What's the difference between a public App Store listing and internal-only distribution?

A public App Store listing puts your app in the consumer App Store, anyone can find and install it, Apple reviews it like a consumer app, and you can get public reviews. Internal-only distribution via Apple Business Manager Custom App or Google Play Managed Distribution makes the app available only to specific Apple IDs / Google accounts in your organization. No public listing, faster Apple review (no consumer policy enforcement), no public reviews, no marketing required.

Do I need an Apple Enterprise account ($299/year) for internal distribution?

No, not anymore. The legacy Apple Enterprise Program (for in-house distribution) is restricted and requires Apple approval. Most SMBs use the regular $99/year Apple Developer Program + Apple Business Manager Custom App distribution, which lets you publish privately to your business's employees.

How do I set up Apple Business Manager?

Apple Business Manager (free) is separate from your Apple Developer Account. Sign up at business.apple.com with your company's DUNS number and an Apple ID for your business. After verification (1-3 days), you can claim apps from your developer account and distribute them privately. Apps still go through App Review but as 'Unlisted' or 'Custom App,' no consumer policy issues.

How do my employees install the app?

Three options. (1) Apple Business Manager link: you generate a private link, send via email, employees tap it on their iPhone, Apple ID required for first install. (2) MDM (Mobile Device Management) push, if you use Jamf, Mosyle, Kandji, Microsoft Intune, the app installs automatically on enrolled devices. (3) TestFlight, simplest for small teams under 100 users, free, you invite by Apple ID email.

What about Android internal distribution?

Two main options. (1) Google Play Managed Distribution: publish your app to specific Google Workspace organizations or specific email addresses, no public Play Store listing. (2) APK direct distribution: build an APK from your Expo project and distribute it however you want (intranet download, MDM push). Most operators use Managed Distribution for cleaner updates.

Can I do internal-only distribution for both iOS and Android from one Rork project?

Yes. The same Rork / Expo project produces both iOS and Android binaries. You configure each for internal distribution separately (Apple Business Manager for iOS, Google Play Managed for Android). The codebase is identical.

What about distributing to subcontractors or external partners?

Apple Business Manager Custom App lets you distribute privately to any Apple ID, including subcontractors with personal Apple IDs. For wider distribution (independent contractors with their own devices), the public App Store is usually simpler, you just don't market the app publicly. The public App Store does not require anyone to find you, you can give the link directly.

How to Distribute a Mobile App Only to Your Team (Internal iOS + Android Distribution)

If you have built a mobile app for your business, the next question is: how do my employees actually install it?

The marketing literature assumes you want a public App Store listing. Most SMBs do not. Internal business apps are for your team, your subcontractors, sometimes your suppliers, never the general public. Putting them in the public App Store creates problems you do not need: consumer App Review, public reviews from non-users, marketing pressure, the risk of an unrelated user discovering and complaining about your internal tool.

The solution is internal-only distribution. It is fully supported by Apple and Google. It used to require expensive enterprise programs. In 2026 it is available to any SMB with a $99/year Apple Developer account and a free Apple Business Manager account.

This is the playbook.

The Three Distribution Models

Model 1: Public App Store (and Google Play)

Anyone can find and install via App Store search.
Apple Review enforces consumer policies (in-app purchase rules, privacy disclosures, content guidelines).
Public reviews and ratings are visible.
You need marketing copy, screenshots, App Store optimization.

Use this if your app is consumer-facing or if you want maximum reach.

Model 2: Apple Business Manager Custom App + Google Play Managed

Your app is only available to Apple IDs / Google accounts you authorize.
Apple Review still happens but is faster (no consumer policy issues).
No public listing, no public reviews, no marketing required.
Distribution via private link, MDM push, or invitation.

Use this for internal business apps. This is what most SMB operators end up using.

Model 3: TestFlight (or APK direct for Android)

Free, simplest option for small teams (under 100 users on iOS).
Apple Review still required (but lighter).
Builds expire every 90 days, requires re-uploads.

Use this for pilot rollouts, small teams, or for testing before moving to Custom App.

How to Set Up Apple Business Manager Custom App Distribution

The full setup takes 1 to 3 hours plus 1 to 3 days of verification wait.

Step 1: Sign Up for Apple Business Manager (30 min)

Go to business.apple.com. Click "Enroll Now." You will need:

A company DUNS number (free from Dun & Bradstreet, takes 24 to 72 hours to get if you don't have one).
A company email (must be a verified business domain, not gmail).
Legal company name.

Apple verifies your company. This usually takes 1 to 3 business days.

Step 2: Link Apple Business Manager to Your Apple Developer Account (10 min)

Once Business Manager is verified, link it to your Apple Developer account (the one with the $99/year subscription). Now you can publish apps from your developer account to your Business Manager.

Step 3: Configure Your App for Custom Distribution (15 min)

In App Store Connect, when you submit your app, choose "Distribution: Custom App for Business Manager" instead of "Public App Store." Apple still reviews, but the review is faster because they're not enforcing consumer App Store policies. Your app does not appear in the public App Store.

Step 4: Distribute to Your Team (5 min)

In Apple Business Manager, navigate to your Custom App. You see options:

Generate a private link. Send via email to specific Apple IDs.
Push via MDM. If you use Jamf, Mosyle, Kandji, Microsoft Intune, employees enrolled in MDM get the app installed automatically.
Add specific Apple IDs. Your employees can find the app in their "Purchased" section in the App Store on their iPhone.

How to Set Up Google Play Managed Distribution

Easier than Apple. 30 minutes total.

Step 1: Google Play Developer Account ($25 one-time, lifetime)

Step 2: Configure Managed Google Play (10 min)

In Google Play Console, when you publish your app, choose:

"Managed Google Play": private app for specific organizations.
Add your Google Workspace domain or specific email addresses.

Apps published this way do not appear in the public Play Store. Only authorized Workspace users can find and install them.

Step 3: Distribute via Workspace (5 min)

Authorized users see the app in their personal Play Store under "Work Apps" tab. Tap install. Done.

For non-Workspace organizations: you can also publish as "Closed Testing" or just distribute the APK directly via your intranet, email, or MDM.

The Operator Stack That Works

Most SMB operators end up with this distribution pattern:

| Use case | iOS | Android | |---|---|---| | Internal team app (50 employees) | Apple Business Manager Custom App | Google Play Managed | | Subcontractor app (extended team) | Apple Business Manager (Custom App with private link) | Managed or direct APK | | Side project for friends / public | Public App Store | Public Play Store | | Pilot / testing | TestFlight | Google Play Internal Testing |

Same Rork / Expo project ships all of these. You just configure the distribution option at build time.

What This Looks Like for a Real SMB

A construction company in southern Spain runs the following:

Main field crew app (50 employees + 300 contractors): Apple Business Manager Custom App for iOS, Google Play Managed for Android. Internal-only distribution. New crews are added via Apple Business Manager when they join.
Football prediction side-project (Mickey's app for his friends): Public App Store + Public Play Store. Available to anyone in Spain. $4/month premium tier.

Same Rork account, two completely different distribution profiles for two different apps. Same Expo build pipeline.

What Operators Wish They Had Known

Three things:

Apple Business Manager verification can take 3 days. Start the process the same week you begin building your app. Do not wait until you are ready to ship.
MDM costs scale with device count, not user count. Jamf, Mosyle, Kandji, Intune all charge per managed device. For a 50-person team this is roughly $3 to $10 per device per month. Often worth it for the auto-install and remote management features.
Apple Business Manager Custom App reviews are easier, not absent. Apple still reviews your app for crashes, basic technical standards, and privacy disclosures. They do not enforce consumer policies (in-app purchase rules, app review guidelines around social, etc.). Plan for 1 to 3 days of review, not zero.

What to Do This Week

If you have a Rork app and you are ready to distribute:

Sign up for Apple Business Manager today (it takes days to verify, start now).
Decide if you need MDM or simple private-link distribution.
Submit your app to App Store Connect with Custom App for Business Manager selected.
Submit Android to Google Play with Managed Distribution.
Distribute the private link to one or two employees as a pilot.
Roll out to the full team.

By next month every employee has the app on their phone, and you never had to put it in the public App Store.