Apple Developer Program Enrollment: Individual vs Organization and the D-U-N-S Number (2026)
Which Apple Developer account type to choose, what each one shows on the App Store, how to get a free D-U-N-S number, and how long enrollment really takes.
Key Takeaways
- The fee is the same either way. Membership costs US$99 per membership year, shown in local currency when you enroll. Accredited nonprofits, educational institutions and government entities can apply for a fee waiver if they only distribute free apps.
- The seller name is the real difference. An individual account shows your personal legal name on the App Store. An organization account shows the legal entity’s name and needs a D-U-N-S number.
- Only legal entities can enroll as organizations. Apple doesn’t accept DBAs, fictitious business names, trade names or branches. Sole proprietors and single-person businesses enroll as individuals.
- A new D-U-N-S number can take a week. Apple says Dun & Bradstreet can take up to 5 business days to issue one, plus up to 2 business days for Apple to receive it. It’s free in most places.
- Some apps must come from an organization. Apple says apps for banking, crypto, healthcare, gambling and air travel must be submitted by the legal entity providing the service, not an individual developer.
Quick-Start Prioritization Framework
| Your situation | Enroll as | What you’ll need |
|---|---|---|
| Hobby project or personal app | Individual | Apple Account with two-factor authentication, legal name, card in your name |
| Freelancer or sole proprietor | Individual | Same as above; your personal name is the seller name |
| LLC, corporation or registered company | Organization | D-U-N-S number, legal authority to sign, company website and work email on its domain |
| Nonprofit, school or government body | Organization | As above; check fee waiver eligibility before paying |
| Building an app for a client’s business | The client enrolls as an organization | The client’s D-U-N-S number; they add you to their team |
Before any iPhone app reaches the App Store, someone has to enroll in the Apple Developer Program, and the first question Apple asks is whether you’re enrolling as an individual or as an organization. The choice decides whose name appears under your app, what paperwork you need and how quickly you can start. This guide explains the difference using Apple’s own enrollment rules, walks through getting a D-U-N-S number, and gives a realistic timeline so the account isn’t the thing holding up your launch.
What the Apple Developer Program gives you
Enrollment is what lets you distribute apps on the App Store, use TestFlight for beta testing and access App Store Connect, where you manage listings, pricing and review. Apple charges 99 USD per membership year, renewing automatically. You can’t publish an iPhone app to the public App Store without a membership, whichever tools you use to build it.
Enrollment requires an Apple Account with two-factor authentication turned on. You can enroll in the Apple Developer app on an iPhone, iPad or Mac, or on the web. Apple’s enrollment support page notes that in India, enrollment is through the app only.
Enrolling in the Apple Developer app
In supported regions, the app is usually the fastest route for individuals. Apple’s support page says it can ask you to take a picture of your photo ID (passports are accepted in most regions, driver’s licenses in some) and that Apple won’t keep the image. You need an iPhone or iPad with Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode, or a Mac with Apple silicon or a T2 chip, and you should use the same device for the whole enrollment.
Individual vs organization: the real differences
Both account types can publish free and paid apps, use TestFlight and sell in-app purchases. The differences are in identity, paperwork and how the app is presented.
| Individual | Organization | |
|---|---|---|
| Seller name on the App Store | Your personal legal name | The organization’s legal name |
| Who can enroll | Any person, including sole proprietors | A legal entity only; no DBAs, trade names or branches |
| D-U-N-S number | Not needed | Required (government entities excepted) |
| Website and email | Not required | Public, working website on the organization’s domain and a work email on that domain |
| Signing authority | Yourself | The enroller must have legal authority to bind the organization |
| Extra documents | Possible photo ID check | Apple may ask for notarized documents |
| Team | Mainly for one person | Add team members with roles |
| Fee | US$99 per year | US$99 per year (fee waiver for eligible nonprofits, education, government) |
The seller name is public
Apple’s enrollment page says that as an individual, “your name will be displayed as the seller name,” and it must be your legal name, not an alias or company name. For a hobby app that’s fine. For a business app, customers see a person’s name under the app, which can look odd next to a polished brand. That alone is why many small businesses go through the organization route.
Who can’t enroll as an organization
Apple is specific: the organization must be a legal entity, and Apple doesn’t accept DBAs, fictitious business names, trade names or branches. Apple’s support page adds that sole proprietors and single-person businesses must enroll as individuals. Apple’s D-U-N-S help page says the same from the other side: if your business is listed with D&B as a sole proprietorship, enroll as an individual.
If you want your brand name as the seller, you generally need to form an entity such as an LLC or a corporation first. Rules for forming one vary by country and state; check with an accountant or lawyer. This is general information, not legal advice.
Apps that must come from an organization
Apple’s App Review page lists “submitted by the wrong entity” among common issues. It says apps in highly regulated areas, including banking, crypto, healthcare, gambling and air travel, must be submitted by the legal entity that provides the services rather than an individual developer. If your app is in one of these areas, plan for an organization account from the start.
The D-U-N-S number, step by step
A D-U-N-S number is a nine-digit identifier issued by Dun & Bradstreet. Apple uses it to confirm that your organization exists and that its legal name matches what you enter. Google Play also requires one for organization developer accounts, so you get two uses out of it.
1. Check whether you already have one
Many registered businesses already have a D-U-N-S number without knowing it, because D&B builds records from public filings. Apple provides a free D-U-N-S lookup tool on its developer site. Enter your legal entity name and address exactly as registered.
2. Request one if you don’t
If the lookup finds nothing, you can request a number through the same tool. Apple’s enrollment support page says D-U-N-S numbers are free in most jurisdictions. Google’s Play Console Help also notes that getting one from D&B is free, and warns about third-party services that charge for it.
3. Wait, then wait a little more
Apple says a new number can take up to 5 business days to be issued, and that paying D&B to expedite doesn’t shorten this for Apple’s purposes. If it takes more than two weeks, contact D&B. Once you have the number, allow up to 2 more business days for Apple to receive your information from D&B before you enroll.
4. Make the details match
The organization name, address and phone number in your D&B record should match what you enter at Apple. Mismatches, such as an old address or a missing “LLC,” are a common reason enrollment stalls. If your D&B record is wrong, update it with D&B before enrolling.
A realistic enrollment timeline
These ranges combine Apple’s published waiting times with the steps you control. Your own case may be faster or slower.
| Step | Individual | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| Set up Apple Account with two-factor authentication | Minutes | Minutes |
| Get a D-U-N-S number | Not needed | 0 days if you have one; up to 5 business days if new |
| D&B data reaches Apple | Not needed | Up to 2 business days |
| Enrollment form and identity check | Minutes to a day or two | Days; Apple may ask for notarized documents |
| Payment and activation | After approval | After approval |
| Worst case before you can upload builds | A few days | Roughly two weeks or more |
Start the account before the app is finished
Enrollment waiting time doesn’t depend on your app, so start it as soon as you’re confident you’ll publish. That way the account is active when your first build is ready, and you can use TestFlight with real testers during development.
Fee waivers, renewals and payments
Apple’s fee waiver page says nonprofit organizations that are legal entities and officially recognized (for example by the IRS in the US), accredited educational institutions and government entities can request a waiver. Individuals, sole proprietors and single-person businesses aren’t eligible. The organization must not have signed the Paid Applications Agreement and must not sell digital goods, so in practice the waiver is for free apps. If those conditions stop being true, Apple removes the waiver and charges the 99 USD fee.
Membership renews automatically each year. Apple’s support page says you can turn off auto-renewal up to one day before the renewal date. Distribution depends on an active membership, so keep the payment method current and note the renewal date.
Individuals paying by card should use a card in their own name. Apple says it may ask for a photo ID otherwise. Gift card balances aren’t accepted outside India.
Building apps for clients
If you’re a freelancer or agency building an app for a business, the cleanest setup is for the client to enroll as an organization in its own name. The app then shows the client as the seller, the client owns the listing and its reviews, and guideline 4.3’s concerns about one developer publishing many near-identical apps don’t arise.
The client can then invite you to its team in App Store Connect with a role that lets you upload builds and manage the listing. Apple’s enrollment support page describes adding team members for organization accounts. Publishing a client’s app from your own individual account might seem quicker, but it puts your personal name on their product and makes handing it over later harder.
Can you switch from individual to organization later?
Apple’s support page says that if you enrolled as an individual and need to convert to an organization account, you should contact Apple. It’s possible, but it’s a support process rather than a setting, so if you already have an LLC, enrolling as an organization at the start saves a step.
How Google Play’s account types compare
If you’re publishing on Android too, Google has a similar split. A Google Play developer account costs US$25 once. Google describes personal accounts as being for students, hobbyists and amateur developers and organization accounts for commercial, professional or government activity, and organization accounts need a D-U-N-S number.
One difference matters for timing: new personal Google Play accounts must run a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 consecutive days before they can apply for production access. Google also requires an organization account for some categories, including financial services, health and government apps.
Common mistakes
Most enrollment delays come from a handful of avoidable problems.
- Enrolling as an individual for a business app, then discovering your personal name appears as the seller.
- Trying to enroll a DBA or trade name as an organization; Apple only accepts legal entities.
- Waiting until the app is finished to request a D-U-N-S number.
- Entering a company name or address at Apple that doesn’t match the D&B record.
- Using a social media page or a placeholder site as the organization website; Apple says these won’t be accepted.
- Using a personal Gmail address for an organization enrollment instead of a work email on the company domain.
- Publishing a client’s app from your own account instead of having the client enroll.
If you’d rather not do this yourself
Enrollment is one step nobody can do for you, because Apple ties the account to you or your company. What a builder can take over is everything after it. Floot, for example, builds the app from a plain-English description and then builds and submits the iOS version with your developer account, without a Mac.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Apple Developer Program cost in 2026?
99 USD per membership year for both individuals and organizations, shown in local currency at enrollment. The Apple Developer Enterprise Program, for internal company apps only, costs 299 USD.
Do I need a D-U-N-S number as an individual?
No. Only organization enrollments need a D-U-N-S number, and government entities are excepted. Individuals enroll with their legal name and an Apple Account with two-factor authentication.
Can I publish under my company name with an individual account?
No. Apple shows an individual’s legal name as the seller name. To show a company name, you enroll as an organization, which requires a legal entity and a D-U-N-S number.
How long does Apple Developer enrollment take?
For individuals it’s often quick once identity is verified. For organizations, allow up to 5 business days for a new D-U-N-S number and up to 2 more for Apple to receive it, plus Apple’s own verification, which can include a request for documents.
Can I enroll without a Mac?
Yes. You can enroll on the web or through the Apple Developer app on an iPhone or iPad. Building the app traditionally needs a Mac, but enrollment doesn’t.
Is a sole proprietorship an organization for Apple?
No. Apple says sole proprietors and single-person businesses must enroll as individuals. This is general information, not legal advice; your country’s business rules may differ.
Sources
- Apple Developer, Enrollment (What you need to enroll), 2026 https://developer.apple.com/programs/enroll/
- Apple Developer, Enrollment support, 2026 https://developer.apple.com/support/enrollment/
- Apple Developer, D-U-N-S Number help, 2026 https://developer.apple.com/help/account/membership/D-U-N-S/
- Apple Developer, Fee waivers, 2026 https://developer.apple.com/help/account/membership/fee-waivers/
- Apple Developer, Apple Developer app enrollment support, 2026 https://developer.apple.com/support/app-account/
- Apple Developer, App Review (common issues), 2026 https://developer.apple.com/distribute/app-review/
- Google Play Console Help, Choose a developer account type, 2026 https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/13634885