Developer Control Question

Question

Snowstud0101 OP

Created 1w

Replies 1

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Hi everyone,

I’m new to the Apple Developer side of things and I want to make sure I’m handling this correctly.

I hired a freelance iOS developer to build my app. I have my own Apple Developer account (Individual), and I want the app published under my account.

The developer says he needs me to create a Certificate Signing Request (CSR), then he will generate the distribution certificate on his end and send me the .cer file back. From there, he would use that for signing and submitting the app.

My questions: 1. Is this the correct and modern way to handle app signing? 2. Should I instead just add him to my App Store Connect account with Developer access and let him manage signing through Xcode? Dev claims this won’t work, which I haven’t been able to prove or disprove. ChatGPT says it does,but other AI tools says it doesn’t. 3. Is there any risk in sharing certificates like this? 4. What is considered best practice in 2026 for working with freelancers while keeping full control of the account?

My goal is simple: • The app stays fully under my Apple Developer account. • I retain long term control. • The developer can build and submit without needing my Apple ID or password.

I’m not trying to make things complicated, I just want to do this the right way and avoid issues later.

Thanks in advance.

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Answer 1

cybertunerone OP

5d

Hi there, You're on the right track in wanting to retain full control of your Apple Developer account while working with a freelancer. The best and most modern approach is to add the developer to your App Store Connect account with the Developer role. This allows them to access the necessary signing tools in Xcode without needing your personal credentials, and they can submit the app directly through App Store Connect.

Sharing certificates and private keys (as your developer suggests) can be risky and is no longer considered best practice. Instead, you should handle signing through Xcode and App Store Connect, which ensures both security and control.

This way, your app remains under your Apple Developer account, and you retain long-term control while allowing the developer to work without compromising security.

Hope that helps!

-Dean Reyburn, reyburnengineering.com iOS/MacOS app developer

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