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Posted on Jul 17 • Originally published at gtstu.com

What It Really Costs to Publish on the App Store & Google Play

#appdevelopmentcosts #apppublishing #appstore #developerfees

Everyone budgets for design and development, then gets surprised by the line items that show up after the app is built. Publishing to the App Store and Google Play isn’t free, and the fees aren’t the only cost — there’s testing time, review delays, and ongoing commission on anything you sell.

Table of Contents

This guide breaks down exactly what Apple and Google charge to list an app, what they take from your revenue once it’s live, and the extra costs (accounts, testers, compliance) that trip up first-time publishers.

Quick Answer

Apple charges $99 per year for an Apple Developer Program membership, required to publish on the App Store. Google charges a one-time $25 registration fee for a Play Console account, with no recurring renewal. Beyond those account fees, both platforms also take a cut of paid app and in-app purchase revenue — but the commission math isn’t identical between them. Apple runs a simple 30%/15% split; Google’s is tiered by revenue, treats subscriptions differently, and — starting mid-2026 in the US, UK, and EU — splits into separate service and billing fees, so it no longer just mirrors Apple’s rate.

Apple App Store: Account Fees and Commission

To publish on the App Store you need an Apple Developer Program membership at $99/year (an Enterprise Program for internal-only company apps costs $299/year, but that’s not for public distribution). This is a flat fee regardless of how many apps you publish or how much revenue they generate. Nonprofits, accredited educational institutions, and government entities can apply for a fee waiver.

If your app sells anything — paid downloads, in-app purchases, or subscriptions — Apple takes a commission. The standard rate is 30%. Apple’s App Store Small Business Program drops that to 15% for developers who earned $1 million or less in App Store proceeds in the prior calendar year (and stay under that threshold going forward). Subscriptions also auto-drop to 15% starting in their second year, regardless of program enrollment. If you’re only shipping a free app with no purchases, the $99/year is your entire ongoing platform cost.

Setting up an organization account (rather than an individual one) may also require a D-U-N-S number, which is free to obtain but can take a few days to a few weeks to process — budget that time in if you’re publishing under a company name.

Google Play: Account Fees, Testing Requirements, and Commission

Google Play’s developer registration is a one-time $25 fee, paid once when you create your Play Console account — no annual renewal, no per-app charge, and no monthly cost. Once verified, that single account lets you publish as many apps as you want.

The catch for new developers: personal accounts created after November 2023 can’t jump straight to production. Google requires you to run a closed test with at least 12 opted-in testers who stay active for 14 continuous days before you can apply for production access. Testers have to actually open and use the app during that window — just adding 12 emails to the console doesn’t count, and dropping below 12 active testers can reset the clock. After you apply, Google’s review of your production-access request usually takes about a week. Organization accounts and personal accounts created before November 2023 are exempt from this step.

Google’s commission structure does not simply mirror Apple’s flat 30%/15% split, and you shouldn’t budget it that way. In most of the world, Google still runs a tiered rate: 15% on a developer’s first $1 million in annual Play revenue and 30% above that, with subscriptions charged a flat 15% regardless of revenue tier (not tied to a ‘second year’ discount the way Apple’s is). Starting June 30, 2026, Google began rolling out a different model in the US, UK, and European Economic Area that unbundles the old single commission into a lower service fee plus a separate billing fee for developers who use Google Play’s own billing system — with reduced or alternative rates available if you route payments through your own processor or link out to the web instead. Google has said it plans to extend this split-fee structure to more countries through 2027. Because the exact rate now depends on your region, your revenue, and how you take payment, check Google Play Console’s current Service Fees page for your specific situation rather than assuming a single percentage.

Tips / Common Mistakes

Budget for both fees before you start, not after your build is finished — the $99/year and $25 one-time charges are trivial next to development cost, but they block you from submitting anything until paid, and Apple’s yearly renewal is easy to forget and let lapse right before a launch.

If you’re a new individual Google Play developer, line up your 12 testers early. Recruiting people willing to install a test build and actually use it for two straight weeks takes longer than most teams expect, and it directly delays your launch date.

Don’t assume Apple and Google charge the same commission, and don’t assume you automatically qualify for a reduced rate on either platform — check the current thresholds and, on Google Play, your region and billing method, since the rate isn’t applied by default just because you’re a small developer.

Factor in review time on both sides. Apple’s App Review and Google’s app review each take some real time (often a day or two, sometimes longer for complex or first-time submissions), so publishing isn’t instantaneous even once your account and payment are sorted.

If you’re publishing under a business name on Apple, start the D-U-N-S number lookup or registration early — it’s a common bottleneck that has nothing to do with your app’s code.

Explore more: More app development guides.

App Store and Google Play publishing costs FAQs

Is it free to publish an app on the App Store or Google Play?

No. Apple requires a $99/year Developer Program membership and Google requires a one-time $25 registration fee. Both are required before you can submit an app for review.

Do I have to pay Apple or Google every time I update my app?

No. Updates to existing apps don’t cost anything extra — you’re only paying Apple’s annual $99 renewal and Google’s one-time $25, plus any commission owed on sales.

What percentage does Apple or Google take from app sales?

Apple takes 30% of paid app and in-app purchase revenue, reduced to 15% for developers under its small-business revenue threshold or on subscriptions after their first year. Google’s cut is not the same flat split — it’s tiered by annual revenue (commonly 15% on the first $1 million and 30% above it), treats subscriptions on a different schedule than Apple, and in the US, UK, and EU is now split into a separate service fee and billing fee, so the effective rate depends on your region and how you take payment.

Can I skip Google Play’s 12-tester testing requirement?

Only if your account is an organization account, or a personal account created before November 2023. Newer personal accounts must complete 14 days of closed testing with at least 12 active testers before applying for production access.

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Originally published at gtstu.com.

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