iOS Signing Certificate Types
Apple Developer account types, the differences between Ad Hoc, In-House, and App Store signing, and how each is labeled in Pgyer.
For an iOS app that hasn't shipped to the App Store yet, installation depends on the signing certificate, provisioning profile, distribution method, and device requirements for the exported .ipa. This page covers the signing methods Pgyer supports and which certificate types each kind of Apple Developer account can use.
Apple Developer Account Types
The table distinguishes common enrollment types in the Apple Developer Program from the Apple Developer Enterprise Program. A membership program, signing certificate, and distribution method are different concepts.
| Program / Enrollment Type | Annual Fee | App Store Distribution | Ad Hoc Device Registration Limit | Eligibility Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Developer Program — Individual | USD 99 per membership year, or local pricing | Supported | Up to 100 per device family per membership year | Legal age of majority, identity, account, and other enrollment requirements |
| Apple Developer Program — Organization / Company | USD 99 per membership year, or local pricing | Supported | Up to 100 per device family per membership year | Legal entity, authority to sign agreements, D-U-N-S Number, and other applicable Apple requirements |
| Eligible educational institutions and other qualifying organizations | May request an Apple Developer Program fee waiver; free only after Apple approves the waiver | According to the membership program | Up to 100 per device family per membership year | Must meet fee-waiver requirements; education does not automatically mean free membership |
| Apple Developer Enterprise Program | USD 299 per membership year, or local pricing | This program is not for App Store distribution | The same 100-per-family, per-membership-year limit applies when using Ad Hoc | At least 100 employees, a legal entity, proprietary internal-use apps, Apple verification, and other requirements; a D-U-N-S Number alone is insufficient |
Ad Hoc registration limits apply to the developer team per membership year and per product family; iPhone and iPad are counted separately. This is not a separate allowance for each app or signing certificate. Disabling a device during the membership year does not restore an available slot. In-House does not use Ad Hoc's device-by-device registration workflow, but it has the internal-use restrictions described below.
See Apple's full enrollment requirements, fee-waiver requirements, device registration limits, and Enterprise Program requirements.
For export steps, see Build an iOS IPA.
Signing Methods and How Pgyer Labels Them
This page compares three common iOS distribution methods. Pgyer detects the certificate used in the installer and labels the release accordingly on the download and management pages:
| Signing Method | Label in Pgyer | Who Can Install | Applicable Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ad Hoc | Beta | Devices registered in the Apple developer account and included in the Ad Hoc provisioning profile used for export | Individual, Company, Education, Enterprise |
| In-House | Enterprise | Employees within the organization, subject to valid signing, compatibility, and trust requirements | Enterprise |
| App Store | App Store | Installable only through the App Store | Individual, Company, Education |
Distributing iOS apps through Pgyer typically uses Ad Hoc or In-House:
- For Ad Hoc: register each target device, include it in the provisioning profile used for export, and export the IPA. Xcode can manage profiles with automatic signing. Signing certificates and provisioning profiles are distinct; device lists belong to the profile. See Apple's Ad Hoc provisioning profile workflow.
- For In-House: eligible Apple Developer Enterprise Program organizations may distribute their proprietary internal-use apps privately and securely to employees within the organization. Not requiring per-device UDID registration is not permission to distribute to the public or a guarantee that every device can install the app.