TestFlight is Apple's own beta service and it's excellent for large public betas. BuildFerry is for the moments when you want one person to try one build right now.
What changes when you use BuildFerry
- No tester app. Testers open a link in Safari and tap Install. They don't need TestFlight or an App Store Connect invite.
- No Beta App Review. External TestFlight builds go through Apple's review first. An ad hoc build doesn't.
- Your exported .ipa is enough. There's no archive to upload through Xcode, and nothing is rebuilt.
- You stay in control. A share link only lets people ask. Nothing is installable until you approve their iPhone.
When TestFlight is the better choice
- You need more than 100 testers. Apple limits ad hoc distribution to 100 iPhones per membership year, while TestFlight allows up to 10,000 external testers.
- You want crash reports and tester feedback inside App Store Connect.
- Your testers already use TestFlight and a short review doesn't slow you down.
Many teams use both: BuildFerry for daily builds to a small group, and TestFlight for the wider beta.
How it works
- Connect your Apple account with one App Store Connect API key.
- Upload your .ipa and copy the share link.
- Approve each iPhone. The build is signed in the cloud and your tester taps Install.
Read the install guide for the full steps.
Send your first build