All merchants who want to publish an iOS app must enroll in the Apple Developer Program.
In this article, we will walk you through the process of enrolling as a business or organization in the Apple Developer Program.
Please complete all steps in the following instructions. Otherwise, we will not be able to confirm your new account.
Why do I need an Apple Developer Account?
All merchants who want to publish an iOS app must enroll in the Apple Developer Program. You need an Apple Developer Account to publish your iOS app on the App Store and make it available for download by your customers.
Register and create an Apple Developer Account
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Set up at Shopgate | |
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Enroll in the Program | |
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Create an Apple ID
Use an existing email address associated with your business to create an Apple ID. We recommend using an email address that multiple people in your company can access, such as your support@ or info@ email address. If you don't have a company email address, create one first.
- Go to this page to Create Your Apple ID.
- Fill out the form, making sure you use your company email address. Apple will send important actions or decisions regarding your app to this email. Please check your email regularly. If you have any questions about the content of the emails you receive from Apple, please contact Shopgate support.
- A 6-digit verification code will be emailed to you. Enter the code in the pop-up window that opens. This code will expire three hours after the email is sent.
- Your Apple ID has been created. Please note that creating an Apple ID is not the same as creating an Apple Developer Account.
To enroll in the Apple Developer Program, you must have two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled on your Apple ID. This security feature should be automatically enabled when you create your Apple ID; if it is not, please log in to your Apple ID account and enable 2FA.
Enroll in the Program
Once your Apple ID has been created, go to the Apple Developer Program Enrollment page.
- Click Start Your Enrollment and sign in with your new Apple ID.
- Read and agree to the Apple Developer Agreement. Click Submit.
- Now your Apple Developer Program will open. Select your entity type. the block Join the Apple Developer Program on the Welcome page and click Enroll on the next page.
- In the field "I develop apps as," select Company/Organization as your Entity Type. Click Continue.
- Enter your Organization Information on the next screen and click Continue.
Select My organization has given me the authority... to have Apple contact a senior employee at your organization (instead of the owner/founder) to verify your enrollment. Enter that employee's contact info in "Verification Contact." Make sure to enter a phone number where Apple can reach you.
- Legal Entity Name
Your company name including the entity type, such as Inc., Corp., LLC, LC, Ltd. Co., etc. - D-U-N-S® Number
Your organization must have a D-U-N-S Number so that Apple can verify your organization's identity and legal status. You can check to see if your organization already has a D-U-N-S Number and apply for one if necessary using the D-U-N-S Number lookup tool. - Website
Your company website. - Headquarters Phone Number - Enter a number where Apple can reach you.
Apple WILL call to verify your enrollment. If you are the owner/founder, make sure to enter a number where Apple can reach you. - Your Work Email
- Legal Entity Name
- Review your enrollment details on the next screen. If everything is correct, click Submit.
Within the next two weeks, Apple will call the "Verification Contact" or your "Headquarters Phone Number" to verify your enrollment. Please make sure to notify the person who is going to answer the call.
If the verification is successful, a confirmation will be sent to your Apple ID email address. In this confirmation email, a link will be provided to confirm and pay for your Apple Developer membership.
- In the email, click Review Now. This will open the "Review and Accept" screen of your Apple Developer Program Enrollment.
- Log in with your Apple ID and password.
- Accept the Apple Developer Program License Agreement by checking the box on the bottom of the page and clicking Continue.
- On the next screen, review your purchase details and select Automatic Renewal.
If Automatic Renewal is not used, please set a reminder on your calendar (repeat yearly) to renew your membership every year. Your app will be removed from the App Store within 24 hours upon the expiration of your membership.
- You will now be forwarded to the App Store. Login again with the same Apple ID and password.
- On the next screen, pay $99 with your credit card and click Continue.
- Accept the Terms & Conditions and click Continue. Follow the onscreen instructions until you see the "Thank you" page.
Now you have enrolled successfully in the Apple Developer Program. You will receive two welcome emails and a payment confirmation from Apple at your Apple ID email address within an hour or so.
Invite Shopgate
Your Shopgate App team works hard to create and update your app. In order for our team members to do their job, please invite Shopgate as an admin on your App Store Connect.
- Log into your App Store Connect, click Users and Roles →
on top of the Users list.
- The "Add App Store Connect user" page will open. Enter the User Information for Shopgate and click Next.
- First name: Shopgate
- Last Name: Inc.
- Email: The email address to invite to your developer account can be found by logging in to your Shopgate Admin and going to Settings → Native Apps → Apple Developer Account → To be used for "Invite as Admins"
- Select Admin as the "User Role".
- Place a check in the box for Access to Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles in the Developer Resources section and click Invite.
The Shopgate App team will receive an email and accept the invitation shortly.
Set up at Shopgate
As soon as you finished all the steps above, enter your Apple Developer account information at Shopgate.
- Log into your Shopgate Admin.
- Navigate to Settings → Native Apps → Apple Developer Account.
- Select Company/Organization and click Continue.
- Enter the following information then Confirm Setup.
- Your Apple ID
- Team Name, Team ID displayed at Developer Account → Membership.
The team name is normally the legal entity name but can also be a registered DBA (doing business as) name.
That's it! Now you have finished setting up your Apple Developer account! We will create and upload your iOS app within a few days. You will get an email confirmation from Apple once this process is complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I enroll as an individual or organization?
If your company is a corporation (Corp., Inc.), limited liability company (LLC, LC, Ltd. Co.), or legal entity (GmbH, AG, KG, oHg, etc.), you must enroll as an organization or your app will be rejected.
Organizational membership in the Apple Developer Program provides several benefits. For example, your organization's brand name will appear below the app name in the App Store, and you can invite other developers to join your team within your account.
However, if you are a sole proprietorship or one-person company, you must enroll as an individual.
What is a D-U-N-S® number and where can I find it?
The D-U-N-S Number is a unique nine-digit number that identifies business entities on a location-specific basis. Assigned and maintained by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), the D-U-N-S Number is widely used as a standard business identifier.
While many types of businesses can receive a D-U-N-S Number, your business must be recognized as a legal entity (e.g., a corporation, limited partnership, limited liability company) to enter into the legal terms and obligations of Apple Developer Program agreements. DBAs, fictitious businesses, trade names, and branches are not accepted.
D&B may have already assigned your organization a free D-U-N-S Number. Before enrolling, check if you already received one using the D-U-N-S Number lookup tool.
What should I do if I can't find my D-U-N-S number?
If your company is not listed here, you can submit your information to Dun & Bradstreet for a free D-U-N-S Number. You will be asked for the following information when requesting a D-U-N-S Number using the D-U-N-S Number lookup tool:
- Legal entity name
- Headquarters address
- Mailing address
- Your work contact information
As part of their verification process, a D&B representative may contact you for more information (e.g., type of business, the number of employees). Please have your business registration documents ready.
Can I enroll as an individual and have my company appear as the seller on the App Store?
No. To have your company name appear as the seller, you must enroll as an organization and your company must be recognized as a legal entity. If you are a sole proprietor/single person business, you must join as an individual and your legal name will appear as the seller.
If you have enrolled as an individual and need to convert your individual membership to an organization membership, please contact us at support@shopgate.com
How does the enrollment work?
When enrolling as an organization, you can review the license agreement and purchase a membership after Apple Developer Support has verified your enrollment and sent you an email with the next steps. You can check your enrollment status in your Apple Developer Program. Be sure to sign in with the Apple ID you used to enroll.
Individuals and sole proprietors/single person businesses can review the license agreement and purchase a membership at the time of enrollment.
How much does a membership cost?
The Apple Developer Program membership is $99 per membership year in the United States and 99€ in Europe. This cost is the same for an individual membership and an organizational membership.
To provide a long-standing app, you must renew and pay for your membership every year.