. Tools like Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Bolt, and Claude are empowering entrepreneurs, designers, and hobbyists to build functional apps faster than ever before. The term “vibecoding”—writing code by describing what you want and letting AI figure out the implementation—has become a legitimate development approach.
But here’s the reality check that catches most people off guard: getting your vibecoded app to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store is an entirely different beast. That working prototype on your laptop? It’s maybe 20% of the journey to a production-ready app in users’ hands.
The Vibecoding Promise vs. Reality
What Vibecoding Does Well
AI coding tools are genuinely impressive at:
- Rapid prototyping — You can go from idea to working demo in hours or days
- Boilerplate generation — Setting up project structure, basic CRUD operations, UI components
- Problem-solving — Debugging issues and suggesting solutions
- Learning acceleration — Understanding code patterns and best practices
For proof-of-concept work, hackathons, or personal projects, vibecoding is transformative. You can validate ideas without massive upfront investment.
Where Vibecoding Falls Short
The challenges emerge when you try to turn that prototype into a real product:
Code Quality Issues
- AI-generated code often has subtle bugs that only surface at scale
- Security vulnerabilities that aren’t obvious to non-experts
- Inconsistent architecture that becomes unmaintainable
- Memory leaks and performance problems under real-world usage
Missing Production Concerns
- Error handling and edge cases
- Offline functionality and data sync
- Proper state management
- Accessibility compliance (required by law in many jurisdictions)
- Internationalization and localization
No Understanding of Mobile Platform Specifics
- iOS and Android have fundamentally different paradigms
- Platform-specific optimizations are crucial for app approval
- Native features require proper implementation
The App Store Gauntlet
This is where most vibecoded projects hit a wall. Apple and Google don’t care how cool your AI-assisted development process was—they have strict requirements, and rejection is common even for experienced developers.
Apple App Store Challenges
Apple’s App Store Review is notoriously rigorous. Common rejection reasons include:
Technical Requirements
- Apps must be built with specific SDKs and follow Human Interface Guidelines
- Performance must meet Apple’s standards (launch time, memory usage, battery impact)
- Apps must handle interruptions gracefully (calls, notifications, multitasking)
- Support for all current device sizes and iOS versions
Privacy and Security
- Privacy policy is mandatory and must accurately describe data usage
- App Tracking Transparency implementation
- Proper handling of user data and encryption
- Explanation of why every permission is needed
Business Requirements
- Apple Developer Program membership ($99/year)
- Proper App Store Connect setup
- Screenshots and metadata for all supported devices
- TestFlight beta testing before release
Content and Legal
- No placeholder content or broken features
- Proper licensing for all assets, fonts, and third-party code
- Compliance with export regulations if using encryption
- Age rating accuracy
The review process typically takes 24-48 hours but can stretch to weeks if issues arise. Each rejection requires fixes and resubmission, starting the clock over.
Google Play Store Challenges
Google’s process is slightly more lenient but still substantial:
Technical Requirements
- Target API level requirements (Google mandates current or recent Android versions)
- 64-bit support requirement
- Proper handling of Android’s fragmented device ecosystem
- Compliance with Android vitals (crash rate, ANR rate, stuck frames)
Policy Compliance
- Google Play Developer Program registration ($25 one-time fee)
- Data safety section completion
- Content rating questionnaire
- Adherence to Developer Program Policies (which change frequently)
Signing and Distribution
- App signing by Google Play (or self-signing with proper key management)
- Proper versioning strategy
- Release track management (internal, closed, open, production)
The Hidden Time Sink: Certificates, Provisioning, and Signing
This is where even experienced developers lose days. For iOS:
- Creating and managing certificates in Apple Developer Portal
- Setting up provisioning profiles for development, testing, and distribution
- Configuring capabilities (push notifications, HealthKit, Sign in with Apple, etc.)
- Dealing with certificate expiration and renewal
For Android:
- Creating and securing keystore files
- Managing signing configurations for debug and release builds
- Setting up Google Play App Signing
One wrong step in this process can mean your app won’t build, won’t install, or gets rejected.
Common Vibecoded App Problems We See
At Astrochimp, we’ve helped numerous clients who got stuck after vibecoding. Here are the patterns:
“It Works on My Machine”
The app runs perfectly in development but crashes or misbehaves on real devices. This usually stems from:
- Hardcoded values that don’t scale
- Missing error handling for network failures
- Assumptions about device capabilities
- Debug-only configurations left in place
Security Nightmares
AI-generated code often includes:
- API keys committed to source control
- Insecure data storage (plain text passwords, unencrypted sensitive data)
- Missing input validation
- Vulnerable dependencies
Apple and Google will reject apps with obvious security issues, and users will flee from apps that compromise their data.
Performance That Doesn’t Scale
What works for one user falls apart with many:
- Inefficient database queries that lock up the UI
- Images and assets not optimized for mobile
- Excessive network requests
- Memory leaks that cause crashes over time
The “90% Complete” Trap
You’ve built the core features and it feels almost done. But that last 10%—polish, edge cases, proper error states, loading indicators, empty states, accessibility—takes longer than the first 90%. This is where most vibecoded projects stall.
How Astrochimp Helps Bridge the Gap
We’ve worked with dozens of entrepreneurs and businesses who have a vibecoded app and need help getting it production-ready. Our approach:
Code Audit and Assessment
We start by evaluating what you have:
- Architecture review to identify structural issues
- Security assessment to find vulnerabilities
- Performance profiling to catch bottlenecks
- Platform compliance check against App Store and Play Store requirements
You get a clear picture of what needs to be addressed before submission.
Strategic Refactoring
We don’t throw away your work. We identify the highest-impact improvements:
- Fixing critical bugs and security issues
- Implementing proper error handling
- Optimizing performance hot spots
- Adding missing production requirements
App Store Submission Support
This is where our experience really shines:
- Proper certificate and provisioning profile setup
- App Store Connect and Google Play Console configuration
- Metadata optimization (descriptions, keywords, screenshots)
- Handling rejections and resubmissions
Ongoing Maintenance
Apps aren’t “done” after launch:
- iOS and Android updates frequently break things
- User feedback reveals issues you didn’t anticipate
- App Store policy changes require compliance updates
- New device sizes and features need support
What Does This Process Look Like?
A typical engagement with a vibecoded app:
Week 1-2: Assessment
- Deep dive into your codebase
- Document all issues and risks
- Create prioritized remediation plan
- Estimate effort and timeline
Week 3-6: Remediation
- Address critical security and stability issues
- Implement missing production requirements
- Refactor problematic architecture
- Add proper testing
Week 7-8: App Store Preparation
- Set up developer accounts and configurations
- Create store listings and assets
- Internal testing and beta distribution
- Submit for review
Ongoing: Iteration
- Handle review feedback and rejections
- Post-launch bug fixes
- Feature updates and improvements
Timeline varies significantly based on the state of the original code and the complexity of your app.
Is Your Vibecoded App Ready?
Ask yourself these questions:
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Does it handle errors gracefully? What happens when the network fails? When the API returns unexpected data? When the user does something unexpected?
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Is sensitive data protected? Are API keys out of the codebase? Is user data encrypted? Are you following privacy best practices?
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Have you tested on real devices? Not just the simulator—actual phones with varying screen sizes, OS versions, and capabilities?
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Can someone else understand your code? If you need to make changes in six months, will you know what’s happening?
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Do you understand the business requirements? Privacy policies, terms of service, age ratings, data handling disclosures?
If you answered “no” or “I’m not sure” to any of these, you likely need help before submission.
The Bottom Line
Vibecoding has democratized app development in incredible ways. Ideas that would have required months of development and tens of thousands of dollars can now reach prototype stage in days. That’s genuinely revolutionary.
But there’s a reason professional app development still exists. The gap between “working prototype” and “production app in the store” is significant, and crossing it requires expertise that AI tools don’t yet provide.
At Astrochimp, we love working with vibecoded projects. You’ve already done the hard part of validating your idea and building something that works. We help you cross the finish line.
Ready to get your app to the store? Contact us for a free assessment of your vibecoded project. We’ll give you an honest evaluation of what it’ll take to get your app in users’ hands.
Astrochimp is a Syracuse, NY-based development studio specializing in React Native mobile apps and modern web applications. We’ve helped dozens of entrepreneurs turn their app ideas into reality.