I want to distribute the same iOS application to different customers but each one should have their own branding like custom icons and app names. My app uses push notifications with Firebase messaging service.
What’s the complete process for making multiple branded copies of one iOS project?
I think these steps are needed:
Make separate App IDs for every customer
Generate new dev and production certificates for each version
Build different Xcode targets for every client
Set up new Firebase project for each branded app
Use different Firebase config files for each target
Submit each branded app separately to App Store
Make unique descriptions and screenshots for each submission
Keep all branded versions updated when I release new features
Is there any special program from Apple that makes this white labeling process simpler for apps that generate good revenue?
You’ve got the process right, but here’s what I learned doing this for enterprise clients. Apple Business Manager helps with deployment to their devices, but it won’t make your initial setup any easier. You still need separate bundle IDs and certificates for each brand. Watch out for Firebase costs - they add up fast when you’re running multiple projects. Ask yourself if you really need separate projects or if different sender IDs in one project would work. Certificate management becomes a total nightmare without good organization. Use match from Fastlane to sync certificates across your team - trust me on this one. The maintenance is brutal. Every iOS update or SDK change means fixing it across all your branded versions. Plan extra testing time for each variant before you ship anything.
Your steps are right but execution’s where it gets tricky.
I did this with 8 branded versions last year. What saved me was build schemes with environment variables instead of cramming everything into targets.
Make one main target and use Info.plist preprocessing to swap bundle IDs, display names, and icons at build time. Way cleaner than duplicating code.
For certificates, automate with Fastlane Match from day one. Manual certificate juggling will drive you insane when renewals hit. Store everything in a private git repo and let Match handle distribution.
Firebase tip - be careful with Dynamic Links across multiple brands. Each app needs its own domain association file or you’ll get weird cross-brand link behavior.
App Store Connect becomes your enemy with multiple submissions. Reviews are unpredictable and one rejection can delay all your brands. I submit the most complex version first as a canary.
The hidden cost is QA time. Every iOS release, SDK update, and feature gets multiplied by your brand count. Budget for it.
Apple has no special white label program but Enterprise Developer accounts get deployment perks if your clients qualify.
Been through this exact scenario with six different white label versions. Your process looks solid, but try build configurations instead of separate targets - way less code to maintain. The certificate headache is real. I keep a spreadsheet tracking expiration dates since you’ll have double the certificates to juggle. For Firebase, use one project with multiple apps if the functionality’s identical - just different bundle IDs. Cuts costs big time. Apple doesn’t have a special white label program unfortunately. Biggest gotcha? App Store review times will mess up your release schedule. Plan staggered submissions because when one gets rejected, you’re updating all variants. Budget extra testing time too - each brand exposes weird edge cases you’d never think of.
Did this for a client with twelve regional variants - learned some brutal lessons. You’re on the right track, but ditch manual configuration management. Build scripts are your friend. I wrote a Python script that swaps bundle IDs, app names, and icons based on command line parameters. Cuts build time by hours. Here’s what nobody warns you about: provisioning profile hell. You’ll end up with dozens of profiles and Xcode can’t figure out which ones to use. Set up a naming convention early - something like “CompanyName_BrandName_Environment” - or you’ll burn days fixing signing issues. Firebase analytics will bite you. Cross-brand data contamination happens constantly, especially when you’re switching schemes during development. Test everything in production mode before shipping. App Store rejections across multiple variants are a nightmare. When Apple changes guidelines, every variant needs updates at once. I switched to a shared codebase with feature flags instead of separate builds wherever possible. Emergency fixes across all brands become way easier.
The real pain isn’t setup - it’s keeping everything synced afterward. Use xcconfig files for each brand instead of multiple targets. Much cleaner approach. Don’t forget App Transport Security settings if your brands use different endpoints. Got rejected once because of wrong domain configs
