Netlify hosts websites and web apps, but it doesn't build mobile apps or publish to the App Store or Google Play. To turn a Netlify site into an APK, iOS app, or Android app, you package the deployed site with a platform like Median.co. Your Netlify deploys keep working as they do now, and changes to the site show up in the app. Before you publish, test the production domain, login, forms, checkout, and any feature that needs device permissions.
Median creates an iOS and Android app from your Netlify URL, which is the website to app step. The app still needs to feel right on a phone, handle native permissions, and pass app store review, and this guide covers each of those. If the project came out of an AI builder, the vibe-coded app store playbook ties this guide into the wider process.
Does Netlify have a mobile app?
No. Netlify is a cloud platform for deploying websites and web apps. It connects to your Git repository, rebuilds your site every time you push, and serves it from a global CDN. You manage everything from Netlify's web dashboard, and there's no Netlify app to download and no built-in way to turn your site into one.
That's why sites hosted on Netlify need a separate step to reach the App Store and Google Play. The good news is that Netlify's automatic deploys keep working once your site is an app, so you keep the workflow you already have.
What is a netlify.app URL?
Every site deployed on Netlify gets a free address ending in .netlify.app, like yoursite.netlify.app. It's a hosting address, not an app you install. Anyone can publish a site to one, so whether a netlify.app site is safe depends on who made it, not on Netlify.
A .netlify.app address works fine for testing your app. For launch, connect a custom domain. App reviewers and users should see a product that looks stable and maintained, and a temporary project URL can make the app feel unfinished even when the product works.
How Median turns a Netlify site into a native app
Median.co offers a simple, cost-effective way to convert your Netlify site or web app into a native iOS and Android app. It's a web to app conversion, not a rebuild.
Using Median’s App Studio, you can convert any website into a mobile app with native features such as push notifications, haptics feedback, and device-specific functionality like GPS and camera access.
What you get with Median:
Extensive native plugin library: Median's App Studio includes a wide range of native plugins that allow you to easily add advanced native features to your app, such as push notifications, haptics, and Face ID/Biometric login, including SDK integrations for leading mobile vendors.
Real-time app building: The platform lets you see real-time updates of your app as you customize it, ensuring you get the exact look and feel you want.
Easy publishing: Median's app publishing service submits your app to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for you, while you focus on the product.
With Median, the conversion process is simple, and you don’t need to be a developer to create a fully functional mobile app.
How to convert your Netlify site into a native app using Median
Ready to convert your Netlify powered web app/website into a native mobile app? Get started with a step-by-step guide to using Median.co's App Studio.
Step 1: Build your app in the App Studio
Start by visiting https://median.co/app. Enter your Netlify powered website or web app’s URL as the "Website URL" and update your "App Name" as needed.
An email address is required for ongoing access to your app in the App Studio, you’ll then receive an email with a link to verify your account. To continue, click the button to start building your app.
Step 2: Preview and test your new app
Median.co offers browser-based simulators to easily preview your app on iOS and Android devices without leaving your web browser.
As a starter, test that the basic functionality within your new app is performing as expected.
Step 3: Customize your app
In the Branding tab, you can upload an app icon and splash screen image or animation, and set theme colors to fully customize your app and align with your brand.
Additionally, you can explore options for Interface Settings, Link Handling, Website Overrides, and Permissions to tailor your app user experience to meet your requirements.
Native Navigation is where you can create a natural native app experience for your users, as well as finding help to meet Google and Apple design requirements.
Finally, you can explore Median’s native plugins to add advanced native features and integrations such as push notifications, haptics feedback, and analytics to enhance user experience and maximize outcomes for your app.
Step 4: Test your app
Now that your app is customized, it’s crucial to test it on different devices before submitting it to the App Stores. To do this, Median offers:
Browser-based simulators to help ensure everything is functioning properly.
A convenient Public Sharing Link to provide access to stakeholders during testing.
Functionality to easily test on physical devices (an Apple Developer account is required for iOS).
Step 5: Launch your app
Everything up to this point is free. When you're ready to publish, buy a license from the Billing tab in App Studio. The section below covers what a license adds and what it costs.
How to turn a Netlify site into an APK or IPA
An APK installs an Android app directly on a phone, which makes it the right file for testing or sharing a private build. To get one, enter your deployed Netlify URL in the App Studio, build the Android app, and download the APK to install on your phone. If it's your first time installing an app from outside Google Play, your phone will ask you to allow installs from that source.
Want to see it first? Watch the walkthrough video on installing your APK.
For iOS, build the IPA from the same project. You'll need an Apple Developer account to sign it before it can go to TestFlight or the App Store. Google Play needs an Android App Bundle (AAB) rather than the APK for public releases, and you can generate it from the same build settings.
Netlify to APK and app stores: what's free and what it costs
You can build your Netlify app, preview it in the iOS and Android simulator, and download an APK to test on your phone without paying. You need a license when you're ready to publish to the App Store and Google Play.
A Median license adds:
Store-ready iOS and Android builds, with no "Powered by Median.co" message at launch
The full Median JavaScript Bridge for native features
One license for both platforms, and your app keeps picking up every Netlify deploy without a new store release
The option to add push notifications, biometric login, in-app purchases, and other native plugins
Self-serve plans start at $229 to activate, then $179 a year. You'll also pay Apple $99 a year and Google a one-time $25, which the publishing steps below cover. You buy your license from the Billing tab in App Studio.
Before you buy, point the app at the custom domain you'll launch with, not your .netlify.app address, so you don't have to reconfigure it later. Then run through our app store publishing checklist before you submit.
How to publish your Netlify app to the Apple App Store and Google Play
Once your Netlify site / web app is turned into a mobile app and its native features are configured, you’re ready for the final milestone: publishing it to the app stores.
The following steps assume you've already built your app in Median's App Studio and have successfully tested your build on the browser-based simulators or a physical device.
How to publish a Netlify app to the Apple App Store
Apple's review process is notoriously rigorous. To ensure your Netlify-deployed app isn't flagged as a "simple web container," follow these exact steps:
Step 1: Register as an Organization: Create an Apple Developer Program account (typically $99 USD/year). Apple requires businesses to register as an Organization (requiring a D-U-N-S Number) rather than an Individual to ensure the brand name appears correctly in the App Store.
Step 2: Create your app record: Log in to App Store Connect, click the + icon, and select “New App." Match the Bundle ID to the one used in your Median-built app.
Step 3: Configure metadata and "Nutrition Labels":
Screenshots: Upload the required iPhone screenshot sets for supported display sizes.
Metadata: Complete all App Store metadata fields, including your app name, description, keywords, category, support URL, and promotional content.
Privacy: Complete Apple’s “App Privacy” section, including the required “Nutrition Labels” that disclose what user data your app collects and how it's used.
Review access: If your app requires login access, provide valid demo credentials in the “App Review Information” section so Apple can fully review the app.
Step 4: Upload the build: Connect your Apple Developer account in the Median App Studio using an App Store Connect API key. Median then builds a signed distribution IPA in the cloud and uploads it directly to App Store Connect for TestFlight and App Store submission. No Mac, Xcode, or Apple Transporter is required (see the upload documentation).
Step 5: Submit for review: Once the build processes, select it in App Store Connect and click Submit for Review. Apple typically responds within 24 to 48 hours, but it may take longer.
How to publish a Netlify app to the Google Play Store
Google has moved toward a more structured review process, requiring new developers to perform internal testing before going live.
Step 1: Create your Play Console account: Register at the Google Play Console (one-time $25 fee). Note that Google will now require developer verification before publishing.
Step 2: Complete the Google Play Console setup checklist: Google Play requires several dashboard setup tasks to be completed before your app can be submitted for review. This includes:
Configure your app settings and basic app information
Complete your store listing metadata and graphics
Add a valid privacy policy URL
Complete the Data Safety disclosure section
Declare app content, permissions, ads, and target audience details
Configure testing tracks if required
Provide app access instructions or demo credentials if login is required
Step 3: Upload your Android app bundle (.aab): In the Production track, create a new release. You can also generate your Android app bundle (.aab) directly from the Median App Studio. (see our documentation for steps). Google no longer accepts the older .apk format for new submissions.
Step 4: Start rollout: Once your release passes Google Play review and all required policy checks are completed, click “Review Release” and then “Start rollout to Production”. For new accounts, Google may take up to 7 days to complete the initial security review.
Skip the submission work and let Median publish your app
You've just read through about a dozen steps between your Netlify site and a live app, from App Store Connect records and privacy labels, to Google's testing tracks and policy forms.
Median's Publishing Service takes all of it off your plate. The Median team prepares your store listings, submits to both stores, answers reviewers' questions, and handles any resubmissions until your app is live.
Discover how Median empowers companies to speed mobile app development, engage users, and reduce expenses.
Netlify deploys web apps, Median gets them in the app stores
Converting your Netlify-powered website or web app into a native mobile app changes what the product can do: push notifications, biometric login, and a real store presence.
Median handles that step without native development, for a fraction of what building iOS and Android apps from scratch costs.
Ready to see it? Enter your Netlify URL and test the app Median builds from it.
Built your app with an AI builder instead? See the guides for Replit, Lovable, and Base44.
Frequently asked questions
Does Netlify have an app?
No. Netlify is managed from its web dashboard and doesn't build or publish mobile apps. To turn a Netlify site into an iOS or Android app, package the deployed URL with a tool like Median.co.
Can I turn a Netlify site into an APK?
Yes. Enter your deployed Netlify URL in the Median App Studio, build the Android app, and download the APK from there. Use the AAB, not the APK, when you publish to Google Play.
Is it free to turn a Netlify site into an app?
Building and testing are free. You can create the app from your Netlify URL in Median's App Studio, preview it, and download a test APK at no cost. Publishing to the App Store and Google Play needs a Median license, which starts at $229 to activate and $179 a year, plus Apple's $99 a year and Google's one-time $25.
Will my Netlify deploys update the app?
Yes. The app loads your live site, so each deploy shows up the next time someone opens the app. Only changes to the app's icon, permissions, or native features need a new build.
What are the different approaches to deploying a site to Netlify?
The most common are a connected Git repository that redeploys on every push, drag-and-drop for manual deploys, and the Netlify CLI. Any of them works with Median, as long as the app points at your production URL. Read more on Netlify’s Support Guide: Deploying a site to Netlify.
Can I add in-app purchases (IAPs) to my native app if my site is hosted on Netlify?
Yes, a Netlify-hosted app can sell in-app purchases. Median's recommended route is the RevenueCat In-App Purchases plugin, which handles Apple and Google billing from one setup and lets your web code gate premium features by entitlement. A direct In-App Purchases plugin is also available for apps with an existing billing backend. Either way, the store billing runs inside the app and works independently of your web payment flow.
Will my site's dynamic features (like user dashboards or real-time data) work inside the native app?
Yes, in most cases. The app loads your Netlify site, so dashboards, API calls, and serverless functions work as they do in the browser. Test sign-in carefully, though. A web view can store cookies differently from Safari or Chrome, and OAuth redirects like Google or Apple sign-in sometimes need extra setup.
How do I ensure my app meets App Store guidelines if it’s just wrapping my existing site?
Median.co includes tools like Native Navigation and Website Overrides to help your app feel and behave like a true native experience. These tools ensure your app aligns with Apple’s and Google’s UI/UX standards, increasing your chances of approval during app review. Adding at least one native feature, such as push notifications or biometric login, also helps with Apple's Guideline 4.2.
*DISCLAIMER: This content is provided solely for informational purposes. It is not exhaustive and may not be relevant for your requirements. While we have obtained and compiled this information from sources we believe to be reliable, we cannot and do not guarantee its accuracy. This content is not to be considered professional advice and does not form a professional relationship of any kind between you and GoNative.io LLC or its affiliates. Median.co is the industry-leading end-to-end solution for developing, publishing, and maintaining native mobile apps for iOS and Android powered by web content. When considering any technology vendor we recommend that you conduct detailed research and "read the fine print" before using their services.*
