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EIN for Mobile App Developers: Apple and Google Play
An individual developer account can be opened with a Social Security Number. An organization account on the Apple Developer Program needs a legal entity, an EIN, and a D-U-N-S number — and it is the account type that puts your company name on the App Store.
Last updated: August 30, 2026
An individual developer account needs no EIN — a Social Security Number is enough, and your apps publish under your own legal name. An organization account on the Apple Developer Program requires a registered legal entity, its EIN, and a D-U-N-S number from Dun & Bradstreet. That account type is what puts a company name on the App Store listing. The Apple Developer Program costs $99 per year; the Google Play Console charges a one-time $25. The EIN itself is free.
Publishing a mobile app means enrolling with Apple, Google, or both, and each asks who you are before it will take your app or pay you. The answer is either a person or a company, and that single choice drives everything else: the name shown on the store listing, the documents you must produce, and whether an EIN enters the picture at all. Developers frequently start as individuals and later wish they had not, because the store name is the hardest part to change. This guide covers both routes and what each store actually requires.
| Factor | Individual Account | Organization Account |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity required | No | Yes |
| Tax ID used | SSN | The entity's EIN |
| D-U-N-S number (Apple) | Not required | Required |
| Name on the store listing | Your personal name | Your company name |
| Apple Developer Program | $99/year | $99/year |
| Google Play Console | $25 one-time | $25 one-time |
| Team members with roles | No | Yes |
Apple
What Does the Apple Developer Program Require?
An individual enrolment needs your own identity and a payment method. An organization enrolment needs a legal entity, its EIN, a D-U-N-S number, and authority to bind the company.
Apple's verification for organizations is the strictest of the two stores. It checks that the entity exists, that the name matches public records, and that the person enrolling can sign on its behalf. The D-U-N-S number is the mechanism for the first two checks.
Form the Entity and Get the EIN
Look Up or Request a D-U-N-S Number
Match the Names Exactly
Enrol and Verify
Complete the Tax Forms
The D-U-N-S requirement catches most first-time organization applicants. It is free, but it is a separate process at a separate company with its own timeline, so start it before you plan a launch date.
Google Play
What Does Google Play Require?
A one-time $25 registration fee and a payment profile with tax information. Google's verification is lighter than Apple's — there is no D-U-N-S requirement — but the tax ID logic is the same.
An individual developer supplies an SSN. A business account supplies the entity's EIN, because the entity receives the payouts and the entity is the taxpayer. Google verifies developer identity through documentation rather than a third-party business registry, which is why organization accounts on Play typically open faster than on the App Store.
| Requirement | Apple Developer Program | Google Play Console |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | $99 per year | $25 one-time |
| Individual account tax ID | SSN | SSN |
| Organization account tax ID | EIN | EIN |
| Third-party business verification | D-U-N-S required | Not required |
| Company name on listing | Organization accounts only | Business accounts |
Publishing to both stores is the norm, which means satisfying the stricter of the two. If you intend to ship on iOS as a company, the D-U-N-S number is on your critical path regardless of how straightforward Google is.
Which Account
Should You Enrol as an Individual or an Organization?
Start as an organization if you intend to build a business. Start as an individual if you are shipping a first app to learn. The difference that is hardest to reverse is the name on the listing.
Three reasons to go the organization route:
- Store credibility. An app published by "Northwind Software LLC" reads differently from one published under a personal name, particularly for business, finance, or health apps where users check the publisher.
- Liability separation. An entity puts a boundary between a claim arising from the app and your personal assets. A sole developer publishing personally has no such boundary.
- Team and investors. Organization accounts support multiple members with distinct roles, and any investor will expect the apps and the developer account to sit with the entity rather than a founder personally.
The counterargument is real: an entity costs a state filing fee, an annual report, and the D-U-N-S wait. For a weekend project, individual enrolment is the sensible choice.
Migrating later is possible but not free. Apple supports transferring apps to an organization account, and the process takes time and coordination. Developers who expect the project to become a business generally save effort by forming the entity first. See EIN for an LLC and EIN for SaaS founders.
Non-Residents
Can a Non-US Developer Publish With a US Entity?
Yes, and it is a common structure. A non-resident forms a US LLC, obtains an EIN, and enrols the entity with both stores.
The EIN does two jobs here. It identifies the company to Apple and Google, and it lets you complete the US tax documentation both stores require before releasing payouts — without it, payments are held.
No SSN is needed. File Form SS-4 by fax to 855-215-1627, write "Foreign" or "N/A" on Line 7b as the IRS Instructions for Form SS-4 direct, and attach a passport copy. The IRS returns the EIN in 4-7 business days. See EIN without an SSN and EIN for non-residents.
One obligation catches foreign founders out. A foreign-owned single-member LLC must file Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year, with a $25,000 penalty for not filing — and it applies even in a year with no revenue, because the form reports transactions with the owner rather than profit. See the Form 5472 guide.
Need an EIN? ein.so prepares Form SS-4, faxes it to the IRS, and delivers your EIN by email — $49 Standard (4-7 business days) or $97 Express (2-3 business days), no SSN required. Start your application.
Related guides: EIN for SaaS founders | EIN for web developers | EIN for an LLC | EIN without an SSN | Form 5472 guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do mobile app developers need an EIN?
Not for an individual account. An individual developer enrols with a Social Security Number and publishes under their own name. An organization account requires a registered legal entity, its EIN, and a D-U-N-S number, and it is what puts a company name on the store listing.
What is a D-U-N-S number?
A nine-digit business identifier issued by Dun & Bradstreet. Apple uses it to verify that an organization legally exists before approving an organization developer account. It is free to request, and the lookup and application both run through Dun & Bradstreet rather than Apple.
Can I publish apps with just an SSN?
Yes, as an individual developer. Your apps then list under your personal legal name rather than a company name, which Apple does not allow you to change later without migrating to an organization account. Many developers accept that trade-off for a first app.
How much do the developer accounts cost?
The Apple Developer Program is $99 per year. The Google Play Console is a one-time $25 registration fee. Those are platform charges and are separate from the EIN, which the IRS issues at no cost by any application method.
Does Google Play require an EIN?
Not for an individual account. Google Play collects tax information during payment profile setup, and a business account uses the entity's EIN while an individual uses an SSN. Google's verification is generally lighter than Apple's D-U-N-S requirement.
Should I switch from an individual to an organization account?
Switch when you want the company name on the listing, when you need multiple team members with separate roles, or when you are raising money and investors expect the apps held by the entity. Apple supports the transition, but it takes time, so plan around a release.
Can a non-US developer get an EIN for the App Store?
Yes. A non-resident who owns a US LLC files Form SS-4 by fax to 855-215-1627, writes 'Foreign' or 'N/A' on Line 7b, and attaches a passport copy. The EIN also lets you complete the US tax forms Apple and Google collect before paying out.
Do I need an EIN to receive App Store payouts?
You need a taxpayer identification number of some kind, because both stores collect tax information before releasing payments. A US individual can use an SSN. A company, US or foreign-owned, uses its EIN, which keeps the founder's personal number out of the platform.
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