One developer account question comes up more than almost any other: should I enroll as an individual, as a company, or in the Enterprise Program? It sounds like a trivial form choice, but it determines the seller name shown on the App Store, who can sign legal agreements with Apple, whether a D-U-N-S number is required, and — in the worst case — whether your enrollment gets stuck in verification limbo for weeks. In 2026 the rules are stricter than ever about legal names, aliases, and entity documents. This guide compares the three Apple Developer Program memberships side by side so you pick the right one the first time.
The Three Memberships at a Glance
Individual — 99 USD/year. One person, sole proprietor, or single-person business. Legal name on the account, no D-U-N-S needed.
Organization — 99 USD/year. Companies and teams with a legal entity. Requires D-U-N-S number, entity documents, and a person with legal binding authority.
Enterprise — 299 USD/year. Large organizations (100+ employees) distributing proprietary internal-use apps directly to employees, outside the App Store.
Both Individual and Organization memberships cost the same and grant the same ability to publish on the App Store. The difference is identity and governance, not price. Enterprise is a different product entirely — it is not a way to publish public apps, and Apple has historically been strict about who gets in.
Individual: The Solo Developer Path
If you are an individual or a sole proprietor, Apple's Individual enrollment is the fastest route. Requirements in 2026:
- Apple Account with two-factor authentication turned on.
- Legal age of majority in your region (parents can enroll and share the account for minors).
- Your legal name in the first and last name fields. Apple explicitly warns that using an alias, nickname, or company name as a name will delay approval — this is one of the most common causes of stuck enrollments.
- Email, phone, and a physical address — P.O. boxes are not accepted.
Your personal legal name becomes the seller name on the App Store. If you later decide to rebrand as a company, that means changing your seller identity — which is why many solo devs who plan to grow start with an Organization enrollment instead, even when they are technically still a one-person business.
Individual upgrade path
You can switch your account from Individual to Organization later, but it is not a single button. Apple reviews the new entity's legal status, D-U-N-S number, and binding authority before the change is approved. Plan for the switch when you have a registered business — not on the day you need it.
Organization: For Companies and Teams
Organization enrollment (still 99 USD/year) is for legal entities that can enter into contracts with Apple. Beyond the same two-factor authentication and legal-name rules, Apple confirms four things:
- Legal binding authority. The person enrolling becomes the Account Holder and must be the owner/founder, an executive team member, a senior project lead, or an employee with legal authority granted by a senior employee.
- Legal entity name and status. Apple does not accept DBAs, fictitious business names, trade names, or branches. The entity name is displayed as the seller name on the App Store.
- D-U-N-S Number. Your organization (excluding government entities) must have a D-U-N-S number — a nine-digit identifier assigned by Dun & Bradstreet — so Apple can verify identity, legal status, and address. You can check whether your organization already has one, or request one if necessary. This is the #1 cause of delays for organization enrollments: developers submit without a D-U-N-S number or with one that does not match the entity name.
- Work email and website. Your email must use your organization's domain, and the organization's website must be publicly available and functional. Links to social media pages or near-empty domain-registrar pages are rejected.
Organization membership is the right choice for studios, agencies, and any business that wants the company name — not a person's name — on the App Store, and that may add team members with App Store Connect roles.
Enterprise: Internal Distribution for Large Organizations
The Apple Developer Enterprise Program (299 USD/year) lets large organizations develop and deploy proprietary, internal-use apps directly to their employees, bypassing the App Store entirely. Eligibility requirements:
- 100 or more employees.
- A legal entity — no DBAs, fictitious businesses, trade names, or branches.
- A D-U-N-S number for identity verification.
- A genuine internal-use case. You must demonstrate that the App Store, Ad Hoc distribution, or TestFlight would not adequately meet your needs.
Enterprise is not for distributing apps to the public, and misuse (e.g. sideloading consumer apps) can lead to termination. Two additional 2026 realities worth knowing:
- Renewal triggers re-verification. Apple may re-verify your organization at every renewal and reserves the right to reject at its sole discretion. Keep entity documents and employee counts current.
- It is not a workaround for publishing limits. If your goal is releasing public apps, Enterprise will not help — you still need a regular Program membership for App Store distribution.
Which One Should You Choose?
A quick decision guide for the most common situations:
- Solo dev, no company registered, want to ship today: Individual (99 USD). Fastest enrollment, just use your legal name.
- Registered business, want your company name as seller, or plan to add team members: Organization (99 USD). Get the D-U-N-S number sorted before you start — the verification clock does not start until Apple can match it.
- Agency publishing for multiple clients: Organization, with client apps under the client's entity where required. Understand Apple's rules on selling apps on behalf of others before structuring this.
- Company with 100+ employees shipping internal apps only: Enterprise (299 USD), with documented internal use cases.
- Not sure yet: Individual first, upgrade to Organization once the entity exists. Just budget time for the review.
Whichever tier you pick, the enrollment form itself is only half the battle — Apple's identity checks are where most delays happen. Legal name matching, a correct D-U-N-S record, a real website, and entity documents that match the applicant exactly are what get you approved in days instead of weeks.