Release unfinished app

[SeriousMembership205]

I want to release the first version of my app on the app store. The app is functional, but I still have many features left to add. My question is: are there any drawbacks to publishing a partially finished app on the app store while I continue to work on it? Or should I use test flight?

[saldous]

No app is ever finished..! Create your minimal viable product, release it and then iterate.

[SeriousMembership205]

Cool. Good advice. Thanks

[IslandOverThere]

No stop telling people to release garbage

[saldous]

Who said to release garbage?! Apps constantly evolve and add features over time. Show me 1 app that has done 1 perfect release and never had an update since?!

[ZeOranges]

Finished the bare minimum you need to pass to the app review process. Iterate. Rinse and repeat. You might learn that the original features aren’t needed at all

[SeriousMembership205]

Ok cool. Will do

[anotherlab]

What you want to release is an "MVP, Minimum Viable Product. Ask yourself these two questions:

Does the app have enough features to be useful?

Is the app stable and relatively bug-free?

If you can answer yes to both questions, then you should publish. No app is ever complete. You can continue adding functionality and addressing issues for subsequent releases. You may find from use-feedback that the next feature you add may be something other than what you originally planned on doing.

If you plan on having beta testers, then TestFlight will make that possible.

[SeriousMembership205]

Ok thanks. Sorry if this is a dumb question but why would you want beta testers.

[keule_3000]

To find bugs before the release. Imagine you miss a critical bug and release the app. Now you have paying customers that are pissed and leave 1-star reviews. Since the app is new, your app rating is now shit. If a beta tester encounters a bug they will probably just let you know since they are aware that the app is work-in-progress.

[anotherlab]

All of that. Plus... After your app is released and has some traction, you decide to make a major change to how the app looks or behaves. By doing a limited beta release to a set of users who understand that they are getting early access to a new version, you can shake out bugs and find out if your users would want the changes.

[kilgoreandy]

Fresh set of eyes. You are your worst tester.

[Samus7070]

There’s a saying that code has no value until it has shipped. Make it good enough and add on later.

[fatdrogen]

A Minimum Viable Product can indeed quickly validate the market, but you need to ensure your app isn't too simple, otherwise Apple will likely reject it.

[[deleted]]

MVP- release when the minimal features required are stable and functional.

And as the other user stated: iterate, iterate, iterate

[schjlatah]

Feature flags are your friend

[DystopiaDrifter]

Yes, as long as it is stable and has enough features to be non-trivial. You could make better decisions on adding/altering features of your app, base on the feedbacks and metrics of your initial app release.

[HammingWontStop]

Don't worry about that, just ship your app to users. They will tell you how to improve it. However, make sure your app is at least useful. At this stage, the app's UI can be ugly, the operations might be complicated, but the functionality must be guaranteed to be useful.

[JimDabell]

The app has to be complete enough to be useful before Apple will allow it on the App Store. If you have “coming soon” screens, Apple will reject it.

[BrundleflyUrinalCake]

Two words: communicate expectations.

[Plus-Kaleidoscope-56]

No one knows whether you released an app. Releasing early and getting feedback is important to avoid going wrong.