And - if you cannot afford a $99 / yr developer ID, how could you possibly afford a signing key for Windows or other platforms?
Why It’s Different From Windows
On Windows, unsigned apps usually trigger a “Unknown Publisher” warning, which: - Clearly labels the app as unsigned — not “damaged” - Still allows the user to easily override the warning and open the app - Doesn’t falsely imply the app is corrupted
On macOS, the message is:
“App is damaged and should be moved to the Trash”
This: - Strongly implies the app is broken or dangerous - Misleads non-technical users into deleting safe software - Can trigger across all user files or multiple apps after updates, as seen in real cases
Cost to the Ecosystem
It’s not just about the $99/year: - Small devs, educators, hobbyists, open-source projects often can’t justify the fee for a free tool - Explaining this to every user takes hours of support time - Thousands of safe apps are abandoned or ignored due to the scary warning - Users lose trust in perfectly good software
We’ve estimated: - Over 1 million users have abandoned apps due to this message - Devs waste millions of dollars worth of time explaining workarounds
The Goal Here
We’re not asking Apple to remove security — just to make the message accurate.
Changing “damaged” to something like:
“App is not signed and may be from an unknown developer”
…would solve 90% of the confusion, with no loss in security.