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Apple Developer Account

To distribute your app beyond your own device, you need an Apple Developer Program membership. Here’s everything you need to know.

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Why You Need It

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Cost

$99 per year (USD)
  • Charged annually
  • Can be cancelled anytime
  • Price varies by country
The fee is per developer account, not per app. You can publish unlimited apps with one account.

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Account Types

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Individual

Best for: Solo developers, personal projects
  • Uses your personal name
  • You appear as the seller on App Store
  • Easier approval process

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Organization

Best for: Companies, teams, businesses
  • Uses company/organization name
  • Requires D-U-N-S number (free to obtain)
  • Can add team members with different roles
  • Longer approval process

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Enrollment Requirements

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For Individuals

  • Apple ID with two-factor authentication
  • Valid credit card
  • Government-issued ID (for verification)
  • 18 years or older

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For Organizations

  • Everything above, plus:
  • D-U-N-S number (takes 1-2 weeks to obtain)
  • Legal entity information
  • Authority to bind the organization

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How to Enroll

1

Sign in to Apple ID

Go to developer.apple.com and sign in with your Apple ID
2

Start enrollment

Click “Account” then “Join the Apple Developer Program”
3

Choose account type

Select Individual or Organization
4

Verify identity

Apple will verify your identity (may require ID upload or phone call)
5

Pay the fee

Complete payment of $99 (or local equivalent)
6

Wait for activation

Usually 24-48 hours, sometimes faster

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Identity Verification

Apple verifies all developers to prevent fraud. This process varies:

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Automatic Verification

If your Apple ID has payment history and matches your ID, verification may be instant.

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Manual Verification

You may be asked to:
  • Upload a photo of government-issued ID
  • Take a selfie for comparison
  • Have a phone or video call with Apple
Use the same name on your Apple ID that appears on your government ID to speed up verification.

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D-U-N-S Number (Organizations Only)

A D-U-N-S number is a unique nine-digit identifier for businesses issued by Dun & Bradstreet.

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Checking for Existing Number

Many businesses already have one. Check at dnb.com

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Requesting a New Number

  1. Go to Apple’s D-U-N-S lookup
  2. Search for your organization
  3. If not found, request a free D-U-N-S number
  4. Takes 1-2 weeks to process

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After Enrollment

Once approved, you can:

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Access Developer Resources

  • App Store Connect (manage apps)
  • Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles
  • Developer documentation
  • Technical support incidents (2/year)

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Start Distributing

  • Upload builds to TestFlight
  • Submit apps to App Store
  • Configure push notifications
  • Use advanced capabilities

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Managing Your Account

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Renewal

  • Apple sends reminders before expiration
  • Auto-renewal available
  • If expired, your apps remain on App Store but you can’t submit updates

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Adding Team Members

Organizations can add team members with roles:

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Common Issues

This can take up to 2 weeks for organizations. Ensure all documents are clear and information matches exactly.
Make sure your Apple ID name exactly matches your government ID. Contact Apple Developer support if issues persist.
Request a new one through Apple’s portal. It’s free but takes 1-2 weeks.
You cannot convert between Individual and Organization. You’d need to create a new account.

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Enterprise Program

For large companies distributing internally only (not on App Store):
  • Apple Developer Enterprise Program
  • $299/year
  • Distribute to employees only
  • Not for public apps
Enterprise Program is strictly for internal distribution. Apple actively terminates accounts that misuse it for public distribution.

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Next Steps

Certificates & Profiles

Set up code signing

TestFlight

Start beta testing