Review guidelines

We ensure that only decent applications make it to Setapp. This is why we have prepared a set of guidelines that will help you develop suitable products or adapt your existing applications. These rules and recommendations aim to make better products that improve users' lives.

1. General conditions

1.1. As a developer of macOS, iOS, iPadOS, or Web applications, you are bound by the following requirements to help your products get considered for Setapp.

1.2. Setapp reserves the right to limit the number of available application slots on the service.

1.3. An application can be added to Setapp only if both Setapp and a developer have reached an agreement.

1.4. Setapp reserves the right to refuse to add an application to the service if an application meets at least of the following criteria:

• 1.4.1. Developers manipulate users into choosing their apps by means of deceptive methods other than fair competition;

• 1.4.2. An application causes damage (including but not limited to security, reputational, or financial damage) to Setapp, its users, or any of Setapp's partners (e.g., app developers and app publishers);

• 1.4.3. An application poses a risk to the rights and freedoms (including but not limited to the right to the protection of personal data) of Setapp users.

• 1.4.4. Low demand: the app serves as a solution to a narrow or niche use case that Setapp users do not request.

  1.5. Applications violating any of the conditions of these Guidelines will not be considered by Setapp or will be removed from Setapp.

2. Functionality

We don’t consider and may exclude applications in the following cases:

2.1 Applications that do not perform as advertised by the developer.

2.2. Applications that include undocumented or hidden features inconsistent with the description.

2.3. Applications that are "demo," "trial," or "test" versions.

2.4. Applications that clearly mimic other products.

2.5. Applications that are intended to provide trick or fake functionality that are not clearly marked as such.

2.6. Applications that provide incorrect diagnostic or other inaccurate device data.

2.7. Applications must not include any installers or update frameworks apart from those provided by Setapp.

2.8. Applications that download or install additional code or resources to add functionality or change their primary purpose.

2.9. Applications that download other standalone applications.

2.10. Applications that require license keys or implement their own copy protection.

2.11. Setapp versions of your apps that use additional update mechanisms other than Setapp.

2.12. Applications that keep running processes without user consent and manipulate usage statistics won’t be considered and will be instantly removed from the service.

2.13. Applications that are set to run automatically at startup or login without user consent and manipulate usage statistics won’t be considered and will be instantly removed from the service.

2.14. Applications that use uncommon optionally installed technologies.

2.15. Applications not running on the currently shipping OS.

2.16 Applications that suggest Setapp users rate them on third-party distribution platforms.

3. Application Metadata

3.1. Applications must use only descriptions and other text metadata that are relevant to the application content and functionality.

3.2. Application names on Setapp and outside of it must match so as not to confuse.

3.3. All application icons must be similar to avoid confusion.

3.4. Application icons and screenshots must not contain any pornographic, offensive, or overly explicit content.

3.5. Applications should have all included URLs fully functional when you upload them for release.

4.Content and Intellectual Property Rights

4.1. Applications that suggest that Setapp/MacPaw is a source or supplier of the application or that Setapp/MacPaw endorses any particular representation regarding quality or functionality won't be considered.

4.2. Applications must not violate 3rd party terms of use or use protected third-party materials such as trademarks, copyrights, or patents without permission. Authorization to use such material must be provided upon request.

5. User interface

5.1. Applications must comply with industry-standard practices to avoid utilizing confusing UI techniques.

5.2. Applications that clearly mimic other well-known products won't be considered.

5.3. Application will not be considered if it is clearly lacking in quality and attention to detail.

5.4. Application must indicate the subscription status of a Setapp user, as well as any changes in that status (including the activation of the subscription and any changes afterward).

5.5. Application on Setapp must not include "Rate on App Store" or "Share app > App Store" links.

6. Purchasing and currencies

6.1. Applications that are intended to sell or distribute other software won't be considered.

6.2. Applications can read or play approved content that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the application. Setapp will not receive any portion of the revenues for approved content that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the application.

7. Privacy

7.1. Applications cannot transmit data about a user without obtaining the user's prior permission and providing the user with access to information about how and where the data will be used.

7.2. Applications that target minors for data collection won't be considered.

8. Pornography

8.1. Applications containing pornographic material, defined by Webster's Dictionary as "explicit descriptions or displays of sexual organs or activities intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings," won't be considered.

8.2. Applications that contain user-generated content that is frequently pornographic (e.g., "Chat Roulette" applications) won't be considered.

9. Tolerance and safety

9.1. Applications containing references or commentary about religious, cultural, social, ethnic, or taxonomic groups that are defamatory, offensive, mean-spirited, or likely to expose the targeted group to harm or violence won't be considered.

9.2. Applications may contain or quote religious text if the quotes or translations are accurate and not misleading. The commentary must be educational or informative and not inflammatory.

10. Legal requirements

10.1. Applications must comply with all legal requirements in any location where they are made available to users. The developer must understand and conform to all local laws.

10.2. We don’t consider and will exclude applications in the following cases:

• 10.2.1. Applications contain false, fraudulent, or misleading representation;
• 10.2.2. Applications solicit, promote, or encourage criminal or clearly reckless behavior;
• 10.2.3. Applications enable illegal file sharing;
• 10.2.4. Applications that are designed for use as illegal gambling aid;
• 10.2.5. Applications enable anonymous or prank phone calls or SMS/MMS messaging;
• 10.2.6. Applications that surreptitiously attempt to discover user passwords or other private user data.

11. Notifications

We don’t consider and may exclude applications in the following cases:

11.1. Applications that send notifications without first obtaining user consent.

11.2. Applications that send sensitive personal or confidential information using notifications.

11.3. Applications that use notifications to send unsolicited messages or for the purpose of phishing or spamming.

11.4. Applications use notifications to send advertising, promotions, or direct marketing that lead users outside of Setapp.

Living document

This set of guidelines represents the approach we follow when considering new applications for Setapp. Our main goal is to supply users with high-quality​ software in the first place. A huge quantity of apps is not a priority. Products that meet high design standards and provide real value are among the first candidates to be considered.
We strongly believe in fair competition and strive to make good software easily available without the hassle and time wasted searching for a diamond, thus wasting precious time. We reserve the right to expand further and improve the requirements list for user satisfaction. Join us in this pursuit of perfection and take your products to the next level of quality, design, and usability. We are always here to help and share advice.