How to sell your app as a non-US founder: escrow, getting paid, transfers and tax forms

Can I sell my app if I don’t live in the US?

Yes. Many indie app founders who sell don’t live in the US, and neither do many buyers. The steps are the same as anywhere (numbers, offer, due diligence, escrow, transfer); what changes is the money: which escrow service can pay you, in which currency, into which account, and what paperwork comes with it. The general process is in how to sell an iOS app.

Does the App Store or Google Play transfer care about my country?

No country rules are published for either store. Apple’s app transfer criteria are about the accounts and the app, not where you live:

• both accounts can’t be in a pending or changing state;
• both sides must have accepted the latest paid and free agreements (and if you accepted Apple’s EU Alternative Terms Addendum, the buyer must too);
• the app must have at least one version released on the App Store, and can’t be on pre-order anywhere.

You need the buyer’s Account Holder Apple Account and Team ID to start the transfer; they have 60 days to accept, and it then takes up to two business days (Apple).

Google Play needs both developer accounts registered and active, the registration transaction IDs of both, and an active payments profile on the buyer’s account; Google reviews transfer requests within 2 business days. Step by step: how App Store transfers work and selling an Android app.

Does escrow work in my country?

This is the check to do first. Escrow.com’s own list (September 2026) has two groups:

Source: Escrow.com, countries not supported, checked September 2026. Turkey, India, the EU, the UK, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia and Vietnam weren’t on either list. Lists change; check yours before you agree terms.

If your bank country is unsupported, ask Escrow.com directly what your options are, or agree another licensed escrow provider with the buyer. Sanctions are a separate, legal question: OFAC notes it “does not maintain a specific list of countries” that US persons can’t do business with, because programmes are either comprehensive or targeted. A US buyer or escrow provider will check this, so be upfront about where you live and bank.

How does the money reach my bank?

• Currency: Escrow.com works in USD, EUR, GBP, CAD and AUD, pays out in the currency the deal was set up in, and doesn’t convert currencies. Conversion happens at your bank or payment provider.
• Same name: your bank account must be in the same name or company name as your Escrow.com profile. It can’t pay a friend, a relative or a different company.
• Speed: after release, funds go out the same or next business day, and international wires take three to five business days.
• Fees: an international wire payout costs 20 USD or CAD, a EUR wire €15 and a UK payout £20, and an intermediary bank may take an extra fee on the way (Escrow.com).
• ID checks: you’ll upload proof of identity and proof of address. Do it early so it doesn’t hold up the payout.

How escrow itself works, step by step: app sale escrow.

Which account should receive the payment?

A bank account in your own name, in a supported country, that can receive international wires in the deal currency. Options founders commonly use:

Published fees, checked September 2026; your provider’s own terms apply.

One catch: Escrow.com lists banks it can’t pay into, including Community Federal Savings Bank, Bank of Georgia, N26 and First Century Bank. Some fintech USD account details point to one of these, so check which bank your receiving details name before you set up the payout. For a large sale, a plain bank account in your name is the least surprising option.

Should I sell as an individual or a company?

Either works for the transfer and for me. What matters is that the names line up: the developer account that owns the app, the purchase agreement, the Escrow.com profile and the receiving bank account. If you sell as a company, Escrow.com asks for evidence that your name appears alongside the company’s legal name and the company must be active, and the payout goes to the company’s bank account.

If the app sits in your personal developer account but you want the money in a company (or the other way round), sort that out with an accountant before you sign, not during escrow.

What about tax and US forms like W-8BEN?

Two things are worth knowing, and neither is tax advice:

• Your home country: the country where you’re tax resident can usually tax your worldwide income, including capital gains from sales of property. How an app sale is treated differs by country and by whether you sell as an individual or a company.
• US forms: a US buyer or payer may ask you for Form W-8BEN (individuals) or W-8BEN-E (companies) to document that you’re a foreign person. It goes to the payer who asks for it, not to the IRS.

Talk to a local accountant before you agree the price: the structure (individual or company, one payment or instalments) can change what you keep.

What should I prepare before I start?

1. Check your bank country against Escrow.com’s list.
2. Pick the receiving account (in your name, can receive wires in USD or EUR) and confirm its incoming fees.
3. Have your passport or ID and a recent proof of address ready for verification.
4. Make sure the developer account, the agreement and the bank account are all in the same name (yours or your company’s).
5. Accept the latest Apple (or Google Play) agreements, and make sure your account isn’t in a pending state.
6. Ask an accountant how the sale is taxed where you live.

I buy apps from founders in any country where escrow and the app transfer work, individuals or companies. You usually get a reply within a few hours, and the deal usually closes in about 14 days, with no fees for you. Send me your app, or read how to sell your app confidentially first.