You should own it outright. Whether you do depends entirely on what your contract says, and the default position in UK law is probably not what you assume.
The short answer
Under UK law, copyright in commissioned software stays with the author by default. Paying for software does not automatically make you its owner. It has to be assigned to you in writing.
What this means in practice
If your contract is silent on intellectual property, the developer may own the copyright in what you paid for. You will usually have an implied licence to use it, but that is a much weaker position than ownership: it can limit what you do with it, and it can make moving to another developer legally messy.
This is not an obscure edge case. It is the default, and plenty of contracts do nothing to change it.
The three ownership models you will meet
| Model | What you get | What happens if you leave |
|---|---|---|
| Full assignment | Ownership of everything | You take it all with you |
| Licence back | A right to use it | You negotiate, or you rebuild |
| Silence in the contract | An implied licence, probably | Legally unclear, practically difficult |
What to ask, and what to own
Ask every supplier this, and get it in writing:
"Does all intellectual property in the deliverables transfer to us, and does it transfer on creation rather than on final payment?"
The second half matters. Transfer on final payment sounds reasonable and leaves you owning nothing if a dispute happens mid-project, which is exactly when you need it.
Own all of these, not just the code
- The source code and repository
- The Apple Developer and Google Play accountsOwning code but not the store account still leaves you unable to ship an update.
- The database and hosting account
- The domain
- The store listings and their historyReviews and ranking do not move with you.
Where we stand
You own all of it, from day one rather than on completion. The repository is created in your name, as are the developer accounts. There are no licence fees and nothing to renew.
We publish this because it is genuinely not universal, and because the question is easy to forget until the moment it becomes expensive. Our guarantee.
Common questions
Do I automatically own software I paid for?
No. Under UK law, copyright in commissioned software belongs to the author by default unless it is assigned to you in writing. Paying for it is not the same as owning it, and this surprises most people.
What should the contract say?
That all intellectual property in the deliverables is assigned to you, in writing, and ideally that it transfers on creation rather than on final payment. Ask for that wording specifically.
What else should I own besides the code?
The repository, the Apple and Google developer accounts, the domain, the database, and the store listings. Owning the code but not the accounts still leaves you unable to ship an update.