How to Set Up Your Apple and Google Developer Accounts

Before your app can go live on the App Store or Google Play, you need your own developer accounts with Apple and Google. These accounts are yours. Your app is published under your name, your brand appears in the stores, and you retain full ownership of the account and the app.

Setting up both accounts is one of the first things to complete after signing up with VidApp. This guide covers every step for each platform, including how to invite VidApp once your accounts are ready.

Allow a few days for this process. Apple's enrollment review can take time, particularly if your D-U-N-S Number needs to be verified.

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Apple Developer Program

What you need before you start

Apple requires the following before you can enroll as an organisation:

A D-U-N-S Number. This is a nine-digit identifier issued by Dun and Bradstreet. Apple uses it to verify your organisation's identity and legal entity status. If you do not have one, you can request it through Apple's enrollment flow or directly at dnb.com. D-U-N-S Numbers are free to obtain, but allow up to 5 business days for processing.

Legal entity status. Your organisation must be a registered legal entity capable of entering into contracts with Apple.

Legal binding authority. The person completing the enrollment must have the authority to sign legal agreements on behalf of the organisation.

A publicly available website. Your organisation's domain must be publicly accessible and associated with your business.

Step 1: Enroll in the Apple Developer Program

1. Go to developer.apple.com/programs/enroll and click Start Enrollment
2. Sign in with the Apple ID you want to use as the Account Holder, or create a new one. Use a business email, not a personal one.
3. Enter your legal first name, legal last name, and phone number. Do not use an alias, nickname, or company name in the name fields. Apple will delay or reject enrollments that do not match legal identity
4. Verify your identity
5. Review your information and click Continue
6. Select Organization as your entity type. This is important: VidApp can only work with Organisation accounts. Even if you operate as an individual or sole trader, you must select Organization here
7. Enter your D-U-N-S Number
8. Enter your address, phone number, and website
9. Confirm that you have authority to bind your organisation to legal agreements and provide a contact who can verify this
10. Click Submit. Apple will review your application and send you an email when you can proceed.

Step 2: Complete enrollment and pay

Once Apple approves your application, you will receive an email to continue.

1. Log into developer.apple.com
2. Click Account
3. Click Continue Your Enrollment
4. Agree to the Apple Developer Program License Agreement
5. Review your annual membership details and click Subscribe. Make sure auto-renewal is turned on. If your membership lapses, your app will be removed from the App Store

The annual fee is USD $99. This is your account to manage and renew each year.

Step 3: Set up Agreements, Tax, and Banking in App Store Connect

This step is required before your app can accept paid subscriptions. Log into appstoreconnect.apple.com and complete the following:

1. Click Agreements and action any required items until both your Free Apps and Paid Apps agreements show as Active
2. Click Tax and submit your tax form as required
3. Click Banking and add your bank account details
4. Click Contacts and submit your legal entity information

All four sections need to be complete before your app can go live with in-app purchases or subscriptions.

Step 4: Invite VidApp to App Store Connect

Once your account is active, invite VidApp so the team can work on your behalf.

1. Log into appstoreconnect.apple.com
2. Click Users and Access
3. Click the blue + button and enter the following details:
   • First Name: VidApp
   • Last Name: Apple
   • Email: testapp@vidapp.com
   • Role: Admin
4. Tick the box next to Access to Cloud Managed Developer ID Certificate
5. Click Invite

Step 5: Generate your App Store Connect API Key

This key allows VidApp to manage submissions and releases on your account. This step must be completed by the Account Holder.

1. Log into appstoreconnect.apple.com with the Account Holder account
2. Click Users and Access
3. Go to Integrations
4. Click the Keys tab and confirm you are on App Store Connect API (shown on the left)
5. Click the blue + button next to Active
6. Enter VidApp API Key in the Name field
7. Set Access to Admin
8. Click Generate
9. Download the .p8 file that appears. This file can only be downloaded once. Store it somewhere safe.
10. Note the Issuer ID and Key ID shown on screen
11. Upload the .p8 file along with the Issuer ID and Key ID to the VidApp Builder at builder.vidapp.com/app-store-settings

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Google Play Developer Account

Step 1: Create a Google account

Your Google account will be the owner of your Google Play Developer account. Use a business email address rather than a personal Gmail. If you already have a suitable Google account, proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Register for Google Play

1. Go to play.google.com/apps/publish/signup
2. If prompted to choose an account type, select Organization/Business
3. Review and accept the terms and conditions
4. Click Continue to Payment and pay the one-time registration fee (USD $25)
5. Complete your account details

Unlike Apple, Google charges a one-time fee rather than an annual membership.

Step 3: Set up your Google payments profile

Before your app can sell subscriptions on Google Play, you need a merchant account set up.

1. Log into your Google Play Console account
2. Click Setup
3. Click Payments profile
4. Click Set up a merchant account
5. Complete the required information. Pay attention to the Credit Card Statement Name — this is what your members will see on their bank statements when they subscribe through the Android app. Use your brand name so it is recognisable.
6. Click Submit

Step 4: Invite VidApp to Google Play Console

1. Log into your Google Play Console account
2. Click Users and permissions
3. Click Invite new users and enter the following:
   • Email: androidsupport@vidapp.com
   • Access expiry date: Never
   • Role: Administrator
4. Click Invite user

Step 5: Create a Google Service Account

The service account gives VidApp programmatic access to manage your Android app, including publishing updates and managing subscriptions.

1. Log into Google Play Console with your developer account
2. Go to Google Cloud Console and create a new project. You can use your app name as the project name.
3. Go to the Google Play Developer API page and click Enable
4. Click the menu icon (top left), open More Products, hover over IAM and Admin, and click Service Accounts in the left menu
5. Click Create Service Account
6. Enter VidApp as both the Service account name and Service account ID
7. Click Create and Continue
8. Click Select a role, type "Service Account Admin", and select it
9. Click Continue, then Done
10. Find the newly created service account in the list, click the three-dot menu to the right, and select Manage Keys
11. Click Add Key, then Create new key
12. Select JSON and click Create. A JSON file will download automatically.
13. Upload this JSON file to the VidApp Builder at builder.vidapp.com/app-store-settings

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Best practices for both accounts

Use a business email, not a personal one. The email attached to your Apple ID and Google account is the owner of your developer accounts. Use an address that belongs to the business, not an individual's personal email. If the person who set up the account leaves, you do not want to lose access.

Keep the Account Holder role separate. The Account Holder on Apple and the primary Google account holder have the highest level of access. Keep this role with a stable, business-owned account.

Store your Apple .p8 file securely. The App Store Connect API key file can only be downloaded once. If you lose it, you will need to generate a new key. Store it in a secure location with appropriate access controls.

Turn on auto-renewal for Apple. If your Apple Developer Program membership lapses, your app will be removed from the App Store. Make sure the annual subscription renews automatically.

Use a recognisable name for your Google payments profile. The Credit Card Statement Name on your Google merchant account will appear on your members' bank statements. Use your brand name so they recognise the charge.

You remain the account owner. VidApp is invited as an administrator to manage and submit your app, but your accounts remain yours. VidApp does not own them and cannot transfer them. This is by design.

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Once both accounts are set up and VidApp has been invited, let your VidApp account manager know. From there, VidApp's team will take it from the design phase through to your first submission.