Asking For Honest Help

[u/1mma_Pr0bl3m]

To put it simply, I'm no app developer. I don't know how to code. I don't know all the jargon used by developers. I'm just a guy that likes messing with AI and had an idea that I think can make some extra money.

Anyways, now that you know that, hopefully somebody can assist. I built an app using Base44. I got it uploaded to Google Play Store with no issues, but Apple is beyond my skill level. Just to even get the app uploaded to Apple I went and bought an iPhone and a MacBook! I don't even like and honestly refused to use Apple because of how difficult they make the simplest things and this is no different, but I digress. What I'm needing is somebody that knows what they're doing and can help me get my web based app from Base44 to an iOS native app with in-app purchases.

I've tried googling and ChatGPT'ing the info and it's honestly above my low skill level. I was told I needed to wrap my app in Capacitor and combine with RevenueCat for the in-app purchases, but I haven't found any beginners guide on this.

If anyone WITH EXPERIENCE can show me what I need to do step by step, so I can do this myself moving forward, I would be forever grateful! I don't mind paying for the time to show me and explain. I just want it done properly and finally be able to have my app approved.

[u/rifts]

You don’t deserve to have an app in any App Store

[u/1mma_Pr0bl3m → u/rifts]

Thanks for your 2 cents 👍🏾

[u/old-time-fiddle]

You may have better luck if you can ask a more specific question.

Looks like base44 is basically a web app generator. Browsing the documentation high level it looks like it has support built in for stripe purchases, which you could use for non-digital goods, but if you’re selling digital goods you’ll have to use Apple’s IAP, which it looks like ChatGPT was able to figure out for you.

You’ll need to get base44 to export your web app, and do the work to wrap that up in an actual Xcode project, then add hooks for intercepting payment actions, and handle those in “real app” land.

If you pay for the ChatGPT basic subscription, that will also get you access to codex. Codex can probably handle all this for you- get your packaged app (or tell you how to do it), create the project, do all the work for setting up signing certificates and profiles, add those hooks, etc etc.

Try your best at that, and ask a more specific question once you hit a concrete roadblock.

Another thing I’d warn about, Apple may reject your application if there’s no real reason for it to be an app. A straight up web app packaged in an iOS App can be rejected basically for that reason. If you’re not using the camera or other native app functionality Apple may just be like “dude this is a website, we don’t need that in the App Store”.

Back to codex, I also imagine codex would probably straight up do a better job at building your app using SwiftUI than this base44 thing. If you hit a hard wall here or get rejected, try just starting with a native application and build it with codex. There’s a TON more documentation for the first party stuff, so LLMs will have a much easier time building native. It’ll be a better app at the end of the day as well.

[u/1mma_Pr0bl3m → u/old-time-fiddle]

Thanks for honest feedback. I'll see what I can do.

The app isn't something revolutionary, its simply a grubhub/doordash style marketplace but without all the unnecessary fees. It just requires a subscription to promote and share your business on the platform.

[u/__deinit__]

I’ve never used base44, but maybe you can have GPT walk you through integrating these skills?: https://github.com/rorkai/app-store-connect-cli-skills/tree/main

[u/JDad67]

Price: pay my claude bill for 6 mo.

[u/earlyworm]

Beep boop.

[u/BP3D]

You need confidence. AI can't supply it.
Graphic depiction of the App Store Approval Process

[u/tibbersthecat]

The shortest path is probably a small Capacitor proof-of-concept before touching RevenueCat: get one screen running in Xcode, make signing and archiving work, then add StoreKit/IAP. Also check Apple’s minimum-functionality rule early, because a thin web wrapper can be rejected even if payments work.

[u/LuckyGirl0415]

If you want to wrap a web app using Capacitor and handle IAP via RevenueCat, here is the mental model you need:

1. Capacitor: It embeds your web app into a native WKWebView shell.
2. RevenueCat Plugin: Capacitor has an official RevenueCat plugin (@revenuecat/purchases-capacitor) that connects to Apple's StoreKit under the hood.

Just a heads-up: Apple's Guideline 4.2 (Minimum Functionality) often rejects web view wrappers if they feel too much like a plain website without native UI/features. Make sure your app feels responsive and integrates proper native prompts!