Choose who will publish your app

You’re about to open a developer account, and the first choice is personal or organization. Make it for whoever will own and distribute the app. We’d settle that before paying or asking someone else to enroll, especially if you’re building for a client.

If you’re building for a client, the agency doing the work and the client publishing the app may be different organizations. Confirm the publisher’s legal name, business structure, and who can accept agreements on its behalf.

Publishing on Apple

Individuals and sole proprietors enroll as individuals. An organization account requires a recognized legal entity; a trading name or product brand alone doesn’t qualify.

An individual account displays the person’s legal name as the seller. If you need an organization name displayed, check that organization’s eligibility before enrolling.

Publishing on Google Play

Choose the account type that represents the publisher. Personal accounts can monetize apps and invite collaborators. Google directs businesses and organizations toward organization accounts, including specified financial, health, VPN, and government use cases.

An organization account isn’t a shortcut around personal-account testing. The information you submit for verification needs to match the actual organization.

Keep the account with the owner

Use an account the owner controls. Invite collaborators with the permissions they need, and keep account recovery with the publisher.

Before enrolling, you should be able to name the legal publisher, the account holder, and the public identity you expect users to see. Gather the documents for that account type, then follow the Apple or Google enrollment steps.

Already chose the wrong type?

Use the platform’s account support process. Don’t create duplicate accounts or assume an ownership transfer can happen immediately.

If a business only has a trading name, check its legal status before repeatedly trying organization verification.