When we start working with a new client in which we are creating an iOS app we always state that clients should control what they own. The following is a quick guide on how to create and obtain a business apple account to allow us to distribute your app onto the store.
D-U-N-S Number Requirements
Apple require a D-U-N-S number to create either an Apple Developer Account to publish an app on the App Store as a company or an enterprise account for internal distribution.
A D-U-N-S number is a unique 9 digit sequence which is recognised as a universal standard of identifying and keeping track of worldwide businesses.
This is 100% free and to obtain yours please complete the following steps;
- Go to http://www.dnb.co.uk/dandb-duns-number
- Fill in your contact details and go to the next page.
- Fill in your company registration number or details.
- Select your company.
- Your D-U-N-S number will be emailed to you shortly, the number will look like the following 99-999-9999
Apple Account Creation
View the memberships available to you here:
https://developer.apple.com/support/compare-memberships/
A quick summary of the most common ones follows;
Individual: for individual people, sole proprietor/single person business.
The cost of this at the time of writing is 99 USD / year
Enrolling in the program as an Organisation
- Enterprise: This allows us to bypass the app store and distribute apps exclusively to your organistions employees.
The cost of this is 299 USD / year
- Apple Developer Program: You can sell and distribute apps on the App Sore from your legal entity name.
The cost of this is 99 USD / year
As this is the most common one we will quickly describe what you need to do. More instructions on this are provided by Apple (https://developer.apple.com/programs/enroll/).
- First you will need a DUNS number described above.
- Second you will need to make sure you have legal entity status to enter in contract with Apple.
- Third you will need to be the legal binding authority for the company. As you will be binding your organisation to legal agreements.
- And last an Apple Account / Apple ID that is not already bound to an Apple Developer program.
To start the process visit https://developer.apple.com/programs/enroll/ and click the blue button at the bottom.
Need help? Don’t hesitate to ask us.