Tax and Banking Information in Your Developer Account

To get paid for paid apps, subscriptions, and in-app purchases, both platforms require completed tax forms and banking details — without them, payouts simply won’t happen, even if sales are coming in.

Apple: setting up payouts

1. In App Store Connect, open Agreements, Tax, and Banking.
2. Accept the Paid Applications Agreement if you haven’t already — monetization isn’t possible at all without it.
3. Fill out a tax form:
4. W-9 — for US tax residents;
5. W-8BEN (individuals) or W-8BEN-E (organizations) — for non-US tax residents, allowing you to apply a reduced withholding rate under a tax treaty between the US and your country of residence, if one exists.
6. Enter your banking details for payouts — usually an IBAN/account number and the bank’s SWIFT/BIC code.
7. Wait for the agreement status to confirm — “Active” status under Agreements means you’re ready to receive payouts.

Google Play: setting up payouts

1. In Play Console, open Setup → Payments profile (or through Google Payments Center).
2. Enter payee information — legal name for organizations, full name as on ID for individuals.
3. Complete the tax information — similar to Apple, the form depends on your tax residency status (US persons vs. non-US persons).
4. Link a bank account to receive payouts.
5. Check the status in Payments Center — payouts don’t happen until the profile is fully verified.

Common mistakes

• Payee name doesn’t match the bank account holder’s name — the bank may reject the transfer if the name on the tax form doesn’t exactly match the account owner’s name.
• Wrong tax form type selected — for example, using a W-9 without US tax residency leads to incorrect withholding.
• Outdated banking details after switching banks — payouts keep going to the old account until details are updated, which can cause delays or returned payments.
• Incomplete organization tax information — legal entities need to separately provide an Employer Identification Number (EIN), or an equivalent for countries outside the US; without it, the agreement status won’t move to “Active.”

How often to update your details

• Banking details — update immediately when you switch banks or close an account, or your next payout may fail.
• Tax forms — most forms (W-8BEN and similar) are valid for around 3 years, after which they need renewing; platforms typically send advance notice.
• Legal address/organization name — after a company change (relocation, rebranding), update details on both systems, since a mismatch can also affect overall account verification, not just payouts.

FAQ

Can a developer get paid without US tax residency, using a W-8BEN form?
Yes — this is the standard scenario for most international developers; the W-8BEN form exists specifically to confirm non-US tax resident status and apply the correct withholding rate.

What happens to already-accumulated sales if banking details aren’t set up?
Funds accumulate on the platform’s balance and get paid out once details are correctly filled in and verified — the sales aren’t lost, just the payout is delayed.

Do I need separate tax residency for each platform?
No — your tax status is determined by your jurisdiction overall, but forms and verification are configured separately on each platform, since they’re independent systems.

This article is independent and not affiliated with Apple Inc. or Google LLC, and it is not tax advice. For specific questions, consult a tax professional. For official information, see developer.apple.com/support/app-store-connect and support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer.

Related: How Much Does a Developer Account Cost: Apple vs Google Play · Developer Agreements: What to Watch Out For · Renewing Apple Developer Program Membership