What iOS Developer Program Should we choose.

Volume Purchase/B2B/Bulk involves the App Store.

Enterprise is for employees only.

There is no program you can use just for you and your clients.

Of course it doesn't make sense....Apple didn't build a worldwide distribution ecosystem and store just so people could use it on a minor level, sorry.

I'd recommend making a modern HTML5 website - this will give you iOS and Android support out of the box and you can cater to as many or as few clients/users as you like.

The only difference between that and the one to it's left is how you register. Otherwise, they are the same program. There are only individual (app store), enterprise (employees) and edu (teachers/students).

Choosing an iOS Developer Program / Which Developer Program is for you?

So yes, for the third time, you can't just use Apple's worldwide investment in app distribution for your own rewards. That's how it's been since 2008, so I find it incredible that there are still people out there unfamiliar with the App Store 🙂

Are you planning on selling to your clients or is it a free distribution?

If you are selling, then I *think* your only real choice is to put it on the App Store but put some sort of authentication mechanism in place so that only the clients employees can use it - although I'm not sure how you/Apple would handle non-clients purchasing the application - I think you'd probably need to discuss with Apple on this.

If you are distributing it free to your clients, then I *think* each of your clients would need to be enrolled in the Enterprise program, and then sign the application with their distribution certificate. They would then also be responsible for distributing it their employees ONLY (see the terms of the Enterprise licence for more details).

If you want to sell the apps to your clients but not go via the App Store - you don't have that option I'm afraid.

I couldn't comment on point 1.

For point 2 it would depend on how your are distributing - if binary only, you'd need to added to their program as you need to set bundle ids correctly for them to resign. If you are distributing in source code (so the client builds and releases the app) you'd may just need the dev program to dev and test you app against but depends on how you are doing internal testing).

hey was reading through it and um

Let me put it like this:

You do not need a iOS subscription to trade apps between clients if you do not intend to distribute them on the App Store.

this is all you do

- Buy Mac Computer

- Download xCode

- Make Apps

- Then distribute privately via email or an online app sharing tool.

I would assume that you would know the clients in person so you could just load the apps for them onto thier devices and the collect the money they owe after everything works well

Just to clarify for you:

The paid iOS subscription is to distribuate apps on the App Store.

Apple does not handle private dealings thats all on you.

hope this helps you!

best of luck

Have you tried this?

I think you will run into some minor issues when you get to the "distribute" step...

Have I done it myself? No, because I distribute through the App Store

Do I know of people who have? Yes

Actually Apple has great forums in XCode on how to trade and email apps.

If i was to distribuate privetly I would create the project, find the project in Finder make a duplicate of it, copy to flash drive, take to client who has Mac with XCode and let them distribute among the employees. If you are concerned about them stealing the project I would then Just create a server were the client could download the app to their computer and then distribute among employees.

It just depends on how you want to manage your clientel.