Sell a Mobile App

Mobile apps sell on subscribers and retention. Downloads without retention are a marketing bill the buyer has to keep paying, so the first question is always what the 30-day retention looks like.

Both stores support transferring an app between developer accounts, with rules that trip people up: in-app purchase history, iCloud entitlements and Sign in with Apple all have conditions.

What buyers pay

Subscription apps trade like SaaS; free apps trade on retention and ad revenue

A subscription app with a healthy trial-to-paid rate sells at SaaS multiples. Free apps are priced on daily active users and what an ad network pays for them, and that number is lower than most sellers expect.

An app that depends on a paid backend the buyer has to keep running is priced net of that cost.

Ranges reflect small-deal marketplaces in 2026 and move with the market. Your buyer decides the price; these numbers tell you where the conversation starts.

Before you list

1. Store analytics export: downloads, active users, retention cohorts, crash rate.
2. Subscription data from RevenueCat, the store dashboards or your own backend.
3. Backend architecture and monthly cost, plus the list of third-party SDKs.
4. Whether the app uses Sign in with Apple, iCloud, or entitlements that complicate transfer.
5. Review history and any rejected builds.

What moves at closing

The buyer pays Tool Index once you've both signed. Then, in this order:

1. App Store Connect and Google Play app transfer to the buyer's developer accounts.
2. Source, signing certificates re-issued by the buyer, and push notification keys.
3. Backend, database and domains, or a documented migration.
4. Subscription platform account migration.
5. Support email, privacy policy hosting and marketing site.

You mark the deal delivered with a note of what moved. The buyer confirms inside the inspection window and the money is released to you, minus 1 percent (minimum $19, maximum $199) and the card processor's fee. If they open a dispute, a person reviews the delivery evidence before anything moves.

What kills deals

• Entitlements that block transfer and were not disclosed.
• Retention that collapses after day one.
• Downloads bought from incentivised networks.
• A developer account that belongs to an agency or a former partner.

Questions

Do subscribers move with the app?

On both stores, yes, when the app is transferred correctly. The subscription platform account, if you use one, must be migrated separately.

What about the source code?

Include it. An app sold without source is a listing, not a product, and buyers pay a fraction for it.

How long does the store transfer take?

Apple usually completes within a few days after both sides accept; Google is similar. Set the inspection window with that in mind.