How to Transfer an App to Another App Store or Google Play Account
Practice4 minInnovialabs editorial team
In short
Both stores let you move an app between developer accounts without losing users, ratings or reviews; you start the transfer from the current owner's account, the recipient accepts it, then keys, push and integrations are reconfigured.
The short answer
An app can be moved to another developer account in both stores. Users keep the installed app and receive updates, and ratings, reviews and the store listing stay with the app. What does not move automatically is everything tied to the old team: push keys, certificates, some identifiers and third-party integrations.
The transfer is always started by the current owner and accepted by the recipient.
Transfer in App Store Connect
Who can do it: only the Account Holder of the sending account.
Steps:
- In the recipient account, find the Team ID and the Apple ID of its Account Holder.
- In the sender account, open the app, go to App Information and choose Transfer App.
- App Store Connect checks eligibility and lists anything that blocks the transfer.
- Enter the recipient's Team ID and Apple ID, confirm.
- The recipient's Account Holder accepts the transfer in App Store Connect within the allowed period.
Typical blockers and preparation:
- The app must have at least one version released on the App Store.
- No version in review or waiting for release.
- Both accounts must have accepted the latest agreements; if the app is paid or has In-App Purchases, the recipient needs an active Paid Apps agreement and banking details.
- TestFlight: builds and testers do not carry over; finish active beta testing before transferring.
- Capabilities tied to the team (some iCloud, App Groups, Sign in with Apple setups) need extra steps. Sign in with Apple user identifiers are team-scoped, so plan a user migration using the transfer identifiers Apple provides.
Transfer in Google Play Console
Who can do it: the account owner of the current account initiates the request.
Steps:
- The recipient shares their developer account ID and the transaction ID of their registration payment.
- The sender submits an app transfer request from Play Console (the exact menu location changes over time — search the Help Center for "transfer apps").
- The recipient accepts the transfer; Google processes it.
- The new owner checks the app, its products and linked services.
What to prepare:
- Both accounts must be active and in good standing.
- With Play App Signing, the app signing key stays with the app on Google's side. Make sure the recipient has an upload key: either hand over the old one securely or request an upload key reset.
- In-app products and subscriptions move with the app; active subscribers keep their subscriptions.
- Linked services — Firebase, Google Ads, Google Cloud projects, API keys — are not transferred by this procedure and need separate handover.
What carries over and what does not
| Item | Moves with the app | Needs action |
|---|---|---|
| Installed users, updates | Yes | — |
| Ratings and reviews | Yes | — |
| In-app products, subscriptions | Yes | Recipient needs payout setup |
| Historical financial reports | Stay with the old account | Export before transfer |
| Push keys (APNs, FCM project) | No | Create new keys, update backend |
| Universal Links / App Links | Partly | Update apple-app-site-association with the new Team ID |
| Analytics, crash reporting | No | Transfer projects or re-link |
Moving away from an agency account
If an agency published the app in its own account, plan the move as a project:
- Create your own developer accounts. Organization accounts usually require a D-U-N-S number and some time for verification — start early.
- Collect source code, signing materials, upload keys, APNs keys, admin access to Firebase and analytics.
- Agree on a date with no releases and no review in progress.
- After the transfer, make a test release from your own account to confirm the whole pipeline works.
The cleanest option for new projects is simple: publish in the client's account from day one and give the agency team access.