A free Diawi alternative for iOS and Android
Upload an .ipa or .apk and get an install link and a QR code, the way you do on Diawi. App Dropper then keeps one link per app and tells your testers when the next build lands.
Drag & drop your build
or browse files — .apk or .ipa, up to 150 MB
A Diawi alternative that keeps the quick install link
App Dropper is a free Diawi alternative for sharing iOS and Android builds over the air. The first minute is the same as on Diawi. You drop in an IPA or an APK, you get an install link and a QR code, and a tester opens it on their phone and taps Install. Ad hoc and enterprise builds both work, with no App Store or Play Store review in between.
What changes is everything after the first build. Diawi gives every upload its own link, and that link closes after a few days or a set number of installs. App Dropper gives the link to the app. Upload a new version and the same link shows it, older versions stay listed underneath, and the testers you invited get an email and a push.
The free plan covers builds up to 150 MB, 5 apps with 10 testers each, 1 GB of storage, 5 uploads an hour, and keeps each build for 7 days. Diawi’s free account stops at 50 MB a build, so a larger IPA or APK that needs a paid Diawi plan often fits here for free.
App Dropper vs Diawi
Both turn an IPA or APK into an install link with a QR code. The rest of the table is what you get on top.
| Feature | App Dropper | Diawi |
|---|---|---|
| APK and IPA install links | Yes | Yes |
| QR code | Yes | Yes |
| Same link for new builds | Free | €0.29 a change |
| Tester invites | Yes | No |
| Push alerts to testers | Yes | No |
| Feedback on each build | Yes | No |
| Tester app | Android | No |
| Install stats | Every plan | Paid plans |
| Official Fastlane plugin | Yes | No |
Three builds in one week, on Diawi and on App Dropper
Every Diawi upload gets its own link, so every build means sending a new one. App Dropper files builds under the app by bundle ID. The link never changes, and testers get an email and a push when a build lands.
With Diawi
- Monnew link #1paste in Slack
- Wednew link #2paste in Slack
- Frinew link #3paste in Slack
3 links, 3 messages to send
With App Dropper
- Mon appdropper.io/acme sent
- Wed appdropper.io/acme sent
- Fri appdropper.io/acme sent
1 link, testers notified for you
Testers can also reply on the build itself, with screenshots, instead of in a chat thread you have to dig through later.
Switch your Fastlane lane from Diawi
Our Fastlane action takes the same shape as the community Diawi one, so the change is mostly a rename. Not on Fastlane? Use the GitHub Action or the CLI.
# Before
diawi(
token: ENV["DIAWI_TOKEN"],
file: lane_context[SharedValues::IPA_OUTPUT_PATH],
comment: last_git_commit[:message]
)
# After (fastlane add_plugin app_dropper)
app_dropper(
api_token: ENV["APPDROPPER_TOKEN"],
file: lane_context[SharedValues::IPA_OUTPUT_PATH],
release_notes: last_git_commit[:message]
)Diawi limits and pricing, in numbers
Diawi’s link timer restarts with each install, and every plan caps installs per app: 2 without an account, 10 on a free account, 100 at most. When a link runs out of time or installs it closes, and the file is deleted soon after. App Dropper’s timer starts at upload, and paid plans can pin a build so it never expires.
Diawi
| Plan | Price | Upload | Kept |
|---|---|---|---|
| No account | €0 | 20 MB | 1 day |
| Free account | €0 | 50 MB | 3 days |
| Starter | €2.99/mo | 250 MB | 7 days |
| Premium | €29.99/mo | 1.2 GB | 15 days |
| Enterprise | €299.99/mo | 1.2 GB | 15 days |
Kept: days after the last install. Source
App Dropper
| Plan | Price | Upload | Kept |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 150 MB | 7 days |
| Pro | $9/mo | 500 MB | 30 days |
| Studio | $24/mo | 2 GB | 90 days |
Kept: days after upload. Pricing
When Diawi is still the better pick
- You want to upload without making an account.
- You need password protected links for free.
- You ship a zipped .app. We take APK and IPA only.
- You want your own domain or a white label install page.
- You want Diawi’s tool for finding a tester’s UDID. We don’t collect UDIDs.
Moving from Diawi to App Dropper
There is nothing to export. Your Diawi links keep working until they expire, so you can switch one app at a time.
- 1
Make a free account
Sign up and confirm your email. There is no card and no trial clock.
- 2
Upload your next IPA or APK
Drag it into the box at the top of this page. App Dropper reads the name, icon, version and bundle ID from the file and makes the app's page.
- 3
Send the link one last time
Share the link or the QR code where you used to paste Diawi links. Later builds of the same app appear behind it.
- 4
Invite testers and swap the CI step
Add testers by email so they hear about each build, then change your Fastlane lane or pipeline step when you have a minute.
Step by step in the Knowledge Base: uploading your first build, inviting testers and managing build versions.
Diawi alternative: questions people ask
What is the best free Diawi alternative?
It depends on how you ship. For a team that sends builds to the same testers every week, App Dropper is a free Diawi alternative with one permanent link per app, tester invites, email and push alerts, and feedback on each build. The free plan has no card: builds up to 150 MB, 5 apps with 10 testers each, 1 GB of storage, 5 uploads an hour, and keeps each build for 7 days. Unlike Diawi, you need an account with a verified email before your first upload.
Is Diawi free?
Yes, within tight limits. Without an account Diawi takes builds up to 20 MB, keeps the link for 1 day and stops after 2 installs. A free account raises that to 50 MB, 3 days and 10 installs. Paid plans start at €2.99 a month for 250 MB builds, 7 days and 50 installs.
Why did my Diawi link expire?
A Diawi link closes when its time runs out or when it reaches its install limit, whichever comes first. The time is counted from the last install, or from the upload if nobody installed yet. Without an account Diawi takes builds up to 20 MB, keeps the link for 1 day and stops after 2 installs. A free account raises that to 50 MB, 3 days and 10 installs. After a short recovery window the file is deleted and the link cannot be brought back.
Is there a Diawi alternative with a bigger upload size?
App Dropper takes builds up to 150 MB on the free plan, 500 MB on Pro and 2 GB on Studio. Diawi takes 50 MB on a free account, 250 MB on Starter and 1.2 GB on Premium.
Can I keep the same link for every build?
Yes, on every plan. The link belongs to the app, so each new build with the same bundle ID shows up behind it. Diawi can do this on paid plans by pointing a link at a newer upload, at €0.29 per change.
How long do App Dropper links stay up?
A build is kept 7 days on Free, 30 on Pro, 90 on Studio, counted from the upload. The app's own link never changes. Pro and Studio can extend a build or pin it forever. On Diawi the count restarts with each install. On its paid plans extra time is an add on, from €0.49 for a month.
Can I password protect a link like on Diawi?
Yes, on Pro and Studio. You can also make an app invite only on any plan, so only the testers you add can open it. Diawi offers passwords on every tier, including uploads without an account.
Can I install an IPA on an iPhone without TestFlight or the App Store?
Yes. Open the App Dropper link in Safari on the iPhone or iPad and tap Install. The build has to be signed for that device: an ad hoc build only installs on devices whose UDID is in its provisioning profile, and an enterprise build installs on any device. That is Apple's rule, so it is the same on Diawi.
Does App Dropper share Android APK files as well as iOS builds?
Yes. An .apk gets the same kind of link and QR code as an .ipa. Testers open it on their phone and install, or use the App Dropper app on Android to get an Update button for each new build. Zipped .app files are not accepted; Diawi takes those.
Do testers need an account to install a build?
No, not on a public link. Anyone who has the link or scans the QR code can install. Testers you invite by email sign in once, and that is how they get the email and push for each new build.
Is there an API or CLI like Diawi's?
Yes, on every plan including the free one. There's a CLI, an official GitHub Action, an official Fastlane plugin and a public REST API. Diawi has an upload API on account plans, and its Fastlane action is a community plugin.
Will my old Diawi links stop working when I switch?
No. They keep working until they expire on Diawi's own schedule. Upload your next build to App Dropper and send that link from then on.
Diawi facts from their features page and knowledge base, checked November 2026. Diawi is a trademark of its owner; we’re not affiliated.
Send your next build with App Dropper.
Weighing up other tools? See App Dropper as an Install On Air alternative, a TestFlight alternative or an App Center alternative.