Understanding bundle IDs for iOS app development

Every iOS app requires an App ID to work. This is a string that is set up during development, usually in the form of com.your-company.app-name. Note that the terms App ID and bundle ID are generally used interchangeably.

Nutrient bases your license on the bundle ID you provide. This has to be an explicit ID, meaning an ID that is unique and does not contain a star (*) value.

Once a bundle ID is registered in the Nutrient license portal, it can’t be changed. Note that these IDs are case-sensitive, so make sure you register the correct case variant.

This information is based on our standard terms and agreement. Check your contract to make sure this applies to your case as well.

Learn more about the difference between a wildcard App ID and an explicit App ID here.

There is generally no limitation from Apple on how many App IDs you can create in the Apple Developer Portal. End users do not see this ID unless they are technically very advanced and manually open your App Bundle.

See our guide on finding the app bundle ID if you’re unsure about the bundle ID of your app.

Development and testing

For development and testing, you can request additional bundle IDs from our license portal. Ensure that you have registered the actual bundle ID beforehand, and that the beta/testing ID is recognizable as such.

Example:

If your product is named FaxSender and your company name is OKBX Corporation, then your bundle ID will likely look like this: com.okbx.fax-sender. Your testing IDs could be com.okbx.fax-sender.dev, com.okbx.fax-sender.staging, com.okbx.fax-sender.testing, or com.okbx.fax-sender.beta.

We approve these IDs manually and will add them if they match the above scheme. If you have a different scheme, let us know and we will consider your case.

If you can’t find the Request Beta ID link, you either have no license entry (which could mean your payment is open/pending), or you haven’t yet registered your actual bundle ID with your license. Complete your payment or register your bundle ID and the Beta ID request feature will work.

Enterprise considerations

If you distribute your app in multiple enterprise app stores, it would technically be possible to use the same App ID across them. However, this loophole is closed by our license agreement. If you need to deploy your applications in multiple stores, contact us so we can figure out a solution.

iOS extensions (App extensions, notification widgets)

App extensions are a new feature as of iOS 8, and these will need a separate bundle ID, which requires an additional license. However, we might be able to offer a discount if you explain your extension use case. Note that iOS 10 adds notification widgets, which also require a separate license.