Is developing on Apple’s platforms no longer worth the hassle?
Once upon a time, developing for Apple was an exciting, rewarding challenge. But lately, that relationship has soured.
Apple has transformed into a trillion-dollar giant that sees developers not as partners, but as a resource to control, extract from, and — when convenient — ignore.
The result?
Apple now has the most hostile developer ecosystem of any major platform.
Endless bureaucracy, shifting rules, poor support, and the ever-present potential of being “Sherlocked” make building apps for Apple's platforms a high-risk endeavour. And yet, many developers persist — because for many, myself included, there’s no other choice.
So the question becomes: Is developing on Apple’s platforms no longer worth the hassle?
I’ve written a detailed article which breaks down exactly why Apple’s platforms have become so toxic for developers and explore whether it’s time to look elsewhere:
Replies
as an indie dev, i've felt this tension firsthand. the app store review process can be unpredictable - same app, different reviewer, different outcome. and the 30% cut stings when you're bootstrapped.
but here's the thing: apple users actually pay for software. conversion rates on iOS consistently beat android in my experience. the ecosystem is frustrating, but it's also where the money is.
i think the real shift is that apple's no longer the "scrappy underdog" platform it felt like in the early app store days. it's become corporate, bureaucratic. but for many of us, it's still the best bad option.
the question isn't really "is it worth it?" but "what's your alternative?" and for most consumer apps, there isn't a better one yet.
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@jonathan_song2 I agree that for certain types of apps, especially B2C, the Apple App Store remains the best place to find willing customers who are likely to pay.
However, many developers should consider all the issues raised. Perhaps re-evaluate if spending a significant amount of time navigating Apple’s hurdles and roadblocks is worth it.
For a new evergreen project I’d suggest developing for the web might be a more rewarding experience. Founders should decide if they want to work on a project ultimately controlled by a powerful gatekeeper who can dictate its success.
I heard something about EU regulations changing the 3rd party app stuff so many things will change? I need to publish on the store but apparently I need an dev account for $100/year and an apple desktop? then I need an iphone to test the build on. Big bucks for me and my free app. Then they take a cut so idk, publish on both platforms seems the best way to keep it competitive till we can get some better phone hardware.