Getting Your App onto the App Store and Google Play
App store submission for UK businesses: developer accounts, D-U-N-S numbers, Apple review guidelines, Google Play testing and common rejection reasons.
App store submission has three parts: setting up developer accounts with Apple and Google, preparing the listing and the legal pieces each store asks for, and getting the app through review. For a business, the slowest part is often the accounts, because both Apple and Google require a D-U-N-S number to verify an organisation. Apple's membership costs 99 US dollars a year and Google Play charges a one-time 25 US dollar registration fee. Plan the accounts weeks before launch, not the day the app is finished.
Key takeaways
- Enrol as an organisation, not an individual, so your company name appears as the seller rather than a person's name.
- Apple and Google both require a D-U-N-S number for organisation accounts, and Apple does not accept trading names or branches.
- Apple's App Review Guidelines reject apps that crash, contain placeholder content or are little more than a repackaged website.
- Apple requires a privacy policy link and, if the app lets users create an account, a way to delete it inside the app.
- New personal Google Play accounts must run a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 days before going live.
Which developer account does your business need?
Each store has a choice between a personal and an organisation account. The choice matters more than it looks, because on the App Store it decides whose name appears as the seller, and on both stores it decides what you must provide.
| Apple Developer Program | Google Play Console | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 99 USD per membership year, shown in local currency at enrolment | One-time 25 USD registration fee |
| Seller name, individual | Your personal legal name | Not covered here |
| Seller name, organisation | Your organisation's name | Organisation name required for the account |
| D-U-N-S number for organisations | Required (except government entities) | Required |
| Website | Must be public, working and on your organisation's domain | Organisation website required |
| Testing before launch | TestFlight available with membership | Closed test of 12 testers for 14 days for new personal accounts |
For almost every business, the organisation route is right. Customers see your company as the publisher, the account belongs to the business rather than to one person, and on Google Play the closed-testing rule described below applies to personal accounts created after 13 November 2023.
Setting up an Apple developer account for your business
Apple's enrolment page sets out what an organisation needs. The key points:
- An Apple Account with two-factor authentication, ideally on a business email address. Your first and last names must be your legal names; Apple warns that using a company name or nickname delays approval.
- Legal authority. The person enrolling becomes the Account Holder and must be able to sign legal agreements for the organisation: an owner, founder, executive, senior project lead or someone given that authority.
- A legal entity. Apple says the organisation must be able to enter contracts and that it does not accept DBAs, fictitious business names, trade names or branches. In UK terms, enrol the limited company, not the brand name it trades under.
- A D-U-N-S number, the nine-digit identifier from Dun & Bradstreet that Apple uses to verify identity, legal status and address.
- A work email on your domain and a public, working website on a domain associated with the organisation. Apple says social media pages and placeholder sites are not accepted.
If your company's details at Dun & Bradstreet do not match your registered name and address exactly, fix that first. Apple also offers fee waivers for some nonprofits, accredited educational institutions and government entities.
Setting up a Google Play developer account
Google's help page on account types lists what an organisation account needs: a developer name, a D-U-N-S number, organisation name and address matching your Dun & Bradstreet record, plus an organisation phone number, website and contact details. Google states plainly that you cannot create a developer account for an organisation without a D-U-N-S number, and that the legal name and address must match your Dun & Bradstreet profile.
Google also verifies contact email addresses and phone numbers with a one-time password, and they must stay working for the life of the account. If you plan to take payments through Google Play's billing, a payment method check can take up to five days.
The closed testing rule for personal accounts
Google Play requires personal developer accounts created after 13 November 2023 to run a closed test with at least 12 testers opted in for 14 continuous days before going live. Testers who leave before 14 days do not count. If you do end up on a personal account, build this fortnight into your launch plan and line up testers in advance.
What Apple's App Review Guidelines check
Apple reviews apps before they appear on the App Store. Apple's App Review Guidelines are long, and these are the sections worth reading closely before a business app is submitted.
2.1 App Completeness
Apple says placeholder text, empty websites and other temporary content should be removed before submission. It will reject incomplete apps and binaries that crash or show obvious technical problems. If the app has a login, you must give demo account details and make sure the back-end service is switched on during review.
2.3 Accurate Metadata
The listing must reflect the app's core experience. Section 2.3.3 says screenshots should show the app in use, not just the title art, login page or splash screen.
4.2 Minimum Functionality
This is the section that catches many business apps. Apple says an app should include features, content and interface that go beyond a repackaged website, and that apps which are not particularly useful, unique or app-like do not belong on the store. Section 4.2.2 adds that, other than catalogues, apps should not be primarily marketing materials, adverts, web clippings, content aggregators or a collection of links.
If your app idea is "our website, in an app", expect trouble. Think about what the app does that the site cannot: bookings with saved details, account features, notifications, offline access or something tied to the phone. Our guide to app MVP features covers how to choose a first version that earns its place.
5.1.1 Privacy policy and account deletion
All apps must link to their privacy policy both in the App Store Connect metadata and inside the app, where it is easy to find. And if the app lets people create an account, it must also let them delete the account within the app. Build the deletion flow from the start; adding it after a rejection can cost you a release cycle.
An app store submission checklist
- Accounts: D-U-N-S number confirmed, Apple and Google organisation accounts approved, agency and team access agreed.
- Legal: privacy policy live on your website and linked in the app; terms of use if needed.
- App: no placeholder content, no crashes on real devices, account deletion if accounts exist.
- Review access: a demo account with realistic data, and the back end running.
- Listing: name, description, category, support contact, and screenshots showing the app in use.
- Testing: TestFlight for iPhone; Google Play testing tracks, including the 14-day closed test if your account needs it.
- Launch plan: a target date that allows for review and any fixes, rather than a fixed launch event the next morning.
What to do if your app is rejected
A rejection is a setback, not the end. Read the message closely, find the guideline it relates to and read that section in full. Fix the cause, not just the symptom. If a reviewer could not log in, check the demo account and the server; if the app was judged a repackaged website, adding a screen will not help, and the app needs features that justify it.
If you think the reviewer misunderstood the app, explain it clearly with steps they can follow. Keep a note of every rejection and fix, so the same problems are not repeated in later releases.
Who should own the developer accounts?
Your business. If an agency builds the app, ask for access to your accounts rather than handing over your own login, and the Account Holder should be someone in your organisation. That way the app, its listing and its reviews stay with you if you ever change developer. It is how we recommend mobile app clients set things up, and our Flutter app development guide explains how one codebase serves both stores. If you are still deciding where to launch first, read our guide on iOS or Android first.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to put an app on the App Store and Google Play?
The store fees are small: Apple charges 99 US dollars per membership year, shown in local currency when you enrol, and Google Play charges a one-time 25 US dollar registration fee. Some nonprofits, educational institutions and government bodies can apply to Apple for a fee waiver. The real cost is building, testing and maintaining the app itself.
What is a D-U-N-S number and how do I get one?
A D-U-N-S number is a nine-digit identifier assigned by Dun & Bradstreet. Apple uses it to verify an organisation's identity, legal status and address, and Google Play will not create an organisation account without one. Check that your registered company name and address are recorded correctly with Dun & Bradstreet before you start enrolling.
Can I publish under my trading name instead of my company name?
Not on Apple as the legal entity. Apple says it does not accept DBAs, fictitious business names, trade names or branches for organisation enrolment, so you enrol the legal company. Your app's own name on the store can still be your brand. The seller name shown is your organisation's legal name.
Why would Apple reject an app that works perfectly?
Working is not the only test. Apple's guidelines reject apps that are little more than a repackaged website, apps whose screenshots do not show the app in use, apps without a privacy policy link, and apps that let users sign up but not delete their account. Reviewers also need a working demo login.
Do I need a privacy policy for my app?
For the App Store, yes: Apple's guidelines say all apps must link to their privacy policy in App Store Connect and within the app. Host the policy on your website, link to it from the app's settings or account screen, and keep it in step with what the app actually collects.
Plan the launch, not just the build
Getting the accounts, legal pieces and review requirements right early is what keeps a launch date. If you are planning an app, we can build it for iPhone and Android and handle the submission process with you. Start your project with a quote or contact us. Apple's App Review Guidelines and its enrolment requirements are worth reading in full before you submit.
