Apple Developer Account Cost in 2026: Fees and Hidden Costs

An Apple developer account costs 99 USD per year. That is the fee for the Apple Developer Program, which you need to publish apps on the App Store. Apple's enrollment page puts it plainly:

The fee is the easy part. The real cost of getting an app onto the App Store is time: getting verified, preparing a build and passing review. This guide covers the fee, who can skip it, what Apple takes from your sales and the other costs people forget to budget for.

What does the 99 USD membership include?

The membership is what lets you distribute software through Apple. In practice, it gives you:

• The right to publish apps on the App Store for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple's other platforms.
• Access to App Store Connect, where you manage listings, pricing, builds and analytics.
• TestFlight, so you can share beta builds with up to 100 internal and 10,000 external testers.
• The certificates and app capabilities you need to sign and ship a release build.

You do not need to pay to learn. Apple's tools and documentation are free to use, and you can test on your own device without a paid membership. You pay when you want to ship to other people.

Should you enroll as an individual or an organization?

The price is the same either way. What changes is the name customers see and the paperwork Apple asks for.

Apple is strict about what counts as an organization: "We don't accept DBAs, fictitious businesses, trade names, or branches." Your company needs to be a real legal entity, such as an LLC or corporation.

What is a D-U-N-S Number and does it cost anything?

A D-U-N-S Number is a nine-digit business ID issued by Dun and Bradstreet. Apple uses it to confirm your company's legal name and status. Apple says the number is free in most jurisdictions, and government organizations do not need one. The main cost is waiting: if your company does not have a number yet, it can take time to get one, so request it before you are ready to launch.

Can you get the Apple developer fee waived?

Yes, if you are the right kind of organization. Apple offers fee waivers to nonprofit organizations, accredited educational institutions and government entities in eligible countries that plan to publish only free apps.

The program started in the United States in January 2018, as MacRumors reported. In February 2020 Apple added Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Mexico and South Korea, bringing the total to 13 countries, according to iMore. Apple can change the list, so check its current fee waiver page before you apply.

Two limits matter. Individuals do not qualify, and the waiver is for organizations distributing free apps. If you want to charge for the app or sell in-app purchases, you pay the normal fee.

How much does Apple take from app sales?

The membership fee is separate from Apple's commission on paid apps and in-app purchases. The standard commission is 30%. Smaller developers can apply for the App Store Small Business Program, which Apple announced in 2020 for developers who "earned up to $1 million in proceeds during the previous calendar year." Members pay a 15% commission instead.

If you pass 1 million USD in proceeds during the year, the standard rate applies for the rest of that year. You can qualify again in a later year if your proceeds drop back under the limit. Free apps that do not sell anything through Apple pay no commission at all.

How does Google Play compare?

Google's fee structure is different. Its help center says: "There is a US$25 one-time registration fee." You pay once, not every year, and you verify your identity. Google warns that the fee is not refunded if the information you give cannot be verified.

Google's service fees changed on June 30, 2026 in the US, the European Economic Area and the UK. For example, Google now lists subscriptions there at "10% + 5% billing fee." In other markets, developers enrolled in the 15% tier still pay "15% for the first $1M" of earnings. Check Google's service fee page for the rate that applies to your app.

What other costs should you budget for?

The store fees are small next to the work of getting an app ready. When clients ask us what publishing really costs, these are the items we tell them to plan for:

• A way to build for iOS. Traditionally that means a Mac with Xcode. Cloud build services and platforms like Base44 can remove the need for your own Mac.
• Test devices. At least one recent iPhone and one Android phone, so you can catch layout and performance problems before reviewers do.
• Store assets. Screenshots for every required device size, an icon and, on Google Play, a feature graphic. See our screenshot size guide.
• A privacy policy and support page. Both stores ask for them, and Apple requires the privacy policy link in the app too.
• Time for review and fixes. Apple reviews 90% of submissions in under 48 hours, but a rejection means fixing and resubmitting.
• Ongoing updates. New iOS and Android versions arrive every year, and Google regularly raises the minimum target API level.

For the bigger picture on design and development, read how much it costs to build an app.

What happens if you stop paying?

The Apple membership renews each year. If it lapses, your apps are removed from sale on the App Store and you lose access to the paid program features until you renew. Turn on automatic renewal, and make sure the card on file belongs to the business rather than a former employee.

Is it worth paying for help?

Opening the account is something you should do yourself, because Apple needs your identity or your company's legal details. Everything after that, from setting up the app record to answering App Review, can be handed off.

Virtual Horizons is a Base44 Legend Partner, Ambassador and Community Pillar, a Base44 Shark Tank winner and a multiple-time Vibe Sprint winner, with more than 10 apps live on the App Store and Google Play. Through our mobile app service we take apps from a working build to live in both stores, and our step-by-step guide on how to publish an app on the App Store shows the full process if you would rather do it yourself.

Roenic Natarelli

Founder, Virtual Horizons

Roenic runs Virtual Horizons and is a Base44 Legend Partner, Ambassador and Community Pillar, Base44 Shark Tank winner and multiple-time Vibe Sprint winner. The studio builds web and mobile apps, AI voice agents and automations, with more than 10 apps live on the App Store and Google Play. More about us