App Development

Apple Waives Developer Fees for Schools, Nonprofits

• By Joshua Bolkan
• 01/03/18

Apple is now waiving the fees for its developer program for accredited educational institutions and other qualifying organizations.

Members of the developer program are able to distribute apps through the Apple App Store and gain access to tools such as app analytics, beta testing resources such as TestFlight, beta software and advanced app capabilities.

The move comes in response to complaints directed at the company when it banned apps generated from templates last year, according to TechCrunch. That earlier decision was designed to set a quality standard for apps on the store and to eliminate duplicative apps, but it would also have barred many apps developed by third parties for schools and other organizations. As a work-around, Apple is barring those third parties from submitting apps in their clients' names, but opening the developer program to the client organizations so they can submit their apps themselves.

In addition to educational institutions, nonprofits and government entities based in the United States are also eligible to have the $99 fee waived. Any organization receiving a waiver must release only free apps on the company's app store. Releasing any paid apps or apps that allow in-app purchases on the store will invalidate the waiver.

New members must submit a fee waiver request after they have submitted an enrollment request. Current developer program members can have future fees waived by submitting a waiver request any time before their current membership expires.

For more information, or to apply for a membership or membership fee waiver, visit developer.apple.com.