How to Publish an App on the App Store and Google Play Without Your Own Company

You built an app. People want to pay for it. Then you open the developer console and the questions start: individual or organization? Legal entity name? D-U-N-S number? Bank account? Tax forms?

This guide explains the three ways to publish a paid app, and which one fits a side project.

What the stores ask for

Both stores support two kinds of accounts.

Apple App Store

• Individual: you enroll with your Apple Account. Your personal legal name appears as the seller on the App Store.
• Organization: you enroll as a legal entity. Apple asks for a D-U-N-S number, a website and authority to sign for the company. The company name appears as the seller.
• The Apple Developer Program has a yearly membership fee.

Google Play

• Personal account: for individuals. New personal accounts must run a closed test with a minimum number of testers for a set period before they can publish to production. Check the current numbers in the Play Console help.
• Organization account: for companies. Google asks for a D-U-N-S number and verifies the organization.
• Google Play charges a one-time registration fee.
• For apps that sell things, Google shows developer contact details on the store listing.

In both stores, you also set up payout bank details and tax forms before you can sell.

Option 1: Publish as an individual

How it works: you enroll in your own name and sell under it.

Good for: a first app, a hobby app, a free app.

Watch out for:

• Your full legal name is public as the seller.
• Payouts land in your personal account, mixed with your salary.
• Some business customers and partners expect a company.
• If you later add a co-founder or sell the app, you will need to move it.

If you are employed, your name on a public store page also makes your side project visible to your employer. Read our guide on running a side business while employed in Singapore and get approval first if your contract needs it.

Option 2: Open your own company

How it works: you incorporate, get a D-U-N-S number, open a corporate bank account and enroll as an organization.

Good for: an app that is already a serious business, with plans to raise money or hire.

Watch out for:

• In Singapore, a private limited company needs a locally resident director, a company secretary, annual filings and accounts.
• You need a corporate bank account, which can take time to open.
• The D-U-N-S number and store verification add a few weeks.
• Yearly costs continue even if the app earns little.

We compare the cost and effort in sole proprietorship vs Pte Ltd vs a contracting partner.

Option 3: Use a publisher partner

How it works: an established company publishes your app under its verified developer account. The store pays the company. The company keeps an agreed share and pays you the rest every month, under a written contract.

Good for: side projects that already earn money, where the owner does not want to run a company.

What to check in the contract:

• Ownership of the code and brand. It should stay with you, or be clearly defined.
• Transfer clause. You should be able to move the app to your own account later. Both Apple and Google support app transfers between accounts.
• Revenue share and payment timing. Written down before launch.
• Store access. How you push updates and see analytics.
• Exit terms. What happens if either side wants to stop.

This is one of the things Giinger does. Giinger is the publisher, and you get your share every month. See how the money moves.

Side-by-side comparison

	Individual account	Own company	Publisher partner
Seller name on store	Your legal name	Your company	Partner company
D-U-N-S number	Not needed	Needed	Partner already has it
Bank account	Personal	Corporate	Personal, for your payouts
Yearly company costs	None	Yes	None for you
Paperwork	Low	High	Low
Best for	Hobby or first app	Funded startup	Earning side project

Before you publish: a short checklist

1. Check your employment contract for IP and outside work clauses.
2. Pick a structure using the table above.
3. Prepare store assets: privacy policy, support URL, screenshots.
4. Set up payouts and tax forms in the account you choose.
5. Plan the exit: how the app moves if you change structure later.
6. Keep records of every payout for your tax return. See how to declare side income in Singapore.

The bottom line

An individual account is fine for a hobby. A company is right for a funded startup. For an app that already earns money on the side, a publisher partner gives you a company face without running a company.

Talk to Giinger if your app is already earning and you want the business side handled.