Answer

Do PWAs need App Store approval?

Short answer

No. A PWA installs directly from the browser, so it never passes through Apple App Review or Google Play review. You publish changes by deploying your website, and users get them on the next launch. Review only applies if you deliberately package the PWA into a store listing.

By InstantPWA engineering·Reviewed July 25, 2026

Why there is no review

The install comes from the browser, not a store: on iOS the user taps Share then Add to Home Screen, and on Chromium the browser offers an install prompt. Neither path involves a store submission.

Updates ship instantly

Because the app is your website, a deploy is the update. There is no binary to resubmit and no waiting for approval before users see a fix.

When review does apply

If you package the PWA with a wrapper such as PWABuilder or Trusted Web Activity to get a store listing, the normal Apple and Google review processes, developer accounts and annual fees apply again.

Sources

Are PWAs in the App Store?

PWAs are not in the App Store or Play Store by default — they install directly from the browser. If you want store presence, PWABuilder (from Microsoft) packages a PWA into a Trusted Web Activity for Google Play, an MSIX for Microsoft Store, and a WKWebView wrapper you can submit to Apple.

What is a Trusted Web Activity?

A Trusted Web Activity (TWA) is Google’s official way to package a PWA as a full-screen Chrome Custom Tab inside a thin native Android shell, so it can be distributed through the Google Play Store while still rendering as your existing web app with no separate native codebase.

Why is my Carrd custom code not working?

Carrd custom code usually fails because the site is not on Pro Standard or higher, the code was added as an iframe instead of a hidden Code embed, the site was not republished, or you are testing an editor preview. Use a hidden Code embed at Body End and check the exact published address.

Why is my Wix custom code not working?

Wix custom code commonly fails when it is tested in the editor, added through an HTML iframe, limited to the wrong page, or used before the site is published on a connected domain. Add it in Settings → Custom Code, choose All pages, load it once, place it at Body-end and test the live domain.

Why is my Framer custom code not working?

Framer custom code may not run when your plan lacks Custom Code access, the code is on one page only, the project has not been published, or you are checking a different domain. Add it in Site Settings → General → Custom Code, choose the end of body, publish, and test the live address.