If you’re planning to launch on both iOS and Android, you don’t have to set up Apple and Google accounts on the same day — and in most cases you shouldn’t. Each platform has its own fees, identity checks, and waiting periods, and starting the slower one first can save you weeks of delay later.
Table of Contents
This guide walks through what each account actually requires, how long each one takes to get approved, and how to decide which to start first based on your budget, business structure, and launch timeline.
Quick Answer
Start whichever account has the longer approval wait — usually the Apple Developer Program if you’re enrolling as an organization, since it requires a D-U-N-S number and manual review that can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Google Play Console approval is typically faster (often within a couple of business days) once identity verification clears, but its $25 fee and the new personal-account testing rule mean solo developers should also start early rather than at the last minute.
What Each Account Actually Requires
Apple Developer Program costs $99 per year (Enterprise Program is $299/year for internal-only distribution) and requires an Apple ID with two-factor authentication. If you’re enrolling as an individual/sole proprietor, you just need your legal name and a matching payment method. If you’re enrolling as an organization, Apple requires a legal entity, a website, a D-U-N-S number that matches your business’s legal name in the D&B database, and someone with legal authority to accept Apple’s agreements. Getting a D-U-N-S number is free and usually takes a few business days, but can stretch closer to 30 days without expedited processing — and Apple’s own review after that can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, especially for organizations.
Google Play Console has a one-time $25 registration fee (no annual renewal) but now requires identity verification for every new developer — a government-issued ID (and sometimes a selfie) for individuals, or a D-U-N-S number for organization accounts. Verification typically completes within a few hours to about two business days. The bigger catch: any personal (non-organization) developer account created after November 13, 2023 must run a closed test with at least 12 opted-in testers for 14 consecutive days before Google will grant production access — so even though registration is quick, reaching a live listing isn’t instant either.
How to Decide Which to Set Up First
Base the decision on which process has more unknowns for your situation, not which store you personally prefer. If you’re enrolling Apple as an organization, start there first — the D-U-N-S lookup and Apple’s manual review are the least predictable steps in either process, and starting early gives you buffer room while you build the app itself.
If you’re a solo developer without a registered business, Apple’s individual enrollment is usually the faster of the two to get approved, but Google’s 12-tester, 14-day closed testing requirement means you should open your Play Console account and start recruiting testers as early as possible, since that clock only starts once your app is in testing — not once you register.
If cost timing matters (say, you want to delay spending until you’re closer to launch), Google’s one-time $25 fee is easier to front early since it doesn’t recur, while Apple’s $99 is an annual cost you may not want to start until you’re closer to submission.
If you’re only launching on one platform initially, this whole question is moot — just start that platform’s account as soon as you’re seriously working on the app, since both processes can run in parallel with development.
Tips / Common Mistakes
Don’t wait until your app is finished to start either account — identity verification and D-U-N-S lookups can stall on mismatched business names, expired IDs, or unverifiable addresses, and you don’t want that discovered the week you planned to launch.
Make sure your legal business name matches exactly across your D-U-N-S registration, your Apple enrollment, and your Google organization account — small mismatches (abbreviations, punctuation, “LLC” vs “L.L.C.”) are a common cause of rejected or delayed verification.
If you’re a solo developer on Google Play, start lining up your 12 testers before you’re ready to submit — friends, beta communities, or testing services can fill this, but the 14-day clock doesn’t start until testers are actually opted in.
Keep your payment method valid for both — Apple can suspend renewal if the annual charge fails, and Google’s registration fee won’t be refunded if identity verification later fails, so double-check your ID documents match your account details before paying.
Explore more: More App Development guides.
Apple Developer Account vs Google Play Console FAQs
Can I set up both accounts at the same time?
Yes, there’s no rule against running both enrollments in parallel. Many developers do this specifically because Apple’s organization review can take longer, so starting both at once minimizes total wait time before you can submit to either store.
Is Google Play Console really cheaper than Apple Developer Program?
Yes — Google Play Console is a one-time $25 fee with no renewal, while Apple Developer Program is $99 every year you want your app to stay live. Over multiple years, Apple is the more expensive of the two.
Do I need a D-U-N-S number for both platforms?
Only if you’re enrolling as an organization on either platform. Individual/personal accounts on both Apple and Google skip the D-U-N-S requirement, though Google still requires personal ID verification either way.
How long should I budget before my planned launch date?
For an organization account on either platform, budget at least 3-4 weeks to account for D-U-N-S processing and manual review delays. For individual accounts, a week or two is usually enough, but add 14+ days if you’re a solo Android developer who needs to clear Google’s closed testing requirement.
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Photo by Fotis Fotopoulos on Unsplash.