Sometimes, you don’t have the means & resources to develop your own app, but you want to enjoy Situm nevertheless. In this case, we can develop a white-label app for you: an app built (and maybe maintained) by us but branded and presented as belonging to you (or your customer).
This page explains how these apps are typically published and what is required from each party.
How to publish your white label app? #
Even if we develop the app for you, the recommended approach is almost always for the owner of the venue and/or the content used in the app (intellectual property such as names, logos, venue information…) to publish it under their own store account. If they don’t have one yet, they will need to create it — don’t worry, the process is straightforward and we can guide you or them through it or assist in setting it up.
- This is because app stores look at who the user thinks is providing the service. If the app looks like it belongs to your venue (for example it uses your name, logo, or represents your building) the stores expect the publisher account to belong to the same organization.
- They also consider intellectual property (brand name, logos, images, venue information). The organization that owns those elements should ideally be the one publishing the app. Otherwise the store may think the app is impersonating another entity, even if it was built with permission.
How can I create a store account and upload the app? #
Below is a short overview of the process for both Apple and Google. We can guide you through every step and assist you during setup if needed.
Google Play Store (Android) #
- Create a Google Play Console account
- Upload the app. We can either:
- send you the app package to upload (see How to publish your apps for more info), or
- upload and maintain it ourselves if permission is granted. To this extent, you will need to add us as a user so we can upload and maintain the app.
Apple Store (iOS) #
- Create an Apple Developer account. You must enroll your organization in the Apple Developer Program.
- Uploading the app. We can either:
- deliver the signed build to you so you upload it yourself (see How to publish your apps for more info), or
- upload and manage releases on your behalf once access is granted. To this extent, you can invite us so we can upload and manage the app for you:
Can you publish a white label app on behalf of a third party (e.g. your customer)? #
If you are developing an app for a customer (or reselling a white-label solution) you may in some cases publish it yourself on their behalf. However, this typically requires formal written authorization granting the developer permission to:
- use the organization’s name, logos, and branding
- include venue information and related content
- distribute and maintain the app in mobile stores
Without this authorization, app stores may consider the app to be impersonating another entity.
Authorization Letter Sample (modify as required)
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Organization (Owner of the brand/venue): [Full Legal Name]
Registered Address: [Address]
Authorized Representative: [Name + Position]
Developer / Publisher: [Full Legal Name]
Address: [Publisher Address]
We, [Organization Legal Name], confirm that we are the rightful owner or authorized operator of the brand, venue, and related intellectual property described in Annex A.
We hereby grant [Publisher] authorization to:
- Develop, maintain, and update the mobile application related to our venue or services.
- Use our name, trademarks, logos, and visual identity within the application and store listing.
- Include venue information, maps, points of interest, and related content.
- Publish, distribute, and manage the application in mobile application marketplaces (including but not limited to Apple App Store, Google Play Store, alternative marketplaces, and private distribution channels).
- Act as technical operator of the application, including updates and maintenance.
We acknowledge that:
- The application provides services related to our organization.
- [Publisher] acts as the software provider and technical operator.
- We have granted permission for the use of our brand and intellectual property.
- We may request transfer of the application to our own developer account in the future if required by store policies.
This authorization remains valid unless revoked in writing by [Organization Legal Name].
Signed on behalf of [Organization Legal Name]:
Signature: ___________________________
Name: _______________________________
Position: ____________________________
Email: _______________________________
Phone: _______________________________
Company Stamp (if applicable)
Another option is when the app is multi-venue (or multi-brand). If the app is presented as a product or platform operated by you and usable across unrelated buildings / brands, you may be able to publish it directly (similar to a booking or delivery platform that serves multiple independent businesses within one application).
Why is still recommended that the organization represented by the app publishes the app? #
Public app stores try to match the visible publisher with the organization that an user might believe that it provides the service. If the app looks like the official app of a venue / brand (even indirectly; e.g. by being the only venue / brand represented in the app), publishing it from another company’s account can lead to review issues or requests to transfer ownership.
For that reason, the standard approach is that the organization publishes the app, and the developer manages it.
Can Situm publish it for you? #
In very specific situations Situm may publish the application on your behalf, evaluated case-by-case and typically requiring written authorization from the end organization.
However, as a general rule (especially when the app represents your venue or brand) the recommended approach remains that the organization owning the service publishes the app in its own store accounts, while Situm may handle the technical operation.
Store policies behind these requirements #
Below you may find an in depth explanation on the relevant store policies, and how they evaluate apps.
Apple App Store #
Apple structures the App Store around who provides the service to the user, not around who built the software. Sections 5.2.1 and 4.2.6 of the App Store Review Guidelines establish that:
- The publisher account should correspond to the organization that holds the Intellectual Property (names, logos, etc.) or to the organization the user believes they are interacting with. If an app represents a specific business or venue, Apple generally expects that business to be the publisher. A software provider cannot normally publish many separate client-specific apps from its own account.
- In some cases, Apple does allow a different approach: the provider may publish a single application that acts as a platform containing multiple customers or locations within it (for example, one app where users choose among different venues).
Google Play Store #
Google’s main concern is preventing impersonation. An app must not lead users to believe it is published or operated by another organization, nor use another organization’s identifying elements (such as names, logos, or venue information).
However, Google allows developers to proactively inform when publishing on behalf of a third party and provide supporting documentation. This means a developer may publish an app related to a specific venue if permission exists and the relationship is transparent.
However, even when technically allowed, the recommended approach remains the same as on Apple: each organization should publish its own apps whenever the app primarily represents that organization.
Alternative marketplaces and private distribution #
In alternative app stores (including iOS alternative marketplaces in the EU, direct web distribution, enterprise stores, and most third-party Android stores), the rules focus primarily on legal responsibility rather than marketplace identity.
Instead of requiring the publisher to match the organization the app represents, these channels generally allow a developer to distribute apps on behalf of multiple organizations, provided that:
- the developer has written authorization from the organization,
- the app does not falsely claim to be published by the organization,
- trademarks and content are used with permission,
- the operator of the service is clearly identifiable to users.