application publishing Archives

Winsage

September 12, 2025

Microsoft Store ditches fees for indie devs

Microsoft has announced that individual developers can now publish their applications in the Microsoft Store without incurring any fees, eliminating the previous requirement of a one-time payment. The process has been streamlined, as developers no longer need to provide a credit card to publish their apps. This change applies to over 200 markets and was hinted at during the Build 2025 conference. While individual accounts can publish for free, company accounts still require a one-time fee. Developers must have a Microsoft account, provide identification, submit a selfie for verification, and fill out additional details to register. The Microsoft Store has evolved since its launch in 2012, now supporting various app formats and allowing developers to host apps on their own servers. Popular applications available in the store include Adobe Creative Cloud, Discord, Slack, and Spotify.

Winsage

September 11, 2025

Microsoft waives fees for Windows devs publishing to Microsoft Store

Microsoft has eliminated registration fees for individual Windows developers to publish applications on the Microsoft Store, allowing submissions of various application types without costs. The company will manage the hosting and signing of applications, enabling developers to package apps as MSIX and alleviating the need for their own content delivery networks. Microsoft will also sign apps for free and deliver updates automatically. Developers can implement their own in-app payment systems for non-gaming applications, retaining all revenue. To publish applications, developers must verify their identity with a government-issued ID and a selfie. This change aims to create a more inclusive platform for developers. The Microsoft Store has been redesigned to support a variety of application types and has over 250 million monthly active users.