How to Publish Your App on the App Store and Google Play: Accounts, Costs and the 12-Tester Rule

Building the app is only half the job. Before anyone can download it, you need two developer accounts, a few fees, a round of testing and two reviews by two different companies.

I'm Ilya, a solo developer in Bali. I build mobile apps for clients and publish my own. This guide covers the parts that surprise first-time app owners: who should own the accounts, what they cost, why Google can add two weeks to your schedule, and how long reviews usually take. Every number below comes from Apple or Google, with the link next to it. Prices and rules change, so check the linked page on the day you apply.

The short version

1. Open an Apple Developer account. It costs $99 a year.
2. Open a Google Play Console account. It costs $25, paid once.
3. If your Google account is a new personal one, run a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 days before Google lets you publish.
4. Submit to both stores and wait for review.

The order matters. Steps 1 to 3 take calendar time that has nothing to do with how fast the app is built, so start them early.

Who should own the accounts

When a developer builds your app, the app lives in a developer account. Whoever owns that account owns the listing, the reviews, the download numbers and the payout settings. If the developer's account holds your app and you part ways, you have to ask for a transfer.

The cleaner setup is that you open both accounts yourself, in your own name or your company's name, and add the developer as a team member. Apple describes this model in App Store Connect: the account holder or an admin adds users and gives them roles, such as App Manager or Developer (Apple, Add and edit users).

The same logic applies to websites: see who owns your website when a freelancer builds it. That is also how I work. On my client projects, the Apple and Google accounts are opened in the client's name and at the client's expense.

Apple: the $99 account

Apple lists the Apple Developer Program at 99 USD per membership year, or in local currency where available (Apple, Become a member).

You can enroll in two ways.

• As an individual. You need an Apple Account with two-factor authentication turned on, and you must be of legal age in your region.
• As an organization. Your company must be a legal entity that can enter into contracts with Apple, and it needs a D-U-N-S Number so Apple can verify it. Apple says D-U-N-S Numbers are free in most jurisdictions.

If you run a business, the organization route is worth considering, because the account is tied to the company and not to one person. The D-U-N-S step takes extra time, so start it first.

Google Play: the $25 account

Google charges a one-time registration fee of US$25. You need an active Google Account, you must be at least 18, and Google may ask for a government ID and a credit card under your legal name. You choose between a personal and an organization account when you sign up (Google, Get started with Play Console).

New personal accounts must also verify access to an Android device using the Play Console mobile app. That is on the same help page.

The 12-tester rule

This is the one that catches people off guard.

Google's help page says that developers with personal accounts created after November 13, 2023 must run a closed test with at least 12 testers who have been opted in continuously for at least 14 days. Testers who leave and rejoin must complete 14 consecutive days to count. After you meet the criteria, you apply for production access (Google, App testing requirements for new personal developer accounts).

What this means in practice:

• You need 12 real people. Friends, colleagues, customers. They must install the app from the closed test and stay opted in.
• The 14 days are continuous for each tester. A tester who drops out and returns restarts their own 14 days.
• It applies to new personal accounts. The rule is written for them. An organization account is a different account type; read the page above to see how it applies to your case before choosing.

If you work with a developer, ask early who recruits the testers. A list of 12 names ready before the build is finished saves a week or more.

How long does review take?

Both companies publish their own numbers, and neither promises a fixed date.

• Apple. Apple says its team typically reviews at least 50% of submissions in under 24 hours and 90% in under 48 hours (Apple, App Review). Apple's own FAQ also warns that review can be slower during busy periods.
• Google. Google's Play Console help says review can take up to seven days, or longer in exceptional cases. For certain developer accounts Google takes more time to review apps thoroughly. Google recommends a buffer of at least a week between submitting and going live (Google, Publish your app).

A rejection adds a round trip. The reviewer names the guideline you broke, you fix it and resubmit. Apple's App Review Guidelines are public, so you can check your app against them before you submit.

A realistic timeline

Put the official numbers together for a new personal Google account:

• 14 days of closed testing, at minimum
• up to 7 days for Google's review
• 1 to 2 days for Apple's review in the typical case

That is about three weeks after the app is ready for testers, if nothing needs fixing. If you open an Apple organization account, add time for the D-U-N-S step. This is arithmetic from the sources above and not a promise for your project.

What it costs, in one table

The first two prices come from Apple's and Google's own pages, linked above. My price for a mobile app starts at $1,500 and the work takes from 4 weeks. After launch, I include 30 days of fixes. If the app uses AI or a server, you pay those providers month by month.

I accept payment by bank transfer (to an Indonesian account), PayPal or crypto (USDT or USDC).

Checklist before you apply

• Decide whether the accounts will be personal or organization.
• Start the D-U-N-S request first if you choose organization.
• Open both accounts under your own name or your company's name.
• Line up 12 testers for the Google closed test.
• Write the privacy policy page and keep a URL for it.
• Read Apple's App Review Guidelines once, before the build is final.

Where I fit in

Not sure which platform to start with? Read iOS, Android or web app first. My own app Lilu came out in the App Store on 24 September 2026 and is also on Google Play. If you have an app idea and want it in both stores, the mobile apps page describes how a project runs, and the Lilu case shows a finished app.

Published: October 28, 2026. By Ilya Litau, more on the About page.