How much does an Apple Developer account cost?

The Apple Developer Program costs 99 USD per membership year, shown in local currency in some regions. If the membership is not renewed, your apps are removed from the App Store.

Is a D-U-N-S Number free, and how long does it take?

Yes, Dun & Bradstreet issues it free of charge for Apple developer enrollment. Allow up to 5 business days to receive it and up to 2 more for Apple to receive your details.

Should the account be opened in our agency's name?

No. Enroll in your own company's name and add the agency as a user in App Store Connect with a suitable role, so the apps, revenue and user data always stay with you.

How to Create an Apple Developer Account: 2026 Step by Step

To publish an iOS app on the App Store you need a membership in the Apple Developer Program. Enrolling takes only a few steps, but choosing the wrong account type or a small mismatch in your D-U-N-S record can cost weeks. This guide walks through the whole path, from picking an account type to uploading your first build to App Store Connect.

Note: Apple updates its requirements from time to time. Check the current terms on the Apple Developer website before you enroll.

Individual or organization?

Criteria	Individual	Organization
Who it is for	Individual developers, sole proprietors	Companies and institutions with legal entity status
Seller name on the App Store	Your personal name	Your company's legal name
D-U-N-S Number	Not required	Required (except government entities)
Verification	Personal identity check	Legal entity, binding authority, website and work email
Team	Tied to one person	Members added with roles and permissions

Apple asks sole proprietors and single-person businesses to enroll as individuals, so the app is listed under your own name. DBAs, trade names and branches are not accepted for organization accounts. If you have a registered company and want the app listed under its name, an organization account is almost always the right choice: the account stays with the company when people change roles.

What to prepare before you enroll

Apple Account with two-factor authentication turned on, ideally created with a company email for organization accounts.
Annual fee: 99 USD per membership year, shown in local currency in some regions. Nonprofits, accredited educational institutions and government entities can request a fee waiver if they meet the requirements.
D-U-N-S Number (organizations): issued free of charge by Dun & Bradstreet. Your company may already have one.
Website (organizations): publicly available, functional and on a domain associated with your company. Social media pages and parked domains are not accepted.
Work email on your company's domain, and the legal authority to sign agreements on its behalf.

How to get a D-U-N-S Number

Look up your company with Apple's D-U-N-S lookup tool.
If it is listed, confirm the legal name and address are current.
If not, submit a free request through the same tool.
Allow up to 5 business days to receive the number and up to 2 more business days for Apple to receive it.

The most common delay is a legal name or address on the form that does not exactly match the D-U-N-S record. The same number also works for a Google Play developer account.

Enrollment steps

Download the Apple Developer app on iPhone, iPad or Mac; enrolling in the app speeds up identity verification. You can also enroll on the web.
Sign in with your Apple Account and start Enroll Now.
Choose individual or organization and enter your details: identity verification for individuals; legal name, D-U-N-S Number, website and contact person for organizations.
Wait for verification. Apple may contact the authorized person to confirm the details.
Accept the program license agreement and pay the fee. Your membership starts once payment is confirmed.

Individual accounts are usually approved quickly. Organization enrollment, including the D-U-N-S step, can take from a few days to a few weeks, so leave room in your launch plan.

After your account is active

Agreements, tax and banking: to sell paid apps or in-app purchases, accept the Paid Apps agreement in App Store Connect and complete tax forms and bank details. Companies outside the US usually file a W-8BEN-E. See our guide to in-app purchase and subscription pricing.
EU trader status: to distribute in the European Union you must declare whether you are a trader under the Digital Services Act; traders' address, phone and email are shown on the EU App Store.
Team and agency access: never share your Apple Account password. Add your development agency in App Store Connect with a suitable role, such as App Manager or Developer, so the account and apps always stay with your company.
TestFlight: Apple has no mandatory closed test period like Google Play, but testing with real users through TestFlight lowers the risk of a review rejection.

Apple vs Google Play developer accounts

Criteria	Apple Developer Program	Google Play Console
Fee	99 USD per year	25 USD one time
D-U-N-S for organizations	Required	Required
Testing before launch	No mandatory period; TestFlight recommended	New personal accounts: closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 days
Build and upload	Xcode (Mac or Xcode Cloud)	Android Studio on any OS
If membership lapses	Apps are removed from the App Store	No annual renewal

Preparing your first release

Create the app record in App Store Connect, fill in the product page (name, subtitle, description, keywords, screenshots), add a privacy policy link and privacy labels, then upload a build from Xcode and submit it for review. Read our guides on common App Store rejection reasons and ASO before you submit, and our mobile app development cost guide if you are planning a budget.

As part of our mobile app development work, BernSoftware handles the whole path from enrollment in your company's name to the first release: D-U-N-S checks, App Store Connect setup, TestFlight, the product page and review. See the apps we have shipped or get in touch.