A free InstallOnAir alternative for iOS and Android
Upload an .ipa or .apk and get an install link and a QR code. The link stays the same for every new build, and your testers are told when one lands.
Upload a build freeA free Install On Air alternative for IPA and APK builds
App Dropper is a free Install On Air alternative for sharing iOS and Android builds over the air. It starts the same way InstallOnAir does. You upload an IPA or an APK, you get a short install link and a QR code, and your testers tap it on their phone to install. No App Store, no Play Store and no review.
The difference shows on the second build. On Install On Air every upload is a new link that you send out again. On App Dropper the link belongs to the app, so the one you shared last week opens this week’s build, with the older versions listed under it. Testers you invited get an email and a push without you sending anything.
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. You need a free account to upload. People opening a public link need nothing to install.
App Dropper vs Install On Air
Both share IPA and APK builds by link and QR code. This is what App Dropper adds.
| Feature | App Dropper | Install On Air |
|---|---|---|
| IPA and APK install links | Yes | Yes |
| QR code | Yes | Yes |
| Install counts | Yes | Yes |
| One link across versions | Yes | No |
| Tester list per app | Yes | No |
| Push alerts to testers | Yes | No |
| Feedback on each build | Yes | No |
| Tester app | Android | No |
| Documented API | Yes | No |
Where Install On Air is ahead is listed further down.
What your testers get
Install On Air
- A link by email or chat
- A new link for each build
- Link ends after 3 or 7 days unless you pay
App Dropper
- One invite, one link for good
- Email and push on every build
- Feedback from the Android app
What Install On Air costs, and what App Dropper costs
Install On Air is free and charges once per build for extras. A guest upload stays up for 3 days and a free account upload for 7, and keeping a build longer is a one time payment. App Dropper is free up to its plan limits, then a subscription. Which is cheaper depends on how you ship.
| If you need | Install On Air | App Dropper |
|---|---|---|
| One quick share | Free, no account | Free, with an account |
| A build a week to the same testers | Free, a new link each week | Free, same link, testers alerted |
| One build kept up for a year | $9.99 once | Pin it on Pro, $9/mo |
Install On Air also takes free uploads up to 200 MB, against 150 MB on our free plan.
Upload IPA and APK builds from CI
Install On Air is built around its upload page. App Dropper has a CLI, a GitHub Action, a Fastlane plugin and a public API. Builds from CI notify testers just like a manual upload.
npx appdropper upload build/app-release.apk --notes "Fixes the login crash"When Install On Air is still the right pick
Use Install On Air when you need one free link today and don’t want an account. Use App Dropper when the same testers get build after build, and you want them notified and their feedback in one place.
Pick Install On Air if you
- Want one link today without making an account
- Have a build bigger than 150 MB and want it free; Install On Air takes 200 MB
- Need one build kept up for a year for a single payment
- Want a UDID finder for iOS devices; App Dropper does not collect UDIDs
Pick App Dropper if you
- Send build after build to the same testers
- Want one link per app that never changes
- Want testers told by email and push
- Want feedback and screenshots attached to each build
- Upload IPA and APK files from CI
Switching from Install On Air takes one upload
There is nothing to migrate. Put your next build on App Dropper and send the new link once.
- 1
Upload the IPA or APK
Drag the file in or use the CLI. App Dropper reads the app name, icon, version and bundle ID from the file.
- 2
Share the link or QR code
Send it by chat or email, or save the QR code as an image. This is the last time you send it.
- 3
Invite your testers
Add them by email. From then on each new build reaches them by email and push.
More in the Knowledge Base: uploading your first build, inviting testers and share links and expiry.
Install On Air alternative: common questions
What is a good free Install On Air alternative?
App Dropper is a free Install On Air alternative for iOS and Android. You upload an .ipa or .apk and get an install link and a QR code, the same as on InstallOnAir. On top of that, each app keeps one permanent link, a tester list, email and push alerts for new builds, and feedback on each build. 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.
Is Install On Air free?
Yes. Uploading, sharing and installing are free there, and the site carries ads. You pay once per build to keep a link up longer, from $1.89 for a month to $9.99 for a year, or $2 for one upload of up to 1 GB.
How long does an Install On Air link stay live?
3 days for an upload made as a guest and 7 days with a free account. After that testers see an expired message, unless you paid to extend that build first. Each new upload gets its own link.
How long do App Dropper install links last?
A build is kept 7 days on Free, 30 on Pro, 90 on Studio, counted from the upload. The app's link itself never changes, and Pro and Studio can extend a build or pin it so it never expires.
Do I get a new link every time I upload a build?
No. The link belongs to the app, not to the upload. It always opens the newest build, and earlier versions stay listed on the same page. Builds are matched to their app by bundle ID, so you can paste the link into a chat or a brief once and never update it.
Can I install an IPA over the air without TestFlight?
Yes. An .ipa installs over the air from its link in Safari, with no App Store review and no TestFlight invite. One Apple rule still applies: an ad hoc build only installs on devices whose UDID is in its provisioning profile. App Dropper reads that device list from the build, and the install page tells a tester what to do when their device is not on it. Enterprise signed builds have no device list.
Can I share an APK without the Play Store?
Yes. Upload the .apk and send the link or the QR code. Testers open it on their Android phone, download the file and install it. Testers you invite can also use the App Dropper app on Android, which shows an Update button when a new build is out.
Do testers need an account to install a build?
Not on a public link. Anyone with the link or the QR code can open it and install. If you make the app invite only, testers sign in with the email you invited. A password protected link asks for the password instead.
Can I control who installs a build?
Yes. Each app's link is public, password protected or invite only. Passwords are on Pro and Studio. Invite only is on every plan: everyone except the testers you added sees a locked page. You can switch at any time and the link stays the same.
Is there a file size limit for IPA and APK uploads?
App Dropper takes builds up to 150 MB on Free, 500 MB on Pro and 2 GB on Studio. Install On Air takes 200 MB for free, and up to 1 GB with a $2 upload credit.
Can I upload from CI instead of a web page?
Yes, on every plan. There's a CLI, an official GitHub Action and Fastlane plugin, and a public REST API. Install On Air doesn't publish an API; the community Fastlane plugin for it was last released in 2022.
Install On Air details from its features, pricing and FAQ pages, checked November 2026. App Dropper isn’t affiliated with Install On Air.
Upload your first build
Then invite one tester and see what they get.
Drag & drop your build
or browse files — .apk or .ipa, up to 150 MB
Comparing other tools too?
See App Dropper as a Diawi alternative, a TestFlight alternative or an App Center alternative.