Individual or organization? Which Apple developer account to pick (2026)
Should you join Apple's Developer Program as an individual or an organization? The seller name, D-U-N-S, teams, fee waivers and switching later, explained.
By Sigsten Gustavii· · 8 min read
Pick an individual Apple developer account if the app is yours as a person or a sole proprietor, and an organization account if a legal entity such as a company, nonprofit or school will own it.
The choice is made once, at enrollment, and it shows on every App Store page you publish: the seller name under your app is either your legal name or your organization's. This guide sets out the differences, from Apple's enrollment pages, so you can choose with confidence and avoid the delays that come from choosing wrong.
| Individual | Organization | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | One person, including sole proprietors and single-person businesses | Companies, nonprofits, schools, government bodies |
| Seller name on the App Store | Your personal legal name | The organization's legal name |
| D-U-N-S number | Not needed | Required (except government bodies), free |
| Website | Not needed | Public, working, on the organization's domain |
| Who enrolls | You, with your own Apple Account | Someone with legal authority to bind the organization |
| Team members | Just you | Add colleagues with roles |
| Fee | 99 USD a year | 99 USD a year, or a waiver if eligible |
| Time to enroll | Usually quick once paid | Plus up to 7 business days for a new D-U-N-S number |
The seller name is the big difference
Every app's product page names its seller. According to Apple's enrollment support page, if you are an individual or a sole proprietor, your personal legal name is listed as the seller, and you must not enter an alias, nickname or company name in the name fields. If you enroll an organization, its legal entity name is the seller.
So the practical question is: whose name do you want people to see? If you are building a personal app or a side project, your own name is normal. If you are building a product for a business, the business name looks more professional and keeps your personal name off the store. Neither choice changes what the app can do: both memberships give the same tools, from TestFlight to in-app purchases.
When to enroll as an individual
- You are one person making an app for yourself, your community or as a side project.
- You are a sole proprietor or single-person business without a separate legal entity. Apple says you must join as an individual.
- You want to start quickly, without a D-U-N-S number or a website.
- You are not sure yet whether the app will become a business. You can ask Apple to convert later.
When to enroll as an organization
- A company, nonprofit, school or government body will own the app.
- Several people need access to App Store Connect, each with their own role.
- The app should stay with the business if people leave or the business is sold.
- The app is in a regulated area, such as banking, health or gambling. Apple's App Review page says such apps should be submitted by the legal entity that provides the service.
- You want a fee waiver as a nonprofit, accredited school or government body. Apple's waiver is not available to individuals or sole proprietors.
What an organization needs to enroll
Apple's enrollment page lists the requirements. Have these ready before you start:
- Legal authority to bind the organization to agreements; you become the Account Holder.
- The exact legal entity name. Apple does not accept trade names, DBAs, fictitious business names or branches.
- A D-U-N-S number from Dun & Bradstreet, free. Apple's D-U-N-S page says it can take up to 5 business days to issue and up to 2 more to reach Apple.
- A work email on the organization's domain.
- A public, working website on that domain.
Common situations, and which account fits
| Situation | Account | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A personal app or side project | Individual | Your own name is the natural seller |
| A freelancer selling under their own name | Individual | Apple asks sole proprietors to join as individuals |
| A startup that has incorporated | Organization | The company owns the app and can add a team |
| A startup that has not incorporated yet | Individual for now | Convert by contacting Apple once the company exists |
| A developer building an app for a client | The client's own account | The app, its reviews and its income belong to the client |
| A club, charity or school | Organization | Its name on the store; possibly a fee waiver |
The client case trips people up more than any other. If you build an app for someone else's business, the business should enroll and add you to its team, rather than you publishing it under your own account. Our post on hiring an iOS developer explains why the account matters.
Money, tax and agreements
Both account types sell and get paid the same way. To sell anything, the Account Holder accepts Apple's Paid Apps Agreement and adds tax and banking details in App Store Connect, and Apple pays proceeds into that bank account. The difference is whose name and tax details those are: yours as an individual, or the organization's. If you plan to run the app as a business, getting that right from the start keeps your accounts clean.
Can you switch later?
Yes. Apple's enrollment support page says that if you enrolled as an individual and need to convert to an organization account, you contact Apple. That makes individual a safe starting point for most people: begin under your own name, and convert when a company exists and owns the app.
Going the other way, or moving an app between two separate accounts, is a different process: an app transfer in App Store Connect. Choosing the right account at the start saves you from either, and from asking people to update links or reviews that point to an app under the old seller.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | What happens | Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Company name in the individual's name fields | Approval is delayed | Use your legal given name and surname |
| Enrolling a sole proprietorship as an organization | Apple asks sole proprietors to join as individuals | Enroll as an individual |
| Trade name instead of legal entity name | Not accepted | Use the name registered with D-U-N-S |
| Website not live, or email on another domain | Verification fails | Publish a simple site and use a domain email |
| An employee without signing authority enrolls | Verification fails | The person who can bind the organization enrolls |
What it means for publishing with Borel
Borel publishes your app under your own App Store Connect account, whichever kind it is. When you press Sign in to Apple in Borel's Publish flow, you connect the account you enrolled, and Borel sets the app up there. The seller name, the agreements and the payments are yours, between you and Apple. Our guide to enrolling in the Developer Program walks through the steps, and how much Apple takes from app sales covers what happens to the money.
How to publish under the right name with Borel, step by step
- Decide individual or organization using the table above, and enroll at Apple.
- Build and test the app on Borel, free to start, on the live iPhone in your browser.
- Put it on your iPhone with Borel Companion, on Pro, while Apple processes your enrollment.
- Press Publish, fill in the listing, and sign in with the App Store Connect account you enrolled.
- Send to Apple: Borel builds, signs and uploads from its Mac, and the app appears under your seller name.
Add an About screen with the company name, a support email and links to the privacy policy and terms, to match our App Store seller details.The bottom line
Enroll as an individual if the app is yours as a person or sole proprietor, and as an organization if a legal entity owns it; the seller name on the App Store follows that choice. Organizations need a D-U-N-S number, a website and someone who can sign, so start early. Individuals can ask Apple to convert later. Whichever you choose, build your app on Borel while Apple reviews your enrollment.
Questions people ask
Should I enroll as an individual or an organization?
As an individual if you publish under your own name, including as a sole proprietor. As an organization if a company, nonprofit, school or government body owns the app.
Can a sole proprietor enroll as an organization?
No. Apple's enrollment support page says sole proprietors and single-person businesses must join as individuals, with their legal name as the seller.
Can I change from individual to organization later?
Yes. Apple says to contact it if you need to convert an individual account to an organization account.
Do I need a D-U-N-S number as an individual?
No. Only organizations need one, and government bodies are exempt. It is free.
Does an organization account cost more?
No. Both are 99 USD a year. Eligible nonprofits, accredited schools and government bodies can request a fee waiver.
Can I hide my name on the App Store as an individual?
No. An individual's legal name is shown as the seller. To show a company name, the app must be published by an organization account.
Can several people work on an individual account?
An individual membership is for one person. To add team members with roles, enroll as an organization.
Should my freelancer publish my app under their account?
Usually not. Enroll your own business, and add the freelancer to your team with a role, so the app, its reviews and its income stay yours.
How long does organization enrollment take?
Allow for the D-U-N-S number, which Apple says can take up to 5 business days to issue and up to 2 more to reach Apple, plus Apple's own verification of the organization's details.
Does the account type change what my app can do?
No. Both memberships give the same tools: TestFlight, App Store distribution, in-app purchases and App Store Connect. The differences are the seller name, the team and the paperwork.
Can a school or charity get the fee waived?
Possibly. Apple offers a waiver to legal entities that are recognised nonprofits, accredited educational institutions or government bodies, as long as they do not sell paid apps or in-app purchases.
Does Borel work with both account types?
Yes. Borel publishes to whichever App Store Connect account you connect in the Publish flow, so the app appears under your own seller name.
I think most people making their own app should start as an individual and move to a company account when there is a company. If your situation does not fit either box, tell me and I will add it here.
– Sigsten
Make your iPhone app in Borel
Describe the app you want and see its first screens before you pay anything.
See your app free