Publish with AppHelm
AppHelm is the official way to publish a branded Storefront App with no developer work. Publish it free on the web, then take it to the App Store and Google Play.
Publish with AppHelm
AppHelm is Fleetbase's service for publishing your own Storefront App. You connect your store, add your brand and publish, with no code and no build tools. Your app goes live on the web first, for free. When you're ready, the same setup takes it to the App Store and Google Play.
If your team wants to change the app's code, you can build it yourself instead.
Where your app can go
| On the web | App Store and Google Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Your app's address | your-name.apphelm.io | Your own listing in each store |
| Published under | Your brand | Your name, from your own Apple and Google developer accounts |
| Ordering | Browse, search, cart, checkout and live order tracking | The same |
| Sign-in | A code by text message | A code by text message, Sign in with Apple and Sign in with Google |
| Payments | Cards through your own Stripe account, or QPay | The same, plus Apple Pay and Google Pay with Stripe |
| Order updates | Live while the page is open | Push notifications |
Publishing to the web is free. For the App Store and Google Play, see pricing on AppHelm.
What you can publish
AppHelm reads your stores, products and prices from Fleetbase, and the app follows what you set up there:
- A single store: one shop, restaurant or brand. The store is the whole app.
- A marketplace: many stores in one app, using a Network.
- Food trucks: a map of your trucks, each with its own menu. See Food Trucks.
- Services and bookings: appointments next to products. See Bookings.
AppHelm publishes the Storefront App only. It doesn't publish the Navigator driver app today.
Publish to the web
Connect your store. At AppHelm, sign in with Fleetbase Cloud, or enter your own server's address and keys. If you don't have a store yet, you can start with a sample grocery store and connect your own later. See the Storefront quickstart to create one.
Make it yours. Add your logo, icon, colors and fonts, and choose how ordering, payments and sign-in work. The preview updates as you go.
Try it on your phone. Scan a code to open the app on your own phone, and send a link so others can look too.
Publish to the web. Choose your address and publish. You can change the address later, or take the app offline.
AppHelm checks three things before it publishes:
- Your own store is connected. The sample store can't take orders.
- Payments are set up. Choose Stripe and add your publishable key, or choose QPay.
- Your email is verified.
Once it's live, customers can order and pay, and orders go to your Fleetbase like any other Storefront order.
Go to the App Store and Google Play
When you want your app in the stores, continue from the same project in AppHelm:
Follow the checklist. It tells you what to do next and checks each step for you, including creating your Apple and Google developer accounts if you don't have them.
AppHelm prepares the app. It builds and signs the app, makes the screenshots and store listings, and submits the app from your accounts.
Apple and Google review it. The checklist shows what you're waiting on.
A few things to know before you start:
- Your name is on the app. Apple and Google require a business's app to be published from its own developer account. AppHelm never asks for your Apple or Google password.
- Allow time for Apple and Google. Apple can take a few days to a few weeks to approve a business account, and may need a D-U-N-S number first. App review usually takes one to a few days.
- You own the code. It goes in a GitHub repository in your account, and the store listings are in your Apple and Google accounts.
- Most changes don't need a new version. Products, prices, stores and hours change in Fleetbase and show up in the app right away. A new logo, colors or settings need a new version of the app in the stores.
AppHelm or build it yourself
| AppHelm | Build it yourself | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Businesses that want their app live without developers | Teams with React Native developers who want to change the app |
| What you do | Connect, brand and publish in the browser | Clone the code, configure, build, sign and submit |
| What you can change | Brand, ordering, payment and sign-in settings | Any screen, and your own features |
| Start with | AppHelm | Quickstart, Client Builds and Build & Release |
Both use the same open-source storefront-app and work with Fleetbase Cloud or your own server.
If you'd rather have Fleetbase's team do the work, see the Storefront App Publishing service.