Apple App Store — account setup

VULK publishes your app to the App Store under your own Apple Developer account, using an API key you create and give to VULK. This page is the one-time setup you do on Apple's side. None of it can be automated — Apple requires the account owner to do these steps.

1. Enrol in the Apple Developer Program

• Go to developer.apple.com/programs/enroll.
• Cost: $99 USD / year. Apple bills this, not VULK.
• Choose the account type:
  • Individual / Sole Proprietor — fastest, no extra paperwork.
  • Organization — requires a D-U-N-S Number (a free legal-entity identifier from Dun & Bradstreet; obtaining one can take a few days). Use this if the app must be published under a company name.
• The person who enrols becomes the Account Holder. This role signs legal agreements and cannot be delegated to VULK.
• Enable two-factor authentication on the Apple Account (required).

2. Accept the agreements

In App Store Connect → Business → Agreements:

• The Apple Developer Program License Agreement is accepted during enrolment.
• If your app will charge money (paid app, subscription, or in-app purchase), the Account Holder must sign the Paid Applications Agreement and complete Tax and Banking information. This is web-only — there is no API for it, and new apps can be blocked until it is signed.

3. Create the App Store Connect API key

This is the credential you give VULK.

1. In App Store Connect go to Users and Access → Integrations → App Store Connect API (direct link).
2. Click Generate API Key (or the +).
3. Give it a name (e.g. VULK Publishing).
4. Set the Access role to App Manager (minimum) or Admin.
   • App Manager can create apps, manage metadata, upload builds, and submit for review — enough for publishing.
   • Admin is needed if you also want VULK to create signing certificates/profiles automatically. We recommend Admin for the smoothest fully-automated flow.
5. Click Generate, then download the .p8 key file.

⚠️ The .p8 file can be downloaded only once. Save it. If you lose it you must revoke the key and create a new one.

You now have three values — copy all three for the next step:

4. Give the credentials to VULK

Go to Connect your accounts in VULK and paste the Issuer ID, Key ID, and upload the .p8. VULK stores the .p8 encrypted (AES-256-GCM) and uses it only to sign requests to Apple on your behalf. You can revoke the key in Apple at any time — VULK never has more access than the key you issued.

What stays your responsibility

• The $99/yr fee and keeping the membership active (a lapsed membership disables the API key).
• Signing the Paid Applications Agreement (web-only, Account Holder).
• Passing Apple's human App Review — VULK gets your app to the review queue correctly built and signed, but the reviewer's decision is Apple's.
• Because VULK apps are web apps wrapped natively, review against Guideline 4.2 (minimum functionality) applies — see Limitations.

Sources: Program enrolment · Create API keys · Sign agreements · Role permissions