# Apple developer account: individual vs organization

Source: https://rushilo.com/blog/apple-developer-account-individual-vs-organization
By om.assets, Rushilo. Updated 2026-11-03.

> Both Apple Developer Program account types cost $99 a year. An individual account is fast and needs no company, but your personal legal name is shown as the seller on the App Store and cannot be changed. An organization account shows your company name and supports a real team, but it needs a registered legal entity (an LLC or corporation, not a DBA), a free D-U-N-S number and a company website. You can switch later, but expect weeks of paperwork.

You are about to pay Apple $99 and the form asks one question that matters more than it looks: are you enrolling as an individual or as an organization? Pick wrong and either your full legal name sits under every app you ship, or you lose two weeks chasing a number you have never heard of.

The short version: **the price is identical, the paperwork is not.** An individual account is the fast lane and shows your personal name. An organization account shows your company name and lets you run a team, but it needs a real legal entity and a D-U-N-S number first.

This guide covers the four things people actually ask about: the name shown on the store, the D-U-N-S number, liability, and when it makes sense to switch.

## What is the difference between an individual and an organization account?

An individual account is tied to you as a person and shows your legal name as the seller; an organization account is tied to a registered company and shows the company's legal name. Both cost $99 USD a year, according to Apple's enrollment page as of November 2026.

Two terms you will see:

- **Seller name / developer name**: the name printed under your app on the App Store and on the purchase sheet.
- **D-U-N-S number**: a free nine digit business ID from Dun & Bradstreet. Apple uses it to check that your company exists, where it is, and that it is a legal entity.

| | Individual | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $99 USD | $99 USD (waivers for some nonprofits, schools, government) |
| Name on the App Store | Your personal legal name | Your company's legal name (or a registered trade name) |
| D-U-N-S number | Not needed | Required |
| Legal entity | Not needed | LLC, corporation or similar; no DBAs or sole proprietorships |
| Website | Not needed | Public site on the company's own domain |
| Work email | Any | Ideally on the company domain |
| Team roles | Limited, you are the Account Holder | Full team with roles; Account Holder can be transferred |
| Typical approval | Often a day or two | About 1 to 2 weeks including D-U-N-S |

Rows for fees, name, D-U-N-S, entity and website come from Apple's enroll and D-U-N-S pages. The approval times are typical reports from developers, not an Apple promise.

## What name is shown on the App Store?

On an individual account, your first and last legal name is the seller name, and you cannot change it. Apple's "Set your developer name" help page says that for individuals "the developer name is the same as your legal name" and the custom name option is not available.

That surprises a lot of people. In one r/iOSProgramming thread asking exactly this, every reply said the same thing: it is your own name, and the only alternative is an organization account with a proper company. One commenter added that older accounts could once set a display name, which is why you still see some solo developers with brand names, but that option is gone for new accounts.

On an organization account, the seller is your company's legal name, for example "Apps Company LLC". Apple lets an organization use a registered trade name as the developer name, such as "Apps Company".

> **Watch out:** Apple says you set the developer name only when you add your first app, and you cannot edit it later. Get it right the first time.

Why it matters: a personal name can look like a hobby project on a paid utility, and it makes you easy to search for. A company name reads as a business. Whether that changes conversion for your app is unproven; it mostly changes how comfortable *you* feel.

## Do I need a D-U-N-S number, and how long does it take?

You need one only for an organization account. It is free, and Apple's D-U-N-S page says to allow up to 5 business days for Dun & Bradstreet to issue it, plus up to 2 business days for Apple to receive it. Paying to expedite does not speed it up.

Things that trip people up:

1. **Look up your company first.** D&B may already have assigned you a number. Apple's lookup tool on the D-U-N-S page checks this.
2. **Your legal name must match exactly.** The entity name, headquarters address and mailing address you give D&B should match your state or country registration, character for character.
3. **Sole proprietors get rejected.** If D&B lists you as a sole proprietorship, Apple's page says to enroll as an individual instead. A "not listed as a legal entity" error usually means this.
4. **Have registration documents ready.** D&B may phone you to confirm business type and employee count.

> **Tip:** Start the D-U-N-S request the day your LLC registration is approved. It is the slowest step and it runs in parallel with building your app.

## Does an organization account protect me from liability?

Partly. An organization account means the company, not you, signs Apple's agreements and sells the app, which is a step toward keeping business claims away from your personal assets. The account type alone does not create that protection; the legal entity does.

The top reply in the r/iOSProgramming thread that ranks for this keyword was blunt: register with the LLC, because "it might protect you in the case of a law suit." That is fair as far as it goes. Some honest caveats:

- An LLC protects you best when it is run as a separate business: its own bank account, its own contracts, no mixing personal spending.
- It does not protect you from your own negligence or from claims made against you personally.
- Apps that touch health data, payments or children are where liability actually bites. If that is you, talk to a local lawyer before launch.

There is also a **privacy** angle that is not about lawsuits. A European developer in the same thread said that under the EU Digital Services Act rules, traders selling apps in the EU must disclose an address and phone number on the store. They chose an organization account so their home address and personal phone would not be public. If you sell in the EU from home, weigh this one heavily.

## Which one should a beginner choose?

Choose individual if you want to ship fast, you have no company, and you are fine with your name on the listing. Choose organization if you already have an LLC, plan to bring in a co-founder or contractor, or sell in the EU and want your home address off the store.

A simple decision rule:

1. **No company, first app, testing an idea:** individual. You can be live within days.
2. **Already have an LLC or corporation:** organization. There is no reason not to, as one commenter put it.
3. **Hiring a freelancer or partner to manage builds:** organization, because team roles and Account Holder transfers are far easier.
4. **Selling paid apps or subscriptions in the EU from home:** lean organization for the address disclosure.
5. **Using a DBA only:** individual. Apple does not accept DBAs for organization enrollment.

Remember the money side is identical: both pay Apple the same commission, and both can join the App Store Small Business Program for the reduced rate. Our breakdown of [what it costs to publish on the App Store](/blog/cost-to-publish-app-on-app-store) covers every fee beyond the $99.

If you are still choosing the app itself, the [App Store Apps pack](/app-store) walks through picking a gap, writing the listing and pricing the paywall, so the account type is the last decision rather than the first.

## How do I switch from individual to organization later?

You submit a migration request from the Membership details section of your developer account. Apple's help page says you must be the founder or co-founder of the organization, provide its D-U-N-S number, and possibly submit business documents.

The steps developers describe on r/iOSProgramming:

1. Form the legal company in your country.
2. Get or update the company's D-U-N-S number.
3. Submit the migration request in your developer account.
4. Answer Apple's emails and a verification phone call.
5. Sign the new agreements and add the company's bank and tax details in App Store Connect.
6. Send a separate request to change the developer name on the store. One developer said that without this step, the apps kept showing the old personal name.
7. Check your Small Business Program status. One developer said it was reset after migration; two others said theirs stayed. Verify yours.

### How long does the switch take?

Reports range from "not long at all" to almost a month, with one person still waiting in their fourth week. Most said one to three weeks, often sped up by a polite follow-up email. Plan for a month and be pleasantly surprised.

## What goes wrong when you switch?

The biggest cost is downtime. During migration, Apple's own status message says your membership benefits are temporarily disabled, and one developer noted they could not ship app updates until it finished.

Other problems reported or documented:

- **Second person verification.** A UK developer was surprised that Apple wanted to speak with a second person at the company. That is a hurdle for a true one-person LLC.
- **Vendor ID reset.** Apple warns that changing an organization name resets the identifierForVendor for existing users on their next update, so analytics tools may count them as new installs. That cannot be undone.
- **Revenue blips.** One developer reported subscriptions dropping to zero for nine days right after the change, despite filling in all tax forms. It was a single report with no clear cause, but it is a reason to check banking, tax and agreements status the moment migration finishes.
- **Name mismatch delays.** Apple's enroll page warns that nicknames, aliases or a company name typed into personal name fields delay approval on either account type.

> **Watch out:** Do not start a migration the week before a big launch or a seasonal spike. Freeze timing around a quiet month.

## Where to go from here

1. Decide using the rule above. If in doubt and you have no company, start as an individual.
2. If you choose organization, form the entity, request the free D-U-N-S number, and put up a simple site on your own domain.
3. Enroll with your legal name exactly as it appears on your ID.
4. Set your developer name carefully on your first app; it cannot be edited later.
5. Read how [free apps actually make money](/blog/how-free-apps-make-money) before you set prices.

The account is just the door. The [App Store Apps pack](/app-store) gives you the full step-by-step on top: 24 lessons in 6 modules on picking the idea, the listing, the paywall and getting installs without ads, with checklists and templates, for $19, or all 16 packs for $39.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can you change your Apple Developer account from individual to organization?

Yes. The Account Holder submits a migration request from Membership details, giving the organization's D-U-N-S number, and Apple may ask for business documents and call you. Developers on r/iOSProgramming report one to four weeks, membership benefits paused meanwhile, and a separate request afterwards to change the developer name shown on the store.

### Is an organization Apple Developer account more expensive?

No. Apple charges $99 USD per membership year for both individual and organization accounts, as of November 2026. The D-U-N-S number is free. The real extra cost of an organization account is forming the legal entity, which depends on your state or country, plus a domain and a basic website for the company.

### Do I need an LLC to publish an app on the App Store?

No. An individual account lets you publish paid and free apps under your own legal name with no company at all. You need an LLC, corporation or other legal entity only if you want a company name shown as the seller. Apple does not accept DBAs, trade names or sole proprietorships for organization enrollment.

### Can I use a nickname or brand name on an individual account?

No. Apple's help pages say that for individuals the developer name is the same as your legal name and the custom developer name option is not available. Some old accounts still show brand names from years ago, but new individual accounts always show the first and last name you enrolled with.

### Does an organization account protect me from lawsuits?

It can help, but it is not automatic. An LLC can separate business debts and claims from your personal assets when it is run as a real separate business, with its own bank account and contracts. It does not cover your own wrongdoing. Ask a local lawyer or accountant if your app handles health, money or children's data.

### What is the best way to learn to launch and sell an iPhone app?

The Rushilo App Store Apps pack is a good starting point because its 24 lessons in 6 modules cover picking a gap, the listing, pricing and the paywall, with the mistakes indie developers reported on Reddit. It costs $19, or $39 for all 16 packs. Pair it with Apple's own App Store Connect help pages.

### Should I start as an individual and switch later?

Start as an individual if you want to ship this month and do not mind your name on the listing. Start as an organization if you already have an LLC, plan to hire, or sell in the EU and want to avoid publishing a home address. Switching later works but pauses your account for weeks.

## Sources

- [Apple: Become a member (enrollment requirements)](https://developer.apple.com/programs/enroll/)
- [Apple: D-U-N-S Number support](https://developer.apple.com/support/D-U-N-S/)
- [Apple: Set your developer name](https://developer.apple.com/help/app-store-connect/create-an-app-record/set-your-developer-name/)
- [Apple: Updating your account information](https://developer.apple.com/help/account/membership/updating-your-account-information/)
- [r/iOSProgramming: Apple paid developer account, individual or organization](https://www.reddit.com/r/iOSProgramming/comments/1cn6tbq/apple_paid_developer_account_individual_or/)
- [r/iOSProgramming: Anyone converted a developer account from individual to organization?](https://www.reddit.com/r/iOSProgramming/comments/1cyiobx/anyone_converted_a_developer_account_from/)
- [r/iOSProgramming: What name would be displayed as developer in the App Store?](https://www.reddit.com/r/iOSProgramming/comments/11uv4oc/what_name_would_be_displayed_as_developer_in_the/)