Individual or Company developer account for a paid Windows app by a solo developer?

A Company developer account is required because publishing and supporting a paid-subscription app is activity related to your trade or profession, even though you are a solo developer and have not yet registered a legal business.

As of October 21, 2026, policy 10.14 says Company accounts must be used by “any person acting in relation to their trade or profession”; Individual accounts are generally for developers working on their own only when the activity is not commercial or professional.^1^ Partner Center’s account guidance expressly places independent developers and freelancers distributing apps in relation to their business, trade, or profession under Company, while Individual is intended for non-commercial, hobby, amateur, school, or personal projects.^2^

Why the subscription is not the only deciding factor

Charging DKK 69 per month does not, by itself, create a blanket rule that every paid app needs a Company account. The relevant distinctions are:

• Commercial/professional activity: Your planned recurring revenue and ongoing support make Company the appropriate account type under 10.14.
• Financial information: Policy 10.8.3 separately requires a Company account when financial-account information is required for the product’s primary functionality. “Financial information” includes bank or card information and credentials, among other listed data.^3^
• Third-party subscriptions: A non-game PC app may use either a secure third-party purchase mechanism or Microsoft recurring billing for subscriptions. Therefore, using Paddle is not inherently prohibited.^3^

For an external checkout:

1. Do not require the payment transaction during Store installation.
2. After installation, the app may direct the user to a browser to complete the transaction.
3. Identify the commerce provider and make it clear that the user is initiating a purchase.
4. Disclose the subscription type, price range, and relevant trial or access restrictions in the app and metadata.
5. Declare the use of a secure third-party purchase API during the Partner Center submission.^4^

The current policy page is document version 7.20, published September 15, 2026, but it states an effective date of October 22, 2026.^4^ Recheck it when submitting, especially if submission occurs on or after that date.

Effect of the app brand name

An app brand name is not automatically a company name. However, policy 10.14 independently requires a Company account when a reasonable consumer would interpret either the application name or publisher name as belonging to a business entity.^1^

Therefore:

• A product-style name can be acceptable only if it does not imply that an unregistered company or organization is the publisher.
• A name containing business cues such as “ApS,” “Ltd,” “Company,” or similar wording would likely be interpreted as a business entity.
• The Store metadata must not claim that the app comes from a company or other entity unless you are authorized to make that representation.^4^

The publisher display name can be managed in Partner Center, but changing that display field does not change the underlying account type.^5^

What to do before registration

1. Establish a legal business form in Denmark suitable for your planned commercial activity.
2. Collect the verification material required by Company onboarding. Microsoft accepts a D‑U‑N‑S number or official business documents such as a government business-registration record, along with organization and contact verification.
3. Start at the Store developer onboarding site identified in the account-opening documentation and select Company account.
4. Enter the legal business details and complete business, employment/contact, and mandatory due-diligence verification.^2^
5. Use the app brand as the product name, while ensuring the publisher identity accurately represents the registered publisher.

Do not open an Individual account as a temporary measure. Partner Center does not support converting Individual accounts to Company accounts; publishing later as a company requires creating a new Company developer account.^2^

References

1. Microsoft Store Policies 7.19
2. Steps to open a developer account
3. Microsoft Store Policies (7.18)
4. Microsoft Store Policies
5. Manage a Microsoft Marketplace account in Partner Center