Diawi vs TestFlight vs Firebase for test builds in 2026
· 7 min read
Four tools come up whenever a team needs to get a test build onto phones: Diawi, Apple's TestFlight, Firebase App Distribution and AppForShare. They overlap less than it seems. TestFlight is Apple only and needs a review for outside testers. Firebase is free but needs a Google account for every tester. Diawi is the simplest link, with tight limits. AppForShare, the tool we make, sits between them with links on every plan and paid tiers for teams. This comparison uses each vendor's published pages as read on November 2, 2026, and ends with a pick for each common case. It replaces our 2023 comparison of AppForShare, Firebase and Diawi, which no longer matches how those products work.
The short answer
- Large iOS beta, many outside testers: TestFlight.
- Free, Android heavy, testers already use Google accounts: Firebase App Distribution.
- One small build to one or two phones today: Diawi's free account, or any of the others.
- Ad Hoc iOS and Android builds to clients and QA, links that stay up, no tester sign in: AppForShare.
Many teams use two: TestFlight for the wide beta before release, and a link tool for daily builds.
Side by side
| Diawi | TestFlight | Firebase App Distribution | AppForShare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iOS and Android | Apple platforms only | iOS and Android | iOS and Android |
| Price | Free account; Starter EUR 2.99, Premium EUR 29.99, Enterprise EUR 299.99 a month | Included with the Apple Developer Program, $99 a year | No-cost | Free; Pro $12, Team $39 a month |
| Largest file | 20 MB free, up to 1.2 GB on Enterprise | App Store limits | 2 GB | 50 MB guest, 150 MB Free, 2 GB Pro, 4 GB Team |
| How long a build stays installable | 1 to 15 days after the last install | 90 days | 150 days | 3 days guest, 7 days Free, while subscribed on Pro and Team |
| Tester sign in | None | Apple Account and the TestFlight app | Google account | None; Team invited testers confirm by email link |
| Review before testers install | None | Beta App Review for the first external build | None | None |
| iOS signing | Ad Hoc, Development, Enterprise | App Store distribution, no UDIDs | Ad Hoc, Development, Enterprise | Ad Hoc, Development, Enterprise |
| Tester limits | 2 to 100 installs per app by plan | 100 internal, 10,000 external | 500 testers per project, 200 per group | Free and Pro by bandwidth; Team up to 1,000 testers |
| Android App Bundle | Not supported | n/a | Yes, when linked to a published Play app | Yes, turned into one universal APK, no Play link |
| CI | API from Starter; community plugins | Xcode and App Store Connect tools | Firebase CLI, Gradle and fastlane plugins | CLI, GitHub Action, fastlane plugin, MCP server, Diawi compatible API (Pro) |
| Tester feedback | No | Screenshots and crashes from the TestFlight app | Android in-app feedback SDK (beta) | From the install page and an in-app link, no SDK |
Sources: Diawi plans, Apple TestFlight, Firebase App Distribution. Details on each are in Diawi limits and Firebase App Distribution limits.
Diawi: the simplest link, with small limits
Upload a file, get a link and a QR code. No tester account, no SDK, no setup. It accepts an .ipa, a zipped .app or an .apk. The free account allows 20 MB, 1 day and 2 installs, and link life counts from the last install, so an actively used link lives longer than the table suggests. The paid plans are cheap at the bottom (EUR 2.99 for Starter with the API) and the pay as you go add-ons let you extend one link for cents. The weak spots: no .aab, no official CLI or CI plugins, and the community Jenkins plugin has an open security warning.
Pick it when: builds are small and short lived, and you want no setup at all.
TestFlight: the right tool for big iOS betas
TestFlight needs no UDIDs, takes up to 10,000 external testers, and installs the exact build you will ship, signed for the App Store. Testers install the TestFlight app and use their Apple Account. The first build for external testers goes through Beta App Review, and builds expire after 90 days. It covers Apple platforms only, so Android goes elsewhere.
Pick it when: you need more than 100 iOS devices, outside testers in large numbers, or you want to test the store signed build. Our TestFlight comparison goes deeper, and one QR code for TestFlight and an APK shows how to combine them.
Firebase App Distribution: free, if testers have Google accounts
Firebase costs nothing, takes 2 GB files and keeps releases for 150 days. It has a solid CLI, Gradle and fastlane support, Crashlytics in the same console, and an App Testing agent preview for Android. Every tester accepts an invitation with a Google account, which is fine inside a company and often a blocker with clients. iOS builds still need UDIDs in the profile; Firebase collects them and emails them to you, and you register and rebuild. Distributing .aab files requires linking the app to a published Google Play app.
Pick it when: your testers already use Google accounts and you want no cost. See when a link is simpler than Firebase.
AppForShare: links that stay up, for Ad Hoc and Android
Same link model as Diawi, with larger limits. Testers open a link or scan a QR code, with no account. Free allows 150 MB files and 7 day links; Pro and Team links live while you subscribe. An .aab becomes one universal APK on any account plan. Pro adds channels with a stable link you can name, a Diawi compatible upload API, emailing the link to up to 5 addresses, a daily install email, install analytics and the CLI, GitHub Action and fastlane plugin. Team adds invited testers, groups, a custom domain and a white label install page.
On the iOS side, install pages warn before the tap when a build cannot install: iOS too old, iPad only, profile expired, App Store signed. Testers who check their iPhone once at /udid see whether each build includes it. With an App Store Connect connection on Pro, you can register devices and remake the Ad Hoc profile from the Devices page. AppForShare does not re-sign builds, so you still build again after adding a device.
Pick it when: you share Ad Hoc and Android builds with clients and QA, testers will not sign in, and builds must stay installable for weeks.
Where it is weaker: it is not free above the Free plan, Free links last 7 days from upload, it has no crash reporting (a link to your own crash dashboard only), and it cannot replace TestFlight for large iOS betas because of Apple's 100 device limit for Ad Hoc builds.
Choosing by tester type
| Testers | Good fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Your own developers | Any | Devices are known, sign in is not a problem |
| Company QA with Google Workspace | Firebase | Free, Google accounts already exist |
| Clients and outside reviewers | AppForShare, Diawi | No sign in, a link and a QR code |
| Hundreds of public iOS testers | TestFlight | No UDIDs, 10,000 external testers |
| Mixed iOS and Android, one link | AppForShare | A channel link opens the right build per phone |
Common questions
Can I install a TestFlight build from a Diawi, Firebase or AppForShare link?
No. App Store signed builds install only through TestFlight or the App Store. Export an Ad Hoc build for link installs.
Which is cheapest?
Firebase is no-cost, and TestFlight is included with the Apple membership. Diawi Starter is EUR 2.99 a month. AppForShare Free costs nothing, with Pro at $12 a month.
Do any of them work without a tester account?
Diawi and AppForShare. TestFlight needs an Apple Account and Firebase a Google account.
Which one handles Android App Bundles?
Firebase, through a linked Play app, and AppForShare, by turning the bundle into one APK. Diawi does not accept .aab files.
