Free founder checklist
To set up an Apple Developer and Google Play developer account, decide whether you publish as an individual or an organization, get a free D-U-N-S number if you are an organization, then enroll in the Apple Developer Program (US$99 per year) and register in Google Play Console (US$25 one time) with your government ID. New personal Google Play accounts must also run a closed test with 12 testers for 14 days before going live.
Answer a few questions to get the right account type, documents, D-U-N-S steps, testing rules, a realistic timeline, and a printable checklist. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is stored.
Step 1
Decide whether you publish as an individual or as an organization; this sets the seller or developer name shown on the store.
Step 2
If you publish as an organization, look up or request a free D-U-N-S number and make sure the legal name and address match.
Step 3
Enroll in the Apple Developer Program (US$99 per year) with an Apple Account that has two-factor authentication turned on.
Step 4
Create a Google Play Console developer account (US$25 one time) and complete identity verification.
Step 5
Create your app records, add privacy details, and start testing with TestFlight and a Google Play closed test.
Only if you enroll as an organization. Apple requires a D-U-N-S number to verify companies, nonprofits, and institutions. Individuals and sole proprietors enroll under their personal legal name and do not need one. Google Play also asks organization accounts for a D-U-N-S number.
Use Apple's D-U-N-S lookup tool on the Apple Developer site. Search for your organization first; if it is not listed, submit the free request, which goes to Dun & Bradstreet. A new number typically takes about 5 business days to 2 weeks and can take longer. You do not need to pay for an expedited service.
The Apple Developer Program costs US$99 per year, with fee waivers for eligible nonprofits, accredited educational institutions, and government entities. A Google Play developer account has a one-time US$25 registration fee. Fees can change, so confirm them on Apple's and Google's official pages.
Individual enrollments are typically processed within a few days. Organization enrollments typically take a few days to two weeks once you have a D-U-N-S number, because Apple verifies the legal entity and your authority to sign for it. Either can take longer.
Personal Google Play developer accounts created after November 13, 2023 must run a closed test with at least 12 testers who stay opted in for at least 14 consecutive days before applying for production access. Organization accounts are not subject to this requirement.
Points, pixels, and App Store screenshot sizes for every iPhone.
Create every iOS and Android app icon size from one image.
Plan the launch tasks around your first release.
Estimate how long your app will take to build.
Cut your first version down to the features that matter.