Submission Guidelines

Follow these guidelines to ensure your product is approved quickly and performs well on AppTrovo.

Product Requirements

Files

• Upload a ZIP archive containing all source files
• Maximum file size: 500 MB
• Include a README or installation guide
• Do not include .env files with real credentials, node_modules, vendor directories, or compiled binaries

Documentation

• Provide installation instructions (step-by-step)
• Include configuration guide for environment setup
• List all dependencies and requirements (PHP version, Node version, database, etc.)
• Describe features and functionality
• Include changelog for updates

Media

• Thumbnail: 590x300px minimum, clean and professional
• Screenshots: At least 3 screenshots showing key features
• Live Demo: Strongly recommended — products with demos sell 3x more
• Preview Video: Optional but highly effective for complex products

Automated Quality Checks

Every submission goes through 8 automated checks:

1. File Integrity — Valid archive with correct structure
2. File Size — Within 1KB-500MB range
3. Malware Scan — Checks for known malware patterns
4. Hardcoded Secrets — Detects exposed API keys, passwords, credentials
5. Documentation — Verifies README or docs are included
6. Thumbnail — Validates dimensions and format
7. Screenshots — Minimum 3 screenshots required
8. Duplicate Detection — Checks for similarity with existing products

Review Process

• Products that pass all checks from trusted authors (Rising Star+) are auto-approved
• New authors' first submissions receive a manual review (1-3 business days)
• Soft rejections allow you to fix issues and resubmit
• Hard rejections are for serious violations (plagiarism, malware, legal issues)

Common Rejection Reasons

• Missing or incomplete documentation
• Exposed credentials or hardcoded secrets in source files
• Insufficient screenshots or poor-quality thumbnail
• Product is too similar to an existing listing
• Code quality issues (no error handling, SQL injection vulnerabilities)
• Missing license or attribution for third-party libraries

Tips for Faster Approval

• Include a live demo with test credentials
• Write comprehensive documentation
• Use high-quality, descriptive screenshots
• Remove all development artifacts (.env, logs, caches)
• Test your product on a clean environment before submitting