BetaDrop alternative: tester limits, .aab and iPhone registration
· 9 min read
BetaDrop is a build sharing service launched in 2026. You upload an .ipa or .apk, you get an install link and a QR code, and testers install from the phone browser without an account. It does the same core job as AppForShare, its pages state their limits plainly, and its free plan is generous. People look for a BetaDrop alternative when one of three things gets in the way: the cap on testers per app, an Android App Bundle that will not upload, or iPhones that are not in the build yet.
A note on sources. BetaDrop details are as listed on betadrop.app/pricing, its security page and its llms.txt on November 9, 2026. It is run by Immersive Mobile Designs Private Limited in Ahmedabad, India. AppForShare is the tool we make, run by ZenTalk LLC in the United States, so read our parts with that in mind.
What BetaDrop does well
- A guest upload with no sign in. The link lasts 24 hours; later uploads from the same device need a free account.
- A Free plan with 500 MB files, links of 3 to 7 days, 1 GB of storage and 5 GB of downloads a month.
- Its CLI, API, MCP server and webhooks on every plan, Free included.
- One "standing link" on Free (up to 50 on paid plans) that you point at any build, and an "Email me new builds" box on it so testers follow it.
- A "Download from BetaDrop" button for a README, Notion page or ticket, on every plan.
- A logo on the install page and star ratings with comments on Free.
- Pro at $6.99 a month or $69 a year, charged in INR or USD, with a GST invoice for Indian customers.
If those are what you need, BetaDrop is a sound choice, and for a small Android app with a handful of testers its Free plan may be all you need.
Side by side
BetaDrop figures as listed on November 9, 2026.
| BetaDrop | AppForShare | |
|---|---|---|
| No account upload | 24 hour link, one per device | 50 MB, 3 day link, private manage link |
| Free plan | 500 MB files, 3 to 7 day links, 1 GB storage, 5 GB downloads a month | 150 MB files, 7 day links, 2 GB storage, 10 GB downloads a month |
| First paid plan | Pro $6.99 a month, 500 MB files | Pro $12 a month ($5.99 regional, India included), 2 GB files |
| Largest file on any plan | 1 GB (Studio) | 4 GB (Team) |
| Tester limit | 10 devices per app on Free, 50 on Pro, in a rolling 30 days; unlimited on Studio | No tester cap; bandwidth per month |
| Android .aab | Not accepted; a browser tool converts it first | Uploaded on Free and up, turned into one APK |
| iPhone devices | Collects UDIDs and exports them for Apple | UDID finder; registers devices on Apple (Pro); Hands free also remakes the profile (Team) |
| Link that opens the newest build | Standing link, 1 on Free | Channel link, 1 on Free, more on Pro and Team |
| Follow by email | Every plan | Pro and Team |
| CLI, MCP, webhooks | Every plan | Pro and Team |
| Store steps | None found | Readiness check on every account build; TestFlight and Google Play sends on Pro and Team |
| Trial and refunds | No trial; fees paid are non refundable | 7 day Pro trial; no refunds after the first payment |
Tester caps vs bandwidth
This is the biggest difference. BetaDrop counts distinct devices that install one app in a rolling 30 days: 10 on Free, 50 on Pro, no cap on Studio. A new build does not reset the count, and an install past the cap is refused. Say you have 12 testers on BetaDrop Free: the 11th and 12th phones cannot install until older installs age out of the window.
AppForShare does not count testers. It counts bytes downloaded each month: 10 GB on Free, 40 GB on Pro, 150 GB on Team. A 50 MB build installed by 12 testers is about 600 MB. Neither model is free of limits; they just stop you at different points. A team with many testers and small builds runs into a device cap first. A team with few testers and very large builds runs into bandwidth first. Our BetaDrop pricing guide works through both with numbers.
Android App Bundles
Flutter, React Native and recent Android Studio projects produce an .aab by default. BetaDrop says it does not accept .aab uploads; you convert the bundle into an APK first with its browser tool, which handles the base module and install time asset packs but not feature modules, and then upload the APK.
On AppForShare a free account can upload the .aab itself. The worker runs Google's bundletool and testers get one universal APK, signed with your workspace's test key. On Pro and Team you can sign with your own upload keystore instead, and the original .aab is kept for Google Play. A test key APK cannot update the Play version of the app, so testers uninstall that first; the install page says so. See .aab upload and how to install an .aab on Android. If you only want to look inside a bundle, the free AAB inspector reads it in the browser.
iPhones that are not in the build
Any link service can only install an ad hoc iOS build on iPhones whose UDID is in the provisioning profile. BetaDrop collects UDIDs through a link and exports them as a CSV, a plain list or Apple's device file. Its own page is clear about the next step: you still register the devices, make the profile again and re-sign by hand.
AppForShare has a free UDID finder too. On Pro, an onboarding link saves the tester's device and registers it on Apple with your App Store Connect key. On Team, Hands free also remakes the profile and starts the build. More in a UDID list is not enough.
After testing: store steps
We found no TestFlight, Google Play, listing or readiness pages on BetaDrop. AppForShare checks every account build against current App Store and Google Play rules and gives a fix for each issue (guidance, not a promise of approval). On Pro and Team, a store build can go to TestFlight or a Google Play track from the build page, and the listing editor and release status pages sit next to it.
Features both have, and how they differ
Several things BetaDrop offered first are now in AppForShare too. The plan they sit on is often different, so here is the honest version.
- Follow by email. Both have an "Email me new builds" box on the stable link. On BetaDrop it comes with every standing link, Free included. On AppForShare it is on Pro and Team channels; the one Free channel has no follow box.
- README download button. Both. Ours is on Free and up for build links, and a channel button on Pro and Team shows the current version. See download button.
- Check before upload. BetaDrop's
inspectsends the file to its API, which reads it and throws it away.npx appforshare check ./app.iparuns on your computer and uploads nothing. The readiness and install checks need no account; security findings need a Pro or Team token. - Read only and expiring tokens, and an upload link for chat assistants. Both. On BetaDrop they come with the API and MCP on Free; on AppForShare they are Pro and Team.
- Free tools. Both have an AAB inspector, APK signing fingerprints and an ExportOptions.plist generator. BetaDrop also converts an .aab to an APK in the browser and has a manifest.plist generator and App Store lookup; we do not.
- Store policy pages. BetaDrop hosts a static HTML site for free (30 days plus one renewal on Free). AppForShare store pages are generated privacy, support and account deletion pages written from your answers and your build, on Pro for one app and Team for every app. We do not host your own HTML.
- Checking uploads for known malware. Both. BetaDrop's security page says uploads are checked against builds already taken down and a bundle ID blocklist, and scanned for malware in the background after the link is issued. AppForShare checks every upload, on every plan and from guests too, right after the link is issued: ClamAV opens the .apk or .ipa, and the file's SHA-256 is looked up at MalwareBazaar. A match is held for a person to review; see the malware check. AppForShare also gives you a Security scan of your own build, which is a different job.
Where BetaDrop is ahead
Said plainly: a cheaper first paid plan ($6.99, or $69 a year) with INR invoices and GST; 500 MB files on Free; the CLI, API, MCP and webhooks on Free; a standing link with followers on Free; a logo on the install page and star ratings on Free; free hosting for any static page; a browser .aab to APK converter.
Which tool when
- A few testers, files up to 500 MB, CLI on a free plan: BetaDrop Free.
- The lowest paid price with an INR invoice: BetaDrop Pro.
- More than 50 testers per app, or builds over 500 MB: AppForShare Pro ($12, 2 GB files, no tester cap) or Team (4 GB, 5 seats).
- An .aab you do not want to convert by hand: AppForShare Free and up.
- iPhone testers you need registered on Apple, and TestFlight or Google Play next: AppForShare Pro and Team.
The full table is on AppForShare vs BetaDrop. Moving over? See coming from BetaDrop: betadrop publish ./app.ipa --standing-link acmebeta becomes npx appforshare upload ./app.ipa --channel beta.
Common questions
Does BetaDrop limit testers?
Yes, per app: 10 distinct devices on Free and 50 on Pro in a rolling 30 days, unlimited on Studio, as listed on November 9, 2026. AppForShare meters bandwidth per month and has no tester cap.
Is AppForShare cheaper than BetaDrop?
Not at list price: their Pro is $6.99 a month and ours is $12. In India and other regional price countries our Pro is $5.99, charged in USD. Per gigabyte and per tester, AppForShare Pro gives more: 2 GB files, 40 GB a month and no tester cap.
Can I upload an .aab?
On AppForShare, yes, with a free account. BetaDrop accepts .ipa and .apk only.
Do both services check uploads for malware?
Yes. BetaDrop's security page says uploads are scanned for malware in the background. AppForShare checks every upload for known malware right after the link is issued and holds a match for a person to review; see the malware check and upload screening and a security scan are different jobs.
If no tester cap, .aab uploads or iPhone registration matter for your next build, you can make a free AppForShare account and compare with your own app.
