Making iOS app and testing it before paying the developer enrollment fee

I don’t have an iphone or a macbook, but our teammates do and now I’m borrowing a macbook to try to get various apps of ours to work on iOS. I have set up all the the needed programs (java, xcode, fastlane) but the documentation seems to assume that you pay $100 enrollment fee first prior to starting to set up your app. Can I get some explanation on how to develop first for free and try it out on an iphone before putting money down? I can’t get a free developer certificate by using the apple developer website, but it seems that I have one from playing around with the settings in xcode. However, I cannot seem to figure out how to get provisioning to work. The only instructions I can find online for doing it involve xcode 7 and the option seems to be hidden in xcode 9 or I have something set up wrong. Any tips on how to get this setup?

First, Sorry for the delay in responding to this message. I just saw it.

There are a couple of options:

  1. install simulators with Xcode and you can test in the simulator
  2. there is a non-trivial (i.e. it isn’t easy) way to use Xcode to manage free certificates. Here is a Google Doc that describes the process: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12gHVlXQOxLpKYALgBc1S1HDvJNZUCji_HihlyXifKm4/edit?usp=sharing
  3. Apple recently allows Non-Profits in the USA to apply for a Developer account that the $100/yr is waived. [Note: we have submitted a request for it on January 4th. I received an automated reply with, "
    We’ve received your support request and will get back to you within one business day." and later that day I received a reply with, “We are currently reviewing your request and will get back to you as soon as we can.” and I haven’t heard anything back (it is now March). Your experience may vary.]

Chris

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