How to Turn Your Website Into an iPhone App (Step by Step)
You already have a website with your services, prices, photos and hours. Turning it into an iPhone app puts your business on your customers’ home screens, with your own icon and the option to send them push notifications. Here’s how it works, step by step, whether you do it yourself or hire someone.
Step 1: Make sure your website is ready
An app built from your website is only as good as the website. Before you start, check that:
- It works well on a phone. Open it on your iPhone. If you have to pinch and zoom, fix that first.
- Your information is current: services or menu, prices, hours, phone number and address.
- You have a good-quality logo, ideally a square version for the app icon.
- You have a privacy policy page. Apple asks every app for a privacy policy link.
Step 2: Decide what the app should do
Customers keep an app on their phone when it saves them time. Pick the two or three things they do most with your business:
- Book an appointment or order
- Call you or get directions in one tap
- Check this week’s specials, openings or schedule
- Save favorites, like a stylist, a dish or a class
Then decide what news is worth a push notification: last-minute openings, new menu items, holiday hours. A few useful notifications a month beat daily noise.
Step 3: Know what Apple expects
This is the step most owners don’t hear about. Apple’s App Review Guidelines (section 4.2, Minimum Functionality) ask apps to offer more than a repackaged website. An app that only shows your site in a frame can be rejected.
That’s why the app should add things a website can’t do as well, such as:
- Push notifications
- Native tabs and navigation built for iPhone
- Tap-to-call and tap-for-directions buttons
- A friendly offline screen when there’s no signal
None of this guarantees approval, since Apple makes the final call, but it’s what gives an app a fair shot.
Step 4: Enroll in the Apple Developer Program
To publish an app under your business name, you need your own Apple developer account. It costs $99 a year, paid to Apple.
- Get a D-U-N-S number. Apple asks businesses for one. It’s free from Dun & Bradstreet but can take from a few days to a couple of weeks, so request it first.
- Enroll as an organization with your legal business name.
- If someone builds the app for you, invite them to your account in App Store Connect with a role like App Manager. You never need to share your password.
Publishing under your own account means the App Store shows your business name and the app stays yours, even if you change developers later.
Step 5: Build the app
You have two broad options:
- A do-it-yourself app builder. Usually a monthly subscription. Good if you enjoy the technical side and have time to learn the submission process.
- A developer or studio. They build the app, add the iPhone features and handle the App Store paperwork. Ask whether the price is one-time or monthly, whether the app goes in your own Apple account, and who handles changes Apple asks for.
Step 6: Test it on your own phone
Before submitting, install a test version on your iPhone. Apple’s TestFlight app makes this easy. Tap every button, try it on cellular data, and have a couple of regular customers try it too.
Step 7: Prepare the App Store listing
- App name and short subtitle
- A description written for customers, not search engines
- Screenshots for the iPhone sizes Apple requires
- Your privacy policy link and the App Privacy answers about what data the app collects
- A support link or email
Step 8: Submit and handle review
Apple reviews every app, often within a few days, though timing is up to them. If they ask for changes, make them and resubmit. That back-and-forth is normal.
Step 9: Keep it current
After launch, keep your hours, prices and photos up to date, and plan a small update when Apple releases a new version of iOS each year. An app that’s clearly cared for keeps its spot on customers’ phones.
Want us to handle it?
We’re a Las Vegas studio that turns small business websites into iPhone apps. Our Starter App is $997 one-time, includes push notifications, tap-to-call and directions, and we handle the App Store listing and submission under your business name. See how it works or compare app packages.
FAQ
Can I turn my website into an app myself?
Yes. Do-it-yourself app builders exist, and they work for some owners. You’ll still need an Apple developer account, App Store screenshots, a privacy policy and real app features so the app passes review. Many owners hire help so they don’t have to learn the submission process.
How long does it take to turn a website into an app?
Plan on a few days to a couple of weeks for Apple developer enrollment, then the build and your testing. With us, most Starter Apps are ready to submit in about 1–2 weeks once the developer account is ready. Apple’s review timing is up to Apple.
Will Apple accept an app made from my website?
Only Apple can decide. Apple’s guidelines ask apps to offer more than a repackaged website, so the app needs real features like push notifications, tap-to-call or directions. No one can honestly guarantee approval.