Having issues authorizing payment for Apple Developer Program

I have the same problem as well. I've tried paying for the enrollment of 3 company accounts (for 3 different companies) and none of them worked. I also tried with multiple cards from multiple banks. I always get a Thank You message at the end of the payment processes and it says that my payment should be processed within 2 business days. It never gets processed. This is happening to me since October 2019. I've messaged Apple Support multiple times for each of the cases and they always end up ignoring me and not helping at all. I've contacted my bank and they say that there was no charge attempt on any of my cards. I'm also using one of these cards for App Store purchases all the time and I never had a problem. Also have 2 autorenewing app subscriptions that are charging my card every month without a problem.

I all 3 cases I ended up publishing the apps on my personal developer account, which I paid for from the same card I tried on all other accounts. But the problem is that now my membership is expiring and I need to renew it and guess what happened... I can't pay... Exact same problem as above. So I was able to pay with the same card 1 year ago (June 2019) but then a few months later something happened and many developers are not able to pay for their memberships.

Worst Customer Support experience ever! Most companies' customer support staff are eager to take your money and in most cases there's nothing on the line. But here I have a few published apps that have to stay in the App Store. I can't afford to let my membership expire and get my apps removed from the App Store... And other people have worked for months to develop their apps and publish them, but we are all just blocked and ignored by the stupid customer support.

I've been an Apple developer for 5 years now and this is how I'm making a living. But now I'm seriously considering to switch to a different platform and forget about Apple and iOS. I can build a mobile website to take care of my iPhone users' needs. Frustrating as ****!

Guys, what is the payment system is used on cards?

I know that some American government agencies accept payment only with a VISA card. Maybe the same problem is here.

I try to pay for 1 months every day with 8 different cart, 5 different banks, 5 different appleIDs. I am from Russian. Thank you apple for this quest and for showing your true face... Now i start to learn new platform and want to forget apple with ios :* And yes support ignoring me ...

I wonder if anyone tried paying through the Apple Developer app (for your iPhone in App Store)? I infer from one Apple's webpage that it pays through in-app purchase. I also always fail paying through regular method, but all my purchases through App Store were successful (music, app, etc); so it sounds promising.

I cannot try it now since my membership has not expired yet so the button to pay in app is blocked.

(Note: I am posting another reply with same topic but with more details, but still in moderation. Likely because I put some URLs there)

Totally support you, I am having the same problem even though trying all kinds of cards and asking my friends to pay for me. None of the solutions works. While I see there are 2 ways of registering for the Apple developer program: via the web or the app. I haven't tried the app but registering via the Apple web seems doesn't work (cuz of the payment problem). I think we should use the app, but it requires driver license as ID and I haven't got one yet. so currently I couldn't register through the app. but if you guys have, then try it.

Additional possible solution: set your Apple ID's payment to Apple card (you have to order one using SSN, I don't have the SSN since I am an international student studying in the US). and register via the Apple developer app. If any of you have the Apple card, please try it and let me know how it turns out.

we are all in the same dilemma, Apple needs to consider this as a serious problem.

Your problem registering via the app, contact Apple support right now and tell them to withdraw your registration on the web so that you can register via the app. If you say this, Apple will reply to you very fast, if you do it right now then tomorrow you should be ok registering via the app.

I am having the same problem even though trying all kinds of cards and asking my friends to pay for me. None of the solutions works. While I see there are 2 ways of registering for the Apple developer program: via the web or the app. I haven't tried the app but registering via the Apple web seems doesn't work (cuz of the payment problem). I think we should use the app, but it requires driver license as ID and I haven't got one yet. so currently I couldn't register through the app. but if you guys have, then try it.

Additional possible solution: set your Apple ID's payment to Apple card (you have to order one using SSN, I don't have the SSN since I am an international student studying in the US). and register via the Apple developer app. If any of you have the Apple card, please try it and let me know how it turns out.

If you cold-email them, there will be no reply. You have to contact through the web, then wait for their response to your personal email, then you can talk to them by replying to that email.

Well, the only way you can contact with apple is through their main web page on Safari. Go to Apple developer page, enter your Apple ID, and click to the contact us section, and choose the content that you want to ask, then send them your message via the WEB. Good luck

Guys please also mention your country so that everyone understands how many countries are having the same problem..

Thank you..

Developer from Greece here.

Having the same issue as everyone since April. Tried 3 different credit cards. 2 from Greek banks and one from Citibank US.

My order gets canceled after one day, with no notification whatsoever.

I have made multiple contacts with Apple support, and they always reply with automated messages, ignoring what I wrote.

I have taken all the suggested actions like:

Login in to the Apple Id with an Apple computer.

Add all credentials (addresses etc...) and credit card details there.

Login to iTunes with same Apple Id.

Login to App Store with same Apple Id.

Made a purchase from App Store using the same credit card as in my account.

Updated Safari, cleared all caches.

Logged in to safari Apple Id and checked the validity of payment method and credentials. It was correct.

Procedded with program enrollment and get canceled after one day.

Good luck to everyone!

Thanks for information about driver license requirement for paying in app.

However, I finally got my membership extended by using the classic method:

1. Being frustated with all the failures.
2. Contacting Apple support through website as you mentioned, promised 1-2 business days reply through e-mail
3. Wait for more than 2 business days and got replied "Hi, I'm K; will contact you by phone, please provide details and time slots"
4. I gave time slots for about upcoming 5 days and block my calendar on those time slots
5. Wait for more than 5 days with no phone calls and no e-mail reply
6. Suddenly this morning got a phone call from a landline number "Hi, I'm C; K is not available so I am replacing her. Please provide your credit card number so I can manually order it"
7. I gave her the exact card details as what I provided in the website (that failed).
8. Waited a couple of hours; credit card charged; membership extended; all less than 24 hours

In conclusion, I think their customer support is overwhelmed by this problem; so we just have to be extra patience waiting for response.

Note for step 7 above: I was being paranoid at first because a random person claiming from Apple suddenly phoned me, asking my credit card number (and I explicitly said that to C). However, I gave it a go because she mentioned the name of her colleague "K" which is only possible if she really was from Apple. I think it's a good idea too to be sure that the phone call was really from Apple not from someone trying to trick you; just in case.

Good luck!

What did u tell them so that they asked you to give them the credit card's number?

I just told them that I am having problems with my payment didn't go through and looking for alternatives. So basically I let them decide what to do next, but probably that "looking for alternatives" was what triggered them to call me and ask my credit card number.

By the way, this method was also successful for one of my client, few months before this.

Hi everyone,

I have finally got my membership activated!!

For those who still waiting....please note that the only way to get this issue rectified faster, is to keep calling them. And my advice is that you should only follow up with one case number, do not try to send several emails or making repeated calls having multiple cases IDs for the same issue, that may delay it further.

But just keep one case open with one person to follow up with, and in case this person got some issue, he/she will forward it to another person and notify you about it.

With my previous issue, I realized that the main issue payment was not triggered automatically by system, so after calling Apple developer support team, they requested to have a list of my previous successful payments to App Store or Itunes. So I provided them my orders history for the last 3 to 4 months. And they reviewed the same and eventually...they pushed my enrolment payment from their side, which it seems to be triggered manually. And this issue has nothing to do with my bank.

Please note that even if they didn't ask you to provide a list of your recent successful orders, try to ask them about it when you have a call with them.

Well...this system payment issue may not happen with all. But it did happen with me and finally got it solved as explained above.

Good luck

🙂Apple Lover 🙂

Ahmed, what number did you try calling? I couldn't find anything that goes directly to developer support.

What takes longer

• Developing an iOS app OR

• Enrolling for an Apple developer account