How Long Will Links Be Available on AppForShare?
By Afrah Saleem · · 3 min read
AppForShare links do not last forever. How long a link stays live depends on the plan of the account that uploaded the build: guest uploads (no account) last 3 days, Free account links last 7 days, and Pro and Team links stay live for as long as the subscription is active.
Earlier versions of this page said links never expire. That is no longer true, and this page explains the current rules in full.
Link life by plan
| Plan | Link life | Install limits |
|---|---|---|
| Guest (no account) | 3 days after upload | 20 installs per link, 4 per day |
| Free | 7 days after upload | 10 GB of install bandwidth per month |
| Pro ($12/month or $120/year) | While subscribed | 40 GB of install bandwidth per month |
| Team ($39/month or $390/year) | While subscribed | 150 GB of install bandwidth per month |
Bandwidth is the data testers download when they install. Uploading is free. As a rough guide, a 50 MB build installed 20 times uses about 1 GB. Bandwidth resets on the 1st of each month (UTC).
Why links expire
Every live link has a stored build behind it, and every install uses bandwidth. Short link life on the free tiers keeps the free service sustainable and avoids old test builds lingering where anyone with the link can install them. Paid plans keep links live because teams often share a build for weeks while testing.
What happens when a link expires
When a Guest or Free link reaches the end of its life, the install page stops offering the build. The tester sees that the link is no longer available. To share the app again, upload the build again (or a newer one) and send the new link.
An old link or QR code never starts pointing to someone else's build. Link addresses are never reused, so a link you sent last month cannot lead a tester to an unrelated app.
What happens if a paid plan is cancelled
You can cancel Pro or Team any time from Billing. Your plan and its features stay active until the end of the period you already paid for. After that, your links follow Free rules and stay live for 7 more days.
Builds you delete yourself can be restored for 7 days. After that the file is removed for good.
Links can also stop working before they expire
- Bandwidth cap reached: if the account has used its monthly bandwidth, the install page tells testers that the owner needs more bandwidth. Nothing is billed automatically. On Free, at most one fifth of the month's bandwidth can be used in a single day. Pro and Team can buy an add-on of 50 GB for $10, up to 4 per month.
- Guest install limits: a guest link allows 20 installs in total and 4 per day.
- The build was deleted by its owner.
Every upload gets its own link
Each upload in a project is a new build with its own link (and release notes on Pro and Team). There is no rollback of an installed app. If a tester needs an older version, they install it from that build's link, as long as it is still live.
Which plan should you pick?
- A quick one-off share with a colleague: Guest is enough.
- A short test round that ends within a week: Free.
- Ongoing testing with links that need to keep working: Pro.
- A team with shared projects, invited testers and a branded install page: Team.
Compare all limits on the pricing page, or read Understanding AppForShare pricing and plans. For how this compares with other tools, see Link availability: AppForShare vs Diawi vs InstallOnAir.
Frequently asked questions
Do AppForShare links expire?
Yes, on the free tiers. Guest links last 3 days and Free account links last 7 days. Pro and Team links stay live while the subscription is active.
What happens to my links if I cancel Pro or Team?
Your plan stays active until the end of the paid period. After that, your links follow Free rules and stay live for 7 more days.
Can an expired link be reused for another app?
No. Link addresses are never reused, so an old link or QR code never points to someone else's build.
Can a link stop working before its expiry date?
Yes. A link stops offering installs if the owner deletes the build, if the account reaches its monthly bandwidth, or, for guest uploads, after 20 installs or 4 installs in a day.
