App Store guideline 4.3 spam rejection: what to do next

A guideline 4.3 rejection means Apple thinks your app is either a duplicate of your own app under another Bundle ID (4.3(a)) or too close to what's already widely available on the App Store (4.3(b)). First reply in App Store Connect and explain what makes the app different. If you still believe it follows the guidelines, appeal to the App Review Board. Otherwise change the app so the difference is obvious, then resubmit.

As of October 21, 2026, Apple's App Review Guidelines page shows a last update of October 16, 2026. Everything below comes from that page and Apple's App Review and App Store Connect help pages, which I've listed at the end.

What does guideline 4.3 actually say?

Guideline 4.3 is called Spam and has two parts. They're different problems, so check which letter your rejection message cites.

Part	What Apple says	Typical case
4.3(a)	Don't create multiple Bundle IDs of the same app. If you have versions for specific locations, sports teams, universities and so on, consider one app with the variations offered through in-app purchase.	One app per city, team or client instead of one app that covers all of them.
4.3(b)	Don't submit apps that are indistinguishable from what's already widely available.	A new app in a crowded category that doesn't do anything noticeably different.

For 4.3(b), Apple names categories it calls well established on the App Store: dating, flashlight, sound effects, wallpaper, simple timers and fortune telling. It says it won't accept new submissions in these unless they offer a meaningfully different or improved experience. It also says it may remove these apps later if they aren't updated, improved, or don't attract customers.

A separate list covers kinds of apps Apple calls mediocre, low-quality or low-effort: drinking games, Kama Sutra, fart and burp apps. For those, Apple warns that repeated submissions may lead to removal from the Apple Developer Program.

Is it 4.3 or a template problem (4.2.6)?

If you built the app with an app builder or template service, read guideline 4.2.6 too. It says apps created from a commercialized template or app generation service will be rejected unless they're submitted directly by the provider of the app's content. Template services shouldn't submit apps on behalf of their clients. One option Apple allows is a single app that hosts every client's content, like a restaurant finder with a page per restaurant.

Guideline 4.2, Minimum Functionality, is the other close neighbor. Its intro says an app should include features, content and UI that elevate it beyond a repackaged website. If your app mostly wraps your website, the fix for both guidelines looks similar: add something only the app does.

Reply, appeal or resubmit?

Apple gives three routes, and its help pages are specific about which one fits when.

Route	Use it when	Apple says don't use it for
Reply to App Review (App Store Connect)	You have questions, or you think the reviewer misunderstood what the app does. Apple's appeal page says to reply here first.	Appeals or expedited review requests.
Appeal to the App Review Board	Your reply didn't settle it, and you believe the app follows the App Review Guidelines and the Developer Program License Agreement.	Status updates, expedited reviews, or after you've already fixed the issues and resubmitted.
Change the app and resubmit	You agree the difference isn't clear enough, or there's no difference to argue.	No rule against it, but repeat rejections for the same guideline slow review.

Apple also notes that review takes longer if an app is repeatedly rejected for the same guideline violation. Resubmitting the same build unchanged after a 4.3 rejection is the slow route.

How do I reply in App Store Connect?

Replying needs the Account Holder, Admin or App Manager role. The steps from App Store Connect Help:

1. In Apps, select the app.
2. At the top of the page, click the link that says there are unresolved issues.
3. In the In Progress section, click Resolve next to the submission.
4. Click Reply to App Review, write your reply, and use Attach File for screenshots or documents.
5. Click Reply.

Apple's contact page asks you to be specific about the exact feature, guideline or step you want clarified, and to add information that helps App Review understand the app's concept if you think it was misunderstood. If you need more help after App Review replies, you can ask for a call in the same message window. Include your time zone, and check that the contact details in App Review Information are current. Apple says calls are typically completed within three to five business days.

How do I appeal a 4.3 rejection?

If the reply doesn't settle it, use the appeal form. Apple's help page for the App Review Board asks you to:

• Cite the specific guideline the app was rejected under, and explain point by point how the app meets it.
• Include only information relevant to the rejection you're disputing.
• Submit one appeal per rejected app, covering every guideline the rejection cites. One form can cover up to five rejected or removed apps.

The Board replies in App Store Connect, and may ask for more information or schedule a call to discuss the outcome. Apple says a complete appeal helps it move quickly but doesn't guarantee the rejection is overturned.

For 4.3(b), "point by point" means showing what your app does that the widely available apps in its category don't. A feature list helps less than a short comparison with screenshots of the part that's different.

What I'd do

Read which part of 4.3 the message cites. For 4.3(a), merge the duplicates into one app. For 4.3(b), write down in two sentences what your app does that the top apps in its category don't, and check that your first screens and store screenshots show it. If you can say it clearly, reply to App Review with those two sentences and a screenshot. If you can't, change the app before resubmitting. If you want an outside read on whether your app page makes that difference obvious, I'll check it for free.