To ship your own iPhone app in 2026 you need a Mac on macOS Sequoia 15.6 or later with 100 to 200 GB of free space, an Apple Developer account at $99 a year and an AI agent subscription from $20 a month (prices as of October 13, 2026). You only pay Apple before you publish. The niche, the code and the App Store page can all come first.
The required costs
Three things are required. A Mac, a subscription for the AI agent that writes the code, and an Apple Developer account. Everything else is optional.
| What | Cost | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| A Mac on macOS Sequoia 15.6 or later with 100 to 200 GB free | yours, or a purchase | from day one |
| Agent subscription, Claude Pro or ChatGPT Plus | from $20 a month | when the agent starts writing code |
| Apple Developer account | $99 a year | before you publish |
| Appto | Solo $9.99 a month, no free trial, a demo in the app before you pay | optional |
Prices as of October 13, 2026, Apple Developer and agent subscriptions per their own sites. Appto doesn't sell the agent subscription and doesn't include it in its price.
If you already have a Mac, the first year comes to $99 for Apple plus $240 for twelve months of the agent, $339 in total. Appto Solo adds $9.99 a month.
Which Mac will work
Any Mac with Apple silicon or Intel works if it can run macOS Sequoia 15.6 or later. It all comes down to Xcode. Since April 28, 2026, the App Store only accepts builds made with Xcode 26 or later, and Xcode 26 installs only on macOS Sequoia 15.6 or later.
Newer Xcode needs a newer macOS. Xcode 27 from the Mac App Store needs macOS Tahoe 26.6 or later and installs only on Apple silicon Macs (Apple's Xcode 27 release notes). While the App Store accepts Xcode 26 builds, an Intel Mac works, but once Apple requires Xcode 27 you'll need an Apple silicon Mac. On Sequoia, Xcode 26.3 from Apple's developer downloads works.
Check your version in the Apple menu under About This Mac. If your Mac can't update to Sequoia 15.6, you can't build an App Store app on it. Appto itself opens on macOS 12, but without Xcode 26 there is no build.
Plan for 100 to 200 GB of free space. Xcode, the iPhone simulators and the builds take it up.
The agent subscription
The AI agent writes the code, and it needs its own subscription. Claude Pro or ChatGPT Plus works, from $20 a month. Appto runs Claude Code and Codex on the subscription you already have and doesn't resell the agent.
Check that the agent is available in your country before you pay for anything else. Anthropic and OpenAI each keep a list of supported regions.
What you can do before paying Apple
You need the Apple Developer account to create the app in App Store Connect and publish it. Almost everything before that can be done without it.
- Pick a niche and check that it has money.
- Describe a five-screen version 1.
- Write the code and build the app.
- Check the screens in the iPhone simulator on your Mac.
- Prepare the App Store page, screenshots and texts.
That way the $99 goes to Apple once the app is ready. The agent checks the screens in the simulator, so a separate iPhone isn't required for version 1.
What Appto costs
You can work with an agent directly, without Appto. Appto adds niche research on App Store data before any code, stages that only get a checkmark from a fact, the App Store page in the languages you need, and the app's life after launch.
| Plan | Price a month | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Demo | $0 | in the app before you pay, on sample apps, with no sign-in. There's no free trial. Niche search, the stages and work on your own app come with a subscription |
| Solo | $9.99 | one app from niche to App Store, niche picks and checks, analytics and reviews |
| Studio | $29.99 (first month at the Solo price, $9.99) | up to 10 apps, niche revenue estimates, sales as they happen |
| Pro | $99.99 | up to 100 apps across several App Store Connect accounts |
Terms as of October 15, 2026. The agent subscription and the Apple Developer account are paid separately.
Costs after launch
Apple takes a commission on in-app purchases, so the revenue figures in our articles are before it. If your app doesn't need a server, it costs almost nothing after launch. What remains is $99 a year for Apple and the agent subscription while you build new versions. An example of such an app is in our article on read-aloud PDF apps.
A server comes in, for example, for AI features with a paid key. Appto has a small ready-made server for that, running on your own free Cloudflare account. Cloudflare asks for a card or PayPal even on the free tier.
What time costs
Time depends on the app and on Apple's review, and nobody can promise how long review takes. Appto has one fast example. On July 7, 2026, Pool Chemist went from the start of work to submission for review in a single day (Appto registry). After that the timing depends on Apple's review.
As of October 13, 2026, 9 apps made with Appto are on the App Store. AI agents wrote their code.
Version 1 stays at five screens to reach the App Store sooner. All nine steps are in our guide from niche to App Store. To avoid spending that time on a topic with no buyers, see 16 app ideas with too little money in them.
Questions
Will an Intel Mac work?
Yes, if it can run macOS Sequoia 15.6 or later. Then Xcode 26 installs, and Appto runs on both Apple silicon and Intel. Xcode 27 installs only on Apple silicon Macs, so an Intel Mac works while the App Store still accepts Xcode 26 builds.
Do I have to pay Apple right away?
No. The niche, the code, the simulator check and the App Store page can all be done first. The $99 a year is needed before you publish.
Can I skip the AI subscription?
No, the agent writes the code. Claude Pro or ChatGPT Plus from $20 a month works, and Appto doesn't sell that subscription.
What if my macOS is older?
Appto opens on macOS 12 and you can try the demo there. You can't build an App Store app without Xcode 26, and Xcode 26 needs macOS Sequoia 15.6 or later.
Build your own app in Appto
Appto checks the niche on fresh App Store data, designs the screens, writes the code, builds the App Store page and submits to Apple from your account or shows you what to press in App Store Connect. Runs on your own Claude Code or Codex.
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