Enterprise app deployment

Hi, we're a small developer team, so we're not eligible for the Apple Enterprise Developer program, but we do some work for some big enterprises that would be eligible.

What's the best way we can protect our code and IP, yet deploy iOS apps directly to these enterprise customers, rather than publicly into the app store?

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Answered by devmaximilian in 612984022
If possible, I'd suggest requesting that the enterprise registers for the Apple Enterprise Developer Program and adds your team members as developers for the project that you are working on.

This is what we do where I work (also a small developer team with enterprise customers).
Accepted Answer
If possible, I'd suggest requesting that the enterprise registers for the Apple Enterprise Developer Program and adds your team members as developers for the project that you are working on.

This is what we do where I work (also a small developer team with enterprise customers).
Big Enterprise here. I recommend reviewing the App Distribution session from last year noted by Vanson.

For the scenario you describe in the question, I recommend B2B Custom App distribution. I do not recommend using your customer's Enterprise account for many reasons.
Custom Apps is the recommended path forward for the overwhelming majority of our enterprise customers at this point, and it is built to support exactly what you are talking about. You can leverage a standard developer account, to do private distribution to other companies as well as internal distribution to your own company. Please have a look at the documentation here and familiarize yourself with Custom Apps: https://developer.apple.com/business/custom-apps/

You may also want to take a look at our WWDC session from last year that outlines this shift in trajectory: https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2019/304/
Thank you all, I don't seem to be able to upvote you or mark as answered, but those Custom App recommendations and the link to last year's WWDC 304 session by Ashley Carroll were perfect, thank you!

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Enterprise app deployment
 
 
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