Apple makes it easier for you to check out what it takes to be an AppStore dev

So, you know Apple, right? They make some of the best smartphones in the form of the iPhone. And other products as well, like this brand new Vision Pro mixed-reality headset. But becoming a developer for any of these awesome products was… A different story entirely.

So, we all know about the Apple Tax, right? It's basically what Apple takes as a cut off your earnings for having your products on their platforms. So we won’t be going into that for the umpteenth time. Instead, let’s talk about what it costs to start out as a developer to begin with.

Because, yes, that costs money too. And AppleInsider has come forward with an update to Apple’s terms, which is a slight improvement.

TL;DR: If devs wanted early access to the latest Apple features — which you’d need if you are in any way interested in staying competitive in a market with thousands of releases per day, like the AppStore — you had two options:

• Pay $99 per year to Apple
• Wait out for the Public Beta releases, that usually come out during July of each year

Not optimal, right? Well, still, it may have been a necessary evil. If it was free, every inexperienced user might get the bright idea to join. And while saying “I’m part of the Apple Beta program!” sounds cool, this isn’t really an experience intended for end-users.

That still may be a reality that the Cupertino Company may face, though. Without making a big fuss about it, Apple has updated its developer program to include a free tier with access to:

• Xcode tools
• Xcode Betas
• On-device testing
• Developer Forums
• Feedback Assistant
• Developer OS Beta releases

And just to be clear, the $99 paid tier also still exists with even more options such as:

• Apple support
• Distribution on the App Store

Basically, this is Apple saying “If you’ve always been interested in trying to make an app, then you can now try that out for free. And, just in case you make something cool, you can pay us $99 to be able to finish and publish it on the AppStore”.

And, of course, everyone who just wants to sound cool while saying “I’m in the Beta” can still do that. But, again: the developer Beta is unstable, so if you’d rather have a properly working iPhone, then you should carefully consider bragging to your friends is worth it.

After all, the public Beta is a much more stable experience, which becomes available about a month or so after the developer Beta goes live. But for all of you, who have always wanted to check out what it means to be an AppStore developer: this may be a great opportunity to do so.