How much does an Apple Developer account cost? (2026)
What the 99 USD covers
The standard membership is a flat 99 USD per year, and it is the single requirement that lets you put an app on the App Store. It covers:
- App Store distribution for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and the other Apple platforms.
- TestFlight for beta testing with internal and external testers.
- Code signing, certificates, and provisioning.
- Access to App Store Connect, the developer tools, and beta operating systems.
It is an annual membership, so it renews each year. Let it lapse and your apps are removed from sale until you renew. The price is shown in your local currency during enrollment and can vary slightly by region, but 99 USD is the reference figure.
Free account versus paid membership
There is an important difference between an Apple Account and a paid membership:
- A free Apple Account lets you sign in to developer resources and build and run an app on your own device for testing. It does not let you distribute to anyone else.
- The paid Apple Developer Program, at 99 USD per year, is what allows TestFlight distribution and App Store release.
So there is no free path to the public App Store. The account itself is unavoidable. For the step by step of signing up, see the Apple Developer Program enrollment guide.
Enterprise pricing and fee waivers
Two cases differ from the standard 99 USD:
- The Apple Developer Enterprise Program. This costs 299 USD per year and exists for large organizations to distribute proprietary, in-house apps to their own employees. It does not allow App Store distribution, so it is the wrong program for a public app.
- Fee waivers. Nonprofit organizations, accredited educational institutions, and government entities that meet Apple's criteria can request a waiver of the 99 USD membership fee. If approved, the membership is covered.
For almost everyone shipping a normal consumer or business app to the App Store, the right answer is the standard 99 USD per year program.
Where AppFlight fits
The 99 USD per year membership is paid directly to Apple, and AppFlight is separate from it and cannot waive it. Where AppFlight helps is everything after you enroll: it turns a plain-English prompt into a native iOS app, builds and signs it, uploads to TestFlight, and runs full App Store submission from one place. The Apple account is the one prerequisite you bring, and AppFlight handles the rest of the journey. Apple still reviews every app, so submitted is not approved.
FAQ
How much is an Apple Developer account per year?
The standard Apple Developer Program is 99 USD per year, charged in your local currency and at regional pricing. It is an annual membership, so it renews each year, and it is required to distribute apps on the App Store.
Is there a free way to publish on the App Store?
No. A free Apple Account lets you build and run apps on your own device, but distributing on the App Store requires the paid 99 USD per year membership. Nonprofits, accredited schools, and government entities can apply for a fee waiver that covers it.
Does AppFlight include the Apple Developer fee?
No. The 99 USD per year membership is paid to Apple and is separate from AppFlight. AppFlight cannot waive it. What AppFlight does is run the build, signing, TestFlight, and submission flow once your paid account is in place.