Launch requirements overview

The following requirements are mandated by Apple and apply to every business that operates within the App Store. In other words, these are not exclusive to apps developed by MINDBODY—everyone publishing to the App Store must abide by these rules.

The good news? It's possible that your business already meets many of these standards.

If you have a custom email address and your own website, for example, then you've already completed the first two steps. And if your business is registered as a legal entity, such as a legal liability company (LLC), then it's possible you already have a D-U-N-S® number as well.

Set up a business email address

You'll need a custom email address with your own domain name (e.g., owner@yourcompany.com) in order to sign up for an Apple Developer account; Apple won't accept personal email addresses created through free online services such as Gmail or Outlook.

If you have your own website, then a custom email address may already be included as part of your website hosting plan. If this isn't the case, you can still purchase a custom address for your organization, but you'll need to use Gmail for business or a similar service.

Set up a business website

Your business must have a publicly-available website, and the domain name must be associated with your organization. In other words, you'll need a website hosted outside of MINDBODY where clients can go to find your business.

Let's use Costa Wellness—a website we've created to demonstrate our branded web tools widgets—as an example. Costa Wellness has both a MINDBODY site and their website.:

When applying for a Developer account, we'd use the business website address at http://www.costawellness.com/ on our application.

Register your business as a legal entity

Your business must register as a corporation, LLC, or other type of legal entity (e.g., GmbH, AG, KG) to enroll in the Apple Developer Program—Apple won't permit sole proprietorships to launch apps through this program. Moreover, Apple does not permit the use of DBAs, fictitious business names, trade names, or branch names.

We know registering as a legal entity is no small task, but due to the sensitive legal nature of these agreements, MINDBODY representatives won't be able to assist with this step. Local laws, and the resulting tax implications, can vary significantly depending on where your business is located. For this reason, we strongly recommend reaching out to a qualified legal adviser to discuss the registration requirements in your area.

Create an Apple ID for your business

When enrolling in the Apple Developer program, we recommend creating an Apple ID specifically for your business. This ID should be separate from your personal Apple ID, as Apple will use the linked email address to communicate updates about your app and bill your annual $99 registration fee. For these same reasons, you may want to register your Apple ID using a private email address rather than a general address that is shared among several employees—owner@yourbusiness.com rather than info@yourbusiness.com, for example.

If you've previously created an Apple ID for your business—to download the Class Check-in app or play music in your studio, for instance—then you can use the same ID with the Developer program.

To create a new Apple ID, follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Create Your Apple ID page.
  2. Fill out the form using your company email address and complete all required security questions.
    • Note: Apple will use this address to communicate updates concerning your app registration—be sure to check it regularly.
  3. Apple will send a six-digit verification code after filling out the form. You will need to enter this code in order to complete registration.

Apple support

As this process takes place entirely within Apple's ecosystem, our Support team is limited in the help they can provide. If you encounter trouble with your Apple ID, we recommend using these resources: