Can one bad app ruin whole iTunes Connect account?

Question

If we were to develop a large number of iPhone apps for customers which included a content management system such that once the app is uploaded, some of the content can be changed.

If we uploaded the apps to iTunes under our account as our customers are non technical and wouldn't want to manage their own iTunes Connect accounts...what if one app got reject or got filled with inappropriate content, could it ruin our whole iTunes Connect account and put all other apps at risk?

So I guess the question is, upload under our account or the customers?

Answer 1

Make it easier for everybody and make them create their own account.

Pros for them:

• They don't rely on you. If their app is registered to your account you could just delete it.
• They can replace you. If you don't want or can't manage your account their apps would disappear sooner or later. Sooner these apps will become unusable, they just can't provide updates to existing consumers.
• No risk to appear in the same account as a competitors app or another debatable app. I can't imagine a company that wants to be part of an iTunes account which features the latest bikini girl pictures app.
• Developer name equals company name. Imho it looks strange to find the latest Mercedes Benz app in the account of "Jon Doe". More importantly End-users will ask themselves if this is an legit and official app or a ripoff from some strange guy named Jon Doe.

Cons for them:

• $99 a year
• some paperwork to get an account
• they have to "manage" (probably as little as an hour per year) their account or pay you for managing it.

Pros for you:

• You can work on competitive or debatable apps
• You don't have to disclose business connections to other companies
• You don't have to disclose app store revenue from other apps
• You can stop working for that company without causing too much harm
• You are not responsable for any havoc they create with updated content.

Cons for you:

• Lesser visibility for you as a developer
• They can replace you.

Answer 2

This question can have a number of subjective (wild) answers. My opinion would be this:

You should always upload apps under your customer's own accounts. That way your customers can log in whenever they want and see the performance (good or bad) of the apps they commissioned & paid you to do.

And, bonus, you won't be penalized for any bad ideas that they paid you to implement.

I haven't heard of Apple blowing away too many iTunes Connect accounts just for one or two bad apps, but I have heard of them pulling accounts for a whole suite of apps that people objected to.

Answer 3

I guess the answer is "it's up to you". Depends if you want to take the risk that a customer's content could reflect on you. Why don't you just charge the customer for a new developer account and then you release it under that. They don't have to do anything as you would manage that for them.