How to Publish an App from Pakistan: Apple Developer and Google Play Accounts
By the AlimcoSoft team, Islamabad
To put an app on the App Store or Google Play, you need a developer account with each. This guide covers what those accounts cost, what Apple and Google ask for, and the rules that catch new publishers out.
We publish our own app, Wonderlist, on both stores from Islamabad. The fees and rules below come from Apple and Google's own pages, read on 2 November 2026. Check them again before you pay, because they can change.
What the accounts cost
The two stores charge very differently, and Apple's fee continues every year:
- Google Play: US$25 once
- Apple Developer Program: US$99 per membership year; Apple says prices may vary by region and shows them in local currency during enrolment
Individual or organisation account?
Both stores offer two types of account, and the choice affects what users see. On the App Store, an individual's legal name appears as the seller. An organisation account shows the organisation's name.
If you are building a brand, an organisation account usually looks better, but it takes longer and needs more paperwork. If you are a single person testing an idea, an individual account is the quicker start.
Google Play: how to open an account
Google lists these steps:
- Sign up with a Google Account; you must be at least 18
- Accept the Developer Distribution Agreement
- Pay the US$25 fee by credit or debit card; prepaid cards are not accepted
- Choose a personal or organisation account
- Confirm your identity; Google may ask for a government ID and a card in your legal name
- On a personal account, complete device verification and the app testing requirement
The 12 tester rule on Google Play
This catches many first-time publishers. On a personal account created after 13 November 2023, you must run a closed test with at least 12 testers, who stay opted in for the 14 days before you apply for production access.
A tester who leaves early, or opts out and back in, does not count. Line up real testers before you plan a launch date, and allow at least two weeks.
Apple Developer Program: individuals
Apple treats a sole proprietor or single-person business the same as an individual. You need:
- An Apple Account with two-factor authentication turned on
- To be of legal age in your region
- Your legal name in the name fields, not a nickname or company name
- A street address, because P.O. boxes are not accepted
- Your own card if you pay by credit card; someone else's card can delay enrolment and lead to a request for your photo ID
Apple Developer Program: companies
To enrol as an organisation, your company must be a legal entity that can sign a contract with Apple. Apple does not accept trading names, fictitious business names or branches. You also need:
- A D-U-N-S Number, the nine-digit number Apple uses to verify your organisation; Apple says it is free in most jurisdictions
- Legal authority to bind the company to agreements
- A work email on your company's domain
- A public, working website on a domain tied to the company; social media pages and very thin websites are not accepted
Who should own the account?
If you are paying a software house or freelancer to build your app, open the developer accounts in your own name or your company's name, then give them access. The account holds your app listing, reviews, users and sales history.
Moving an app between accounts later is possible, but it is extra work you can avoid by setting this up correctly at the start.
What to prepare before you submit
An approved account does not mean an approved app. Before you submit, get these ready:
- App name, description, screenshots and icon
- A public privacy policy link
- A login that the reviewer can use, if your app needs one
- A support contact
- Answers to each store's privacy and data questions