What Is The Apple Developer Enterprise Program: Price, Benefits & Account Guide

The Apple Developer Enterprise Program is designed to serve organizations that wish to develop and distribute custom apps for their employees’ exclusive use. The Enterprise Program utilizes a different version of Apple’s Developer Program for developers creating consumer apps intended for distribution in the App Store. 

While the Enterprise program permits the distribution of internal apps without public review, the regular program focuses on developing consumer apps for public consumption. This feature is vital for companies building private business tools, training apps, and employee production apps.

Benefits of the Apple Developer Enterprise Program

The program allows companies total control over the construction and distribution of Apps. You can:

• Distribute Apps privately to internal employees.
• Bypass App Store Review delays.
• Sign Apps using enterprise credentials.
• Update Apps instantly instead of submitting them to Apple for approval.
• Deploy Apps to large teams with flexibility.

This program is beneficial for companies that utilize mobile tools and wish to restrict access to apps for their employees.

Apple Developer Program

App Store access for individual developers/startups/companies is the standard Apple Developer Program. A $99 annual fee provides access to tools, SDKs, TestFlight, and analytics. Applications made in the program are reviewed and approved by Apple before being made available to the public.

What Is the Difference Between Apple’s Developer and Enterprise App Accounts?

The key difference lies in distribution. 

Apple Developer Account: Use when you or your team wants to build an app for the App Store. You must go through Apple’s review process. 

Apple Enterprise Account: Use when a company requires the development of an app that will only be published and deployed internally. There is no App Store listing; however, authorized personnel can install apps directly onto employees’ devices. 

Both accounts provide access to developer tools and documentation, but the use cases are very different.

Apple Developer Enterprise Program Price

The Apple Developer Enterprise Program has an annual fee of $299. This is a higher cost than the developer account, but it does account for the ability to distribute applications internally with fewer restrictions.

Apple Enterprise Account vs Developer Account

When you are comparing both accounts: 

1. The Developer account is $99/year and is required to publish on the App Store. 
2. The Enterprise account is $299/ year and is specifically designed for private app distribution within a company.

A company must consider whether its app is intended for the public or for its employees only.

Apple Developer Account

If you intend to submit apps to the App Store, an Apple Developer Account is a part of that process. It allows developers to submit apps to the App Store and access beta software, documentation, and developer forums. Freelancers, agencies, and product companies commonly own Apple Developer Accounts.

Apple Developer Program Free

Apple provides free, limited access to the developer portal. With a free account, you have access to Xcode, the basic testing framework, and you can run apps on your own device, but you can’t distribute apps with a free account. To publish or share apps beyond your device, you need a paid account.

Apple Developer Enterprise Program License Agreement

Organizations joining must accept Apple’s license agreement. This agreement outlines the process for the organization to develop, sign, and distribute the apps. It includes a strict prohibition on misuse, such as selling out enterprise apps on the public market. As with any agreement, your account can be terminated for violating the substantive terms of this agreement.

Apple Developer Program Enrollment

To sign up, developers/companies must sign in to an Apple ID and provide proof of identity details. Companies must provide a D-U-N-S Number and details about their legal entity. It usually takes a matter of days to enroll and get approved. Individual enrollment is generally quicker.

Apple Developer Account Free for Students

Apple offers special assistance for students through both the Developer Academy and the Swift Student Challenge. While students can create a free account, publishing on the App Store requires a paid developer program. Some universities also provide free student accounts, as part of Apple’s education initiatives.

Apple Enterprise Account Price

The Apple Enterprise Account is included in the Apple Developer Enterprise Program, which is priced at $299 per year (paid annually). The fee is an annual expense, and you must renew it to continue distributing your internal apps. 

Final Thoughts

The Apple Developer Enterprise Program is a good option for any organization that wants to securely manage custom apps privately. The standard Apple Developer Program handles public distribution easily (App Store). Making a decision will be based on your goals. If you want your app to be shared globally, a developer account is the right direction. If your primary focus is on internal tools for your employees, the Enterprise Program is the ideal solution for you. 

Both accounts provide access to Apple’s developer ecosystem, but the choice ultimately depends on your distribution plans.