I'm working on an app for a non-profit for distribution to their financial members. Obviously our members aren't employees but we don't want the app to hit the app store - we want to distribute a download link on our website and in our email comms. The license is much more expensive (presumably becauses there is no opportunity for Apple to earn more from the apps) so before I commit to the annual expense I want to be sure that I'm doing the right thing.

I think you can also get an additional 100 devices on your dev account for another $99 per year, or something like that. Might be a better way, depending on overall long term costs... Cheers! -- Smug

If you put a "lock screen" as the first screen of the app, then it can be distributed through the normal Apple App Store. Then the Member's ID can be verified via interaction between the lock screen and the server. Apple will need a bogus member ID for their testing of the app. Cheaper, easier, standard methodology. -- Niraj

You may violate the rules of the Enterprise License by distributing a semi-public download link to the Enterprise-signed version of the app. Also, the app will only be alive for 1-year. Every year, it must be refreshed by resigning the app. The Provisioning Profile is the item that expires. Best stay with the normal Apple Developer license. -- Niraj

Cost isn't such an issue - I just don't want to spend the money and find I chose the wrong license.

You will also have to provide a Dunn & Bradstreet number for your Company to get an Enterprise Developer account from Apple. -- Niraj

OK, I'll do a standard organisation license. They'll be happy. We won't have enough downloads to cause a problem and if we need to lock info down we can do that too. We've got the DUN number already, there's no harm in having that process done even if we don't use it. thanks for the advice!!!

OMG - just went to enrol. On the DUNS confirmation email (which even a standard organisation needs) it says "You may start using your number in 14 days" Like I'm going to diary "use it now" Well, we've only had it 3 days and we don't come up in the searches at all so it seems that when they say 14 days they mean 14 days. Crazy! You don't expect batch data updates these days, it's not the '70s!

Have a look at: http://mobiledan.net/2012/03/02/5-options-for-distributing-ios-apps-to-a-limited-audience-legally/ specifically the section 3) Custom B2B Apps Program. This is what I will be using to distribute a B2B app I am currently working on.

Thanks Ryan, that was a good run down. I'd missed the bit about a device only having apps from one enterprise license at a time - and the article highlighted that. I get why Apple do that but it's a bit short-sighted in the IT world where contractors might need apps from more than one client. In our case it could be a real issue.

I'm fairly sure I've had apps on my device that were signed by different Enterprise licenses. I've never heard of such a restriction. -- Niraj