Publishing. Do you need a business?

[nerb]

Hi,

Simple question: Do you need to have a registered business to sell paid apps on the Google Play store? Or can you act as an individual? It appears you do if you are in the US or UK, but I am in Australia.

I've had a bit of a googling, and can't seem to easily find an answer. Has anyone here had any experience with this?

Cheers,
nerb.

[ra4king]

You can act as an individual. You should be able to follow the steps easily to publish your app.

[Riven]

If you want to pay the absolute maximum amount of tax over your sales, then yes, sell it as an individual.

Games published by our own members! Check 'em out!

[sproingie]

Look up the individual incorporation laws in Australia.  In the USA, we call them S-Corporations (the S is for the tax code subchapter they operate under).  No idea what the equivalent in Oz is, but I imagine there is one.

But you might want to, yunno, actually try selling something before you worry too much about your liabilities, and only then plow the first few hundred quid you make into some incorporation paperwork.

[nerb]

You can act as an individual. You should be able to follow the steps easily to publish your app.

Brilliant. Cheers.

If you want to pay the absolute maximum amount of tax over your sales, then yes, sell it as an individual.

Point noted Riven, thanks.

But you might want to, yunno, actually try selling something before you worry too much about your liabilities, and only then plow the first few hundred quid you make into some incorporation paperwork.

Spot on sproingie. This is pretty much where I'm coming from, I just want to give it a whirl as an individual first. If I make $2 then I won't worry about establishing a business and paying VAT in some European country I've never heard of. If however I woke up $100K richer (...ya...right...sure...), then I'd be applying for that business number and giving an accountant a call.

Cheers all, much appreciated.
nerb.

[nerb]

Wow... the signup was quicker than writing this post...