Cost to Publish an App on the App Store and Google Play
Written by Kamran, Founder, 3xRevenue. Published · 8 min read.
Putting an app on both stores costs $124 in year one. That is $99 a year for Apple and $25 once for Google Play. After that you pay $99 a year, plus a share of any digital sales made inside the app.
Here is the moment most owners hit. The app is built, and your developer writes: "I need you to open the Apple and Google accounts." You pay $124 and think you are done. Then Apple asks for a D-U-N-S number, and Google asks for 12 testers for 14 days.
The fees are small. The paperwork and the waiting are what push a launch back by weeks. Planning a mobile app built in a fixed 6-week sprint? This guide shows every cost and every wait. Then launch day lands where you planned it.
What Apple and Google charge to list your app
Apple charges $99 a year and Google charges $25 once. That is the whole entry price for both stores. The differences sit in the rules around the fee.
Apple's fee repeats each membership year. Google's fee is paid once, and it is not refunded if your ID check fails.
| Item | Apple App Store | Google Play |
|---|---|---|
| Account fee | $99 per year | $25, one time |
| Year one cost | $99 | $25 |
| Year two and after | $99 per year | $0 |
| Fee waiver | Eligible nonprofits, schools and government bodies can ask | None listed |
| Company ID needed | Free D-U-N-S number for organizations | Free D-U-N-S number for organization accounts |
| Extra test before launch | None | 12 testers for 14 days (new personal accounts) |
| Card rules | Paid at enrollment | No prepaid cards |
Source: Apple Developer Program, What's Included and Google Play Console Help, checked November 1, 2026.
How much of each sale the stores keep
Most small business apps pay no commission at all. Apple's guideline 3.1.3(e) says physical goods and services used outside the app must use other payment methods. That covers booking a cleaning, ordering food or paying an invoice for a repair.
Commission only applies to digital goods sold inside the app. Think video classes, premium features or in-app subscriptions. For those, here is what each store keeps in the US.
| What you sell | Apple (Small Business Program) | Google Play (US, first $1M a year) |
|---|---|---|
| One-time digital purchase | 15% | 20% plus a 5% billing fee on new installs |
| Subscription, first year | 15% | 10% plus a 5% billing fee |
| Subscription, after year one | 10% | 10% plus a 5% billing fee |
| Physical goods or real-world services | 0% (use your own card payments) | Check Play's payments policy |
| Above $1M in yearly proceeds | 30% standard rate | Different rates apply |
Source: Apple Small Business Program page and Google Play service fees, checked November 1, 2026. Google's new US rates apply to installs after June 30, 2026.
Apple's 15% rate is not automatic. You must enroll in the Small Business Program inside App Store Connect. The lower rate starts 15 days after the end of the fiscal month Apple approves you.
Which account steps to finish before launch week
Start the account setup the day you sign with your developer. Each step below has a wait you cannot speed up. Run them in parallel with the build.
1. Pick personal or organization accounts
Use an organization account if customers will see your business name as the seller. Google requires an organization account for financial, health and government apps.
Example: "Smith Plumbing LLC" shows as the seller, not "John Smith."
Quick check: your LLC or corporation is a legal entity. Apple does not accept DBAs or trade names.
2. Get your free D-U-N-S number
Look up your company in Apple's D-U-N-S tool, then request a number if none exists. Apple says it can take up to 5 business days from Dun & Bradstreet. Then allow up to 2 more business days for Apple to receive it.
Example: request on a Monday, and you may enroll the following Wednesday.
Quick check: the legal name and address match your state filing exactly.
3. Make sure your website passes Apple's check
Apple wants a public, working website on a domain your business owns. Social media pages and near-empty sites are rejected. Your email should also use that domain.
Example: you@smithplumbing.com, not smithplumbing@gmail.com.
Quick check: run your site through our free website health check and fix broken pages first.
4. Enroll with Apple and register with Google
Enroll in the Apple Developer Program with two-factor sign-in turned on. Use your legal first and last name. Then register on Google Play Console with a real credit card.
Example: one owner account per store, with your developer added as a team member.
Quick check: you, not your developer, hold the account owner login.
5. Start Google's closed test early
If you open a personal Google account, run a closed test with 12 testers. They must stay opted in for 14 days in a row. Google says review of the production request usually takes 7 days or less.
Example: staff, family and 4 loyal customers make 12 testers.
Quick check: nobody drops out and rejoins, or the 14-day count restarts.
6. Prepare the listing and privacy policy
Apple requires a privacy policy link in the listing and inside the app. You also need screenshots at the sizes each store asks for. Our free image resizer gets screenshots to exact pixel sizes.
Example: 5 screenshots showing booking, payment, history, alerts and profile.
Quick check: the privacy policy names every outside tool that sees user data.
The yearly costs nobody quotes you
The store fee is the smallest yearly cost. Both stores now force updates on a schedule. An app that is never updated eventually stops reaching new users.
Apple required all uploads from April 28, 2026 to be built with Xcode 26. Google required new apps and updates to target Android 16 from August 31, 2026. Each rule means a developer must rebuild and test your app.
| Yearly item | What it is | Who sets the date |
|---|---|---|
| Apple membership | $99 renewal | Apple, each membership year |
| iOS build rules | Rebuild with the newest Xcode | Apple, usually each spring |
| Android target level | Raise the target API level | Google, usually each August |
| Review time | Apple reviews 90% of submissions in under 48 hours | Apple App Review |
| Testing on new phones | Check each new OS release | You and your developer |
Source: Google Play closed testing rules, Apple Upcoming Requirements and Apple App Review pages, checked November 1, 2026.
Our estimate: plan on at least one update cycle a year for each store. That is developer time, not a store fee. A care plan or maintenance retainer is the usual way to cover it.
The math for a fitness studio selling video classes
This is an example with made-up figures, not a real client. A studio sells a $15 a month video class subscription inside its app. It has 100 subscribers: 60 on iPhone and 40 on Android.
| Line | Year 1 | Year 2 |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone revenue (60 x $15 x 12) | $10,800 | $10,800 |
| Apple commission | $1,620 (15%) | $1,080 (10% after a subscriber's first year) |
| Android revenue (40 x $15 x 12) | $7,200 | $7,200 |
| Google commission | $1,080 (10% + 5% billing) | $1,080 (10% + 5% billing) |
| Store account fees | $124 | $99 |
| Total paid to stores | $2,824 | $2,259 |
Source: our example, using Apple Small Business Program and Google Play service fee rates checked November 1, 2026.
That is about 15.7% of $18,000 in year one. In year two it drops to about 12.6%, if the same subscribers stay. Now compare a salon that books in-person haircuts through its app. It pays only $124 in year one, because services used outside the app carry no Apple commission.
The lesson is simple. What you sell decides your store cost, not the account fee.
FAQ
Is it free to put an app on Google Play?
No, but it is close. Google charges a one-time $25 registration fee with no yearly renewal. Google does not refund it if your identity check fails.
Do I have to pay Apple $99 every year?
Yes. The Apple Developer Program costs $99 per membership year. Eligible nonprofits, schools and government bodies can ask Apple for a fee waiver.
Can my developer publish the app under their account?
They can, but you should not let them. The seller name shows their business, and moving an app later takes work. Open the accounts in your company's name and add the developer as a team member.
How long does it take to get an app approved?
Apple says it reviews 90% of submissions in under 48 hours. A new personal Google account first needs its 14-day closed test. Review then usually takes 7 days or less. Organization setup adds the D-U-N-S wait.
Do I pay Apple a cut when customers book appointments in my app?
No. Apple's guideline 3.1.3(e) says physical goods and services used outside the app must use other payment methods. You take those payments through your own card processor and pay no Apple commission.
Getting your app into both stores on schedule
The store fees are $124 to start and $99 a year after. The real risk is waiting on a D-U-N-S number or a late 14-day test. Start the accounts the week you start the build. Need the app itself built? Our 4-week MVP sprint ships a working web or mobile app for a fixed $18,000.