QUICK ANSWER
How much does it cost to publish an app?
Two developer accounts, and nothing else is mandatory. Apple published a 99 USD annual membership and Google a US$25 one-time registration fee, both read on 2026-08-16. Everything past that is optional or conditional: a free D-U-N-S Number for companies, banking and tax forms before payouts, and a store commission only once you actually sell something.
Publishing is a separate bill from building. Whoever wrote the code, and whether that was an agency, a no-code tool, an AI builder, or you, the two app stores charge their own fees and impose their own entry requirements before a single user can install anything.
This guide covers only that second bill: the developer accounts, the verification and payout paperwork, the testing you are required to run, and the commission that starts once you sell something. It does not estimate what the app itself costs to build.
Assumptions behind the totals
Change any of these and the total moves. They are stated so you can disagree with a specific line instead of the whole number. These are store fees, not Playcode subscription prices.
| Assumption | Value used | Why it changes the estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Prices read on 2026-08-16, in USD | Apple 99 USD per membership year, Apple Enterprise 299 USD per membership year, Google US$25 one time. | Apple states prices may vary by region and are shown in local currency during enrollment. A non-USD budget needs the local figure from the enrollment flow, plus any local tax on the fee. |
| One app, not a portfolio | The totals assume one app published under one developer account on each store. | Both store accounts cover multiple apps, so a second app adds no new account fee. Per-app pricing appears in some third-party builders, not in the store fees. |
| You hold the accounts | The developer accounts are yours, in your name or your company name, and you press submit. | No tool can publish under your identity for you. If a vendor offers to list your app under their account, that is a different arrangement with different ownership and different risk. |
| The app is free to install at launch | No paid downloads and no in-app purchases in the first release. | Commission is zero in this case. Turning on paid downloads or in-app purchases moves you into the store commission tiers and adds the banking and tax prerequisites. |
| Your time has a value even when no cash leaves | The D-U-N-S lookup, the tax forms, and the twelve-tester closed test are counted as calendar time and effort, not as fees. | The cash total for a first launch is small. The elapsed time is not, and that is where first-time publishers are surprised. |
How this publishing cost model works
The model separates four bills that people usually add into one wrong number: the store account, the paperwork that gates the account, the testing the store makes you run, and the commission the store takes on sales. Only the first is a fixed price. For the build side of the budget, see the app development cost guide and the AI app development cost guide.
Start with the two account fees, because they are the only fixed prices
Apple and Google each charge once for the right to distribute, and the two work differently. Apple bills a membership year, so it comes back every year for as long as your app is listed. Google bills a single registration and then stops. Read both numbers on the vendor page rather than from a blog, because only one of them recurs and that difference compounds.
Sources: [apple-enrollment], [apple-programs], [google-registration]
Add the verification steps that gate the account
The fee is not the first hurdle. Apple requires a D-U-N-S Number registered to a legal entity before a company can enroll, and asks for up to two business days to receive the record from Dun and Bradstreet. Individuals skip that step. These are usually cash-free and time-expensive, which is exactly the kind of cost a budget spreadsheet loses.
Sources: [apple-duns], [apple-enrollment]
Price the payout paperwork before you price the sale
Money does not move because your app is live. Apple requires you to sign the Paid Apps Agreement, enter banking information, and submit tax forms before it pays anything, and every developer completes a US tax form regardless of where they are based. Build that into the launch schedule, not into the week you expect your first payout.
Sources: [apple-tax]
Count the testing the store obliges you to run
Google requires personal developer accounts created after 13 November 2023 to run a closed test with at least twelve testers opted in continuously for at least fourteen days before applying for production access. That is not a fee, it is a recruiting job and a two-week floor on your calendar, and it is the single most commonly missed item in a first Android launch.
Sources: [google-testing]
Treat commission as a cost of selling, not a cost of publishing
A free app that sells nothing pays no commission on either store. The rates only start when money moves, and both stores publish reduced rates for smaller developers. Keep this out of the launch budget and inside the revenue model, or you will overstate the cost of getting listed.
Sources: [apple-small-business], [google-service-fees]
Add the work between a finished build and an uploaded binary
Publishing means uploading a signed binary, an .aab for Android or an .ipa for iOS, to the store console. Producing and signing that file is a real task with a real tool cost, whether you pay a builder, a build service, or a developer to do it. Price it separately from the store fee.
Sources: [expo-submit], [playcode-pricing]
What this estimate covers
The owner here is the cost of getting an app listed and payable, for any app from any source. Build cost belongs to the app development cost guide. If you are still deciding whether you need a store listing at all, read web app vs mobile app first, because a web app skips this entire bill.
Included
- Apple Developer Program and Apple Developer Enterprise Program membership fees.
- The Google Play Console one-time developer registration fee.
- Identity and legal-entity verification, including the D-U-N-S Number requirement for companies.
- Banking and tax setup that gates payouts, for paid apps and in-app purchases.
- The closed-testing obligation that applies to newer personal Google Play accounts.
- Store commission rates and the reduced tiers both stores publish for smaller developers.
Not included
- What it costs to design, build, or maintain the app itself.
- Marketing, app store optimization, paid installs, and customer acquisition.
- Legal, accounting, privacy, or tax advice for your jurisdiction.
- Any promise of approval, a review outcome, or a review duration on either store.
- Local currency conversions, regional price variations, and local sales taxes on the fees themselves.
Four publishing budgets, from cheapest to most involved
Each scenario states cash out and calendar drag separately, because they behave differently. All figures come from the dated sources at the end of this guide.
Google Play only, personal account
A first Android release by an individual who wants the lowest possible entry cost.
- One-time
- US$25 planning figure, the Play Console registration fee published 2026-08-16.
- Recurring
- Nothing further to Google for the account itself. Commission applies only if you sell.
Includes
- One Google Play developer account covering as many Android apps as you publish.
- Access to internal, closed, open, and production tracks in Play Console.
Excludes
- The twelve-tester, fourteen-day closed test is unavoidable for personal accounts created after 13 November 2023 and adds at least two weeks before you may apply for production access.
Uncertainty: Low on cash, medium on calendar. Recruiting twelve testers who stay opted in for fourteen continuous days is the part that slips.
Sources: [google-registration], [google-testing]
Apple App Store only, individual enrollment
A first iOS release by one person, with no company entity involved.
- One-time
- 99 USD planning figure for the first membership year, the Apple Developer Program fee published 2026-08-16.
- Recurring
- 99 USD per membership year for as long as the app stays listed. Apple states enrollment through its app renews as an auto-renewable annual subscription until cancelled.
Includes
- Apple Developer Program membership covering App Store distribution and TestFlight.
- No D-U-N-S Number required, because individuals are exempt.
Excludes
- Banking and tax forms, which are only required once you want to be paid for a paid app or in-app purchase.
Uncertainty: Low on cash. The number to watch is the renewal, because letting it lapse removes your app from sale.
Sources: [apple-enrollment], [apple-programs], [apple-duns]
Both stores, individual or sole trader
The normal case: one person shipping the same app to iPhone and Android users.
- One-time
- 124 USD planning figure in year one, being 99 USD to Apple plus US$25 to Google, at the rates published 2026-08-16.
- Recurring
- 99 USD per membership year, because only the Apple side renews.
Includes
- Both developer accounts, covering every app you publish under them.
- Both store consoles, both sets of testing tracks, and both review queues.
Excludes
- Any commission, because this scenario assumes a free app with no in-app purchases.
Uncertainty: Low on cash, medium on calendar. Two review queues run independently and can return different verdicts on the same release. Google states processing can take a few hours or up to seven days, or longer in exceptional cases, and neither store commits to a duration.
Sources: [apple-enrollment], [google-registration], [google-testing], [google-review]
Both stores, registered company, selling something
A business publishing under a legal entity and charging for the app or for in-app purchases.
- One-time
- 124 USD planning figure in year one for the two accounts, plus the unpaid work of the D-U-N-S lookup, the Paid Apps Agreement, banking details, and tax forms.
- Recurring
- 99 USD per membership year to Apple, plus store commission on what you sell. Apple publishes a reduced 15 percent rate for developers with up to 1 million USD in prior-year proceeds; Google publishes 15 percent on a developer first 1 million USD of annual earnings and 30 percent above it.
Includes
- A free D-U-N-S Number registered to the legal entity, which Apple requires from companies and educational institutions.
- Signed Paid Apps Agreement, verified banking details, and completed tax forms before any payout.
Excludes
- Payment processing fees outside the stores, and any alternative billing arrangement in the specific markets where the stores allow one.
Uncertainty: Medium to high on calendar. Apple asks for up to two business days after D-U-N-S issuance before you may enroll, and tax form corrections cannot be made in App Store Connect after submission.
Sources: [apple-enrollment], [apple-duns], [apple-tax], [apple-small-business], [google-registration], [google-service-fees]
Private in-house distribution, no public listing
An organization distributing an internal app to its own employees, not to the public.
- One-time
- 299 USD planning figure for the first Apple Developer Enterprise Program year.
- Recurring
- 299 USD per membership year, per Apple published rate on 2026-08-16.
Includes
- Private distribution to employees through a secure internal system or a mobile device management solution.
Excludes
- Public App Store listing. This program is a different product from the 99 USD Apple Developer Program, not an upgrade of it.
Uncertainty: Medium. Apple states organizations may be eligible; eligibility is decided by Apple, not by paying the fee.
Sources: [apple-enterprise], [apple-programs]
Every line that can appear on a publishing bill
Four of these six are cash. Two are time, and they are the two that break first launches.
| Category | One-time | Recurring | Main drivers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Store developer accounts The right to distribute through the App Store or Google Play, one account per store, covering all your apps. Sources: [apple-enrollment], [apple-enterprise], [google-registration] | US$25 to Google, once. Apple charges no separate joining fee beyond the first membership year. | 99 USD per Apple membership year, or 299 USD for the Enterprise program. Google does not bill the account again. | How many stores you actually need. Android-only or iOS-only halves this line.; Whether you need public store distribution or private in-house distribution. |
| Identity and legal-entity verification Proving who you are before either store will let you distribute under that name. Sources: [apple-duns], [google-registration] | No cash for the D-U-N-S Number itself, which Dun and Bradstreet issues at no charge. Company registration documents may be needed to resolve a mismatch. | None, unless the legal entity name or status changes. | Individual versus company enrollment. Individuals skip D-U-N-S entirely.; Whether your entity is already listed with the correct legal status. Apple does not accept trading names, fictitious businesses, or branches. |
| Payout setup: banking and tax The paperwork that stands between a live paid app and money arriving in your account. Sources: [apple-tax] | No fee. Real effort: signing the Paid Apps Agreement, entering banking information, and submitting a US tax form plus any local forms. | Occasional. Apple states some updates generate a new Paid Apps Agreement that must be accepted after processing. | Where your developer account is based, which decides whether you file a W-9 or a W-8 series form.; Whether you are an individual or a business entity, which decides the tax identification number required. |
| Required pre-release testing Testing the store makes a condition of production access, separate from any testing you would do anyway. Sources: [google-testing] | No fee. Fourteen continuous days minimum on Google Play for qualifying personal accounts, plus the work of finding twelve testers. | None once production access is granted, though continued testing is expected before each release. | Account type and creation date. Personal Google Play accounts created after 13 November 2023 are in scope.; Tester retention. Google states testers who opt out and back in must restart the fourteen continuous days. |
| Store commission on sales What the store keeps when a user pays for the app or buys something inside it. Sources: [apple-small-business], [google-service-fees] | None. This line is zero until the first paid transaction. | Apple publishes 15 percent under the App Store Small Business Program for developers with up to 1 million USD in prior-year proceeds. Google publishes 15 percent on a developer first 1 million USD of annual earnings each year and 30 percent above it, with 15 percent for auto-renewing subscriptions. | Whether the app charges at all. A free app with no in-app purchases pays nothing here.; Annual proceeds, market, program enrollment, and billing path. Both stores publish several tiers, not one rate. |
| Producing and signing the uploadable binary The tooling that turns a finished app into the signed .aab or .ipa the store console will accept. Sources: [expo-submit], [playcode-pricing] | Depends entirely on how the app was built. A hosted build service, a developer, or a builder subscription all land on this line. | Whatever the build tool or builder subscription costs each month, plus a rebuild for every release. | Whether your build tooling handles signing, or you manage certificates and provisioning yourself.; Release frequency. Each store submission needs a fresh signed build. |
When to check these numbers again
Store fees are the most quotable and least stable numbers in app publishing. Two of the figures here changed structure within the last two years, and the commission tiers are actively being restructured by market. Treat any fee older than a quarter as unverified.
What moves the estimate
- Both stores can change fees, tiers, and eligibility rules at any time, without a notice period that reaches you.
- Apple states prices vary by region and are shown in local currency during enrollment, so a USD figure is not your figure.
- Commission structures are being rolled out by market rather than globally, so two developers can be on different rates on the same day.
- Verification requirements tighten periodically. The twelve-tester rule did not exist before November 2023.
Re-estimate when
- You are about to commit the budget, rather than when you first read a guide.
- You change from an individual to a company account, or the other way.
- You turn on paid downloads, in-app purchases, or subscriptions for the first time.
- You add a country, because both the fee currency and the commission structure can differ.
- More than three months have passed since the date on the source you used.
What keeps costing money after launch day
Only one store fee recurs. Everything else on this list is a consequence of selling, or of keeping a build pipeline alive.
| Cost | Cadence | Planning range | Boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Developer Program membership Sources: [apple-enrollment], [apple-enterprise] | Every membership year | 99 USD per membership year at the rate published 2026-08-16, or 299 USD for the Enterprise program. | This is the one that catches people. Apple states web enrollment is purchased per membership year and that enrolling through the Apple Developer app renews automatically until cancelled. Lapsing removes your app from sale. |
| Google Play developer account Sources: [google-registration] | Once, at registration | US$25 one time at the rate published 2026-08-16, with nothing further billed for the account. | Google states the registration fee is not refunded if the identity information you provide is determined to be invalid, so get the legal name and card details right the first time. |
| Store commission on what you sell Sources: [apple-small-business], [google-service-fees] | Per transaction, once you charge for anything | 15 percent under Apple Small Business Program eligibility; 15 percent on a developer first 1 million USD of annual Google Play earnings and 30 percent above it. | Zero until the first paid transaction. Google states 97 percent of developers distribute at no service fee at all, and that 99 percent of those who do pay are eligible for 15 percent or less. |
| The tooling that builds and hosts the app Sources: [playcode-pricing], [expo-submit] | Monthly, plus a rebuild per release | Entirely dependent on your build path. Playcode lists a Pro plan at 25 USD per month billed monthly, with an annual option, production hosting, custom domains, and a code download. | This is not a store fee and no store requires it. It appears here because a signed binary has to come from somewhere, and that somewhere has a price. |
Decide which bill you actually have to pay
Most people over-budget publishing and under-budget the calendar. These rules sort one from the other.
You want the cheapest possible way to put something installable in front of real users.
Choose: Publish to Google Play first. US$25 once is the lowest entry price either store offers, and it never renews.
Tradeoff: You accept the twelve-tester, fourteen-day closed test on a new personal account, and you reach no iPhone users until you also pay Apple.
Your audience is overwhelmingly on iPhone and you need them this quarter.
Choose: Pay the 99 USD Apple membership and treat it as an annual line item from day one.
Tradeoff: It recurs forever. Budget it as a subscription, not as a launch cost, and diarise the renewal.
You are not sure the product has demand yet and no device capability forces a native app.
Choose: Ship a web app first and skip this entire bill. No account fee, no verification, no closed test, no review queue.
Tradeoff: No store listing, no store search, and no push-notification behavior that depends on an installed app.
You are publishing under a company name rather than your own.
Choose: Start the D-U-N-S lookup before anything else, and confirm your entity is listed with the correct legal status.
Tradeoff: It is free but it is not instant. Apple asks for up to two business days after issuance, and a legal-status mismatch means going back to Dun and Bradstreet with registration documents.
You intend to charge for the app or sell anything inside it.
Choose: Complete the Paid Apps Agreement, banking, and tax forms during the build, not after approval.
Tradeoff: It is unglamorous work early. The alternative is a live app that cannot take money, and Apple states tax submissions cannot be edited in App Store Connect afterwards.
Someone offers to publish your app under their developer account for a fee.
Choose: Decline unless you understand exactly who owns the listing, the reviews, and the ability to ship an update.
Tradeoff: You save the account fee and the verification work, and you give up control of the asset. The account fees are small enough that this is rarely a good trade.
CHECK THE CHEAPER PATH FIRST
Prove the idea before you pay either store
A working web app costs no developer account, faces no review queue, and answers the only question that matters early: does anyone want this. Build it, put it on a link, and pay the store fees when the demand is real.
Build a working appStore fees are charged by Apple and Google to your own developer accounts. No builder can waive them.
See current Playcode plansA builder subscription is a separate line from the store fees on this page.
What this guide cannot tell you
This is a dated reading of two vendors public pages, not advice. It is not legal, tax, accounting, or compliance guidance, and it makes no promise about any store decision.
- Fees are quoted in USD. Apple states prices vary by region and are shown in local currency during enrollment, so your figure may differ.
- Neither store commits to a review duration, and this guide does not state one. Review can also return a rejection, more than once.
- Eligibility for the Apple Developer Enterprise Program, the App Store Small Business Program, and reduced Google Play service fees is decided by the store, not by paying a fee.
- Commission structures are being rolled out market by market, so the rate that applies to you depends on where your users are and when you read this.
- Local sales tax on the membership fee itself is not included and varies by country.
- This guide does not price building, designing, testing beyond the store minimum, or marketing the app.
- The figures were read on 2026-08-16. Anything after that date is unverified by this page; open the source links before you commit a budget.
Sources, with the date each one was read
Every figure above comes from one of these pages, read on 2026-08-16. Links are direct to the vendor and carry no tracking or affiliate parameters.
[apple-enrollment] Apple Developer:Enrollment support
Checked August 16, 2026. Supports: Apple states the Apple Developer Program annual fee is 99 USD and the Apple Developer Enterprise Program annual fee is 299 USD, in local currency where available, that prices may vary by region, and that enrolling through the Apple Developer app provides membership as an auto-renewable annual subscription. It also notes a fee waiver for accredited educational institutions.
[apple-programs] Apple Developer:Apple Developer Program
Checked August 16, 2026. Supports: The program page states a 99 USD annual membership and points organizations needing private internal distribution to the Apple Developer Enterprise Program at 299 USD per year.
[apple-enterprise] Apple Developer:Apple Developer Enterprise Program
Checked August 16, 2026. Supports: Apple states the Apple Developer Enterprise Program is 299 USD per membership year, or in local currency where available, for organizations distributing privately to employees.
[apple-duns] Apple Developer:D-U-N-S Number requirement
Checked August 16, 2026. Supports: Apple states companies and educational institutions must provide a D-U-N-S Number registered to their legal entity, that the number is free from Dun and Bradstreet, that individuals do not need one, and that up to two business days should be allowed for Apple to receive the record before enrolling.
[apple-tax] App Store Connect Help:Provide tax information
Checked August 16, 2026. Supports: Apple states that receiving payments requires entering banking information and submitting tax forms, that the Paid Apps Agreement must be signed first, that all developers complete a US tax form, and that submitted tax information cannot be changed in App Store Connect afterwards.
[apple-small-business] Apple Developer:App Store Small Business Program
Checked August 16, 2026. Supports: Apple states the program applies a reduced 15 percent commission on paid apps and in-app purchases for developers who earned up to 1 million USD in proceeds in the prior calendar year, and that the standard rate applies once that threshold is passed in the current year.
[google-registration] Google Play Console Help:Register for a Google Play developer account
Checked August 16, 2026. Supports: Google states there is a US$25 one-time registration fee payable by credit or debit card, and that the fee is not refunded if the identity information provided is determined to be invalid.
[google-testing] Google Play Console Help:Testing requirements for new personal developer accounts
Checked August 16, 2026. Supports: Google states personal accounts created after 13 November 2023 must run a closed test with at least 12 testers opted in continuously for at least 14 days before applying for production access, and that testers who opt out and back in must restart the 14 continuous days.
[google-service-fees] Google Play Console Help:Service fees
Checked August 16, 2026. Supports: Google states 97 percent of developers distribute at no service fee, that eligible developers pay 15 percent on the first 1 million USD of annual earnings and 30 percent above it, and that auto-renewing subscriptions are charged at 15 percent regardless of revenue.
[google-review] Google Play Console Help:Publish your app
Checked August 16, 2026. Supports: Google states processing an app change can take a few hours or up to seven days, or longer in exceptional cases, and that apps from new developer accounts can be subject to extended review times.
[expo-submit] Expo Documentation:Submit to app stores
Checked August 16, 2026. Supports: Expo states that releasing an app means uploading a signed binary, an .aab for Android or an .ipa for iOS, to Google Play Console or App Store Connect, and that Google and Apple then manage review, testing tracks, and production rollout.
[playcode-pricing] Playcode:Playcode pricing
Checked August 16, 2026. Supports: Playcode lists a Pro plan at 25 USD per month billed monthly with 100 AI credits, an annual billing option, a Max plan from 100 USD per month, production hosting, custom domains with automatic SSL, and a code download.
Publishing cost questions people actually ask
How much is an Apple developer account?
Apple published 99 USD per membership year for the Apple Developer Program, read on 2026-08-16. The Apple Developer Enterprise Program, for private distribution to your own employees rather than public App Store listing, is published at 299 USD per membership year. Apple states prices may vary by region and are shown in local currency during enrollment.
How much does a Google Play developer account cost?
Google published a US$25 one-time registration fee, read on 2026-08-16. Unlike the Apple membership, it does not renew. Google also states the fee is not refunded if the identity information you provide during registration is determined to be invalid, so use your correct legal name and a card in that name.
Is the Apple fee really every year?
Yes. Apple bills a membership year, not a one-time joining fee, and states that enrolling through the Apple Developer app provides membership as an auto-renewable annual subscription until cancelled. Google is the opposite: one registration fee and nothing after. Over five years that is roughly 495 USD to Apple against 25 USD to Google.
Can I publish an app without paying anything?
Not to either public store. Both fees are conditions of distribution and there is no free tier for a public listing. The genuinely free alternative is not publishing to a store at all: a web app installs from a link, needs no developer account, and skips both review queues. It also gives up store search and native device behavior.
What costs do people forget when they budget for publishing?
Four, consistently. That the Apple fee recurs annually while Google does not. That companies need a D-U-N-S Number before Apple will let them enroll. That banking and tax forms gate payouts, not approval. And that newer personal Google Play accounts must run a closed test with at least twelve testers for fourteen continuous days before applying for production access.
Do Apple and Google take a cut of my revenue as well?
Only when you sell something. Apple publishes a reduced 15 percent commission under the App Store Small Business Program for developers with up to 1 million USD in prior-year proceeds. Google publishes 15 percent on a developer first 1 million USD of annual earnings and 30 percent above it. A free app with no in-app purchases pays neither.
How long does it take to get published once I have paid?
Neither store commits to a duration, so plan in days and never book a launch date on review. Google states that processing an app change can take a few hours or up to seven days, or longer in exceptional cases, and that new developer accounts can face extended review. Review can also reject a build and send you round again.
Does an AI builder change what I pay the stores?
No. The store fees are charged to the account holder, and the account holder is you regardless of what built the app. A builder subscription is a separate line for producing and signing the binary you upload. Be suspicious of any tool that implies it removes an Apple or Google fee, because it cannot.
Do I need my own developer accounts, or can a tool publish for me?
You need your own. Both stores tie the listing, the reviews, the payouts, and the right to ship updates to the account that submitted it. A tool can prepare and upload the build, but the accounts should be in your name and you should be the one who presses submit, or you do not control your own app.
BUILD THE THING YOU ARE BUDGETING FOR
The fees are small. The idea still has to work.
Describe what the app should do and get a working version you can put in front of real people. Playcode AI builds it and Playcode Cloud runs it, with a real backend, a database, and a live link.
Start BuildingYou keep your own Apple and Google developer accounts, and you submit your app yourself.