To build, publish, and maintain your Branded Mobile App, GroupApp needs access to two developer accounts registered in your name:
Apple Developer Program
Google Play Console
You own and control these accounts. You simply give the GroupApp team the permissions needed to handle the technical setup, app submission, and future updates on your behalf.
This guide explains why these accounts need to belong to you, the exact access GroupApp requires, what we can and cannot do with that access, and what to expect during the setup process. You can find the step-by-step guides for granting access at the bottom of this article.
Apple and Google require apps to be published through developer accounts belonging to the business or individual responsible for the app. GroupApp cannot publish customer Branded Mobile Apps through its own developer accounts.
Having your own developer accounts also keeps important parts of your app under your ownership:
Your business name appears as the developer on your App Store and Google Play listings instead of GroupApp.
Your ratings, reviews, and install numbers stay with your accounts and can be viewed directly through App Store Connect and Google Play Console.
Any in-app purchase revenue is paid directly to you by Apple and Google using the payout information configured in your accounts.
You remain the owner of your developer accounts while GroupApp is given the access required to manage your Branded Mobile App.
You only need two developer accounts for your Branded Mobile App:
Apple Developer Program: Required to publish your app on the Apple App Store. Membership costs $99 USD per year and renews annually.
Google Play Console: Required to publish your app on Google Play. Registration costs a $25 USD one-time fee.
You do not need to create a Google Cloud project, Firebase project, Codemagic account, or have access to a Mac. GroupApp handles the build and release infrastructure required for your app.
Apple and Google use a D-U-N-S number to verify the legal entity behind an organization developer account. A D-U-N-S number is a unique business identifier issued by Dun & Bradstreet.
It is free to request, but Dun & Bradstreet can take up to 30 days to issue one. If you need a D-U-N-S number, start this process first so it doesn't delay your developer account setup.
See How to Set Up Your D-U-N-S Number for Your Branded App for complete instructions.
Once your developer accounts are ready, you'll invite the GroupApp team using the same email address for both accounts:
Here's the access required on each platform:
App Store Connect (Apple) - Admin role. On an Organization account, this includes access to Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles.
Google Play Console - Admin (all permissions) at the account level.
You remain the Account Holder on Apple and the account owner on Google throughout the process. These ownership roles are not transferred to GroupApp. On Google, account ownership cannot be transferred to us.
Admin is the lowest permission level that gives our team the access required to fully manage the technical build and release process.
Store submissions, signing certificates, and the API credentials used by our build system require permissions that lower roles do not provide. For example, roles such as App Manager or Developer cannot create the API keys our build pipeline needs.
Without Admin access, we would need you to manually complete additional technical steps every time your app needs to be built or released.
Once you've provided the required access, the GroupApp team uses it to manage the technical setup, publishing, and ongoing releases for your Branded Mobile App.
This includes:
Creating your app records, bundle ID, and package name on both stores.
Generating the signing certificates and provisioning profiles used to build your app.
Setting up the publishing credentials that connect your developer accounts to Codemagic (continuous integration service used by GroupApp), the build service GroupApp uses to compile and ship your app.
Uploading app builds, completing the technical parts of your store listings, and submitting your app for review.
Shipping app updates as GroupApp releases new features and making required updates when Apple or Google change their technical requirements.
The access you provide is used only for managing your Branded Mobile App. GroupApp does not take ownership of your developer accounts or manage unrelated account information.
Specifically:
We do not add, change, or access your banking, tax, or payout details.
We do not sign legal agreements on your behalf. Only the Account Holder can do this.
We do not publish any app other than your Branded Mobile App from your accounts.
We do not change who holds your developer accounts or add anyone else to them.
To avoid unnecessary delays, complete the setup in the following order:
Request your D-U-N-S number if you're enrolling as a business. Start here because this can have the longest processing time.
Create your Apple Developer Program and Google Play Console accounts.
Complete the required Apple and Google identity verification.
Invite [email protected] to both developer accounts using the guides linked below. For Apple, you'll also need to enable App Store Connect API access and clear any pending agreements. These two account-level actions must be completed by you.
Send GroupApp your app name, icon, and other branding assets.
GroupApp configures signing, connects Codemagic, builds your app, and submits it for store review.
You remain in control of the access you provide and can revoke GroupApp's access at any time without contacting us first.
For Apple, remove the GroupApp user from Users and Access in App Store Connect.
For Google, remove the user from Users and permissions in Google Play Console.
Important: Once GroupApp's access is removed, we can no longer build, update, or resubmit your Branded Mobile App. Any release currently in progress will also stop. If you only need to remove access temporarily, we recommend contacting us first so we can avoid interrupting an active build or release.
Can GroupApp publish the app under its own developer account instead?
No. Apple and Google require apps to be published by the business that operates the community and holds the relationship with its members. Publishing your Branded Mobile App from GroupApp's developer account could put the app at risk of rejection or removal.
Should I enroll as an Individual or an Organization?
We strongly recommend enrolling as an Organization on both platforms.
Your business name will be displayed as the developer. More importantly, Apple Organization memberships allow you to give team members access to the signing resources required to build your app.
With an Individual Apple membership, invited users cannot be given access to Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles. Without this access, GroupApp cannot sign or build your app.
Who pays the store fees?
The user pays the developer account fees directly to Apple and Google using your own payment method.
GroupApp's fees are separate and cover the building and maintenance of your Branded Mobile App.
Note: The Apple Developer Program membership renews annually, so make sure it remains active. If your Apple membership expires, your app will be removed from the App Store until the membership is renewed.
What is Codemagic?
Codemagic is the continuous integration service GroupApp uses to compile Branded Mobile Apps and deliver builds to the Apple App Store and Google Play.
GroupApp handles the Codemagic connection as part of your app setup. You do not need to create or manage a Codemagic account yourself.
Do I need a Mac or any developer tools?
No. Everything you need to complete on your side can be done through a web browser. GroupApp handles the app building process on our side.
Is a Personal Google Play account a problem?
It can add additional time to your launch.
Personal Google Play developer accounts created after November 13, 2023 must complete a closed test with at least 12 testers opted in continuously for 14 days. After completing the test, you must apply for production access before the app can be released publicly.
This process can add several weeks to your launch. Organization accounts are not subject to this requirement.
How long does the process take?
Creating and verifying your developer accounts is usually the longest part of the initial setup, particularly if you're waiting for a D-U-N-S number, which can take up to 30 days.
Once your app has been submitted, Google states that reviews can take up to 7 days for some accounts and may occasionally take longer. Apple does not publish a standard review time, but first submissions generally take longer than app updates.
Once your developer accounts are created and verified, follow these guides to give the GroupApp team the required access:
If you're unsure about any part of the process, contact us at [email protected], and we'll guide you through the setup.
