iOS App Distribution Methods Compared: App Store vs TestFlight vs Ad Hoc vs Enterprise vs OTA (2026)

There are five ways to get an iOS app onto a device: the App Store, TestFlight, ad hoc, the Apple Developer Enterprise Program, and third-party over-the-air (OTA) tools. They differ on who can install, whether Apple reviews the build, device and tester limits, expiry, and cost. This page is the side-by-side matrix — pick the right method in minutes, with correct 2026 numbers.

Bookmark this one: the rest of our iOS distribution guides link back to this table as the canonical comparison.

The canonical iOS distribution matrix

Method	Who can install	Review?	Device / tester limit	Expiry	UDID needed?	Apple program / cost	Cross-platform?
App Store	Anyone (public)	Yes (App Review)	Unlimited	None	No	$99/year	No
TestFlight	Invited testers	Yes (external only)	100 internal / 10,000 external	90 days	No	$99/year	No
Ad hoc	Pre-registered devices	No	100 per product type / year	Cert lifetime	Yes	$99/year	No
Enterprise	Employees only	No	Internal use only	Cert lifetime	No	$299/year, 100+ employees	No
OTA tools (e.g. Appisto)	Anyone with the link	No	Depends on plan	You control it	Automated	Varies (free tier)	Yes (iOS + Android)

Each method: best for / watch out for

App Store — Best for: public release. Watch out for: App Review latency; not a testing channel.

TestFlight — Best for: larger and public betas. Watch out for: iOS-only, external-tester review, 90-day build expiry. See TestFlight vs ad hoc.

Ad hoc — Best for: fast internal testing and known-device demos, no review. Watch out for: the 100-device limit per product type per year (disabling a device doesn't free a slot), and collecting UDIDs up front.

Enterprise — Best for: distributing to your own employees at a 100+ person company. Watch out for: it is not for external testers (Developer vs Enterprise).

OTA tools — Best for: review-free, cross-platform distribution with automated device handling. Watch out for: still bound by Apple's signing rules under the hood — good tools automate them.

The decision in one paragraph

If you're releasing to the public, it's the App Store. If you're running a large or public beta on iOS only, it's TestFlight. If you need a build on a few known devices right now without review, it's ad hoc — or an OTA tool to skip the manual setup. If you also ship Android or need EU data residency, it's an OTA tool. The Enterprise Program is only for employees at large organizations.

Where Appisto fits (the OTA row, expanded)

Appisto is the OTA row done well: no review, iOS and Android from one workflow, automatic UDID collection so ad hoc stops being a chore, a REST API for CI/CD, and EU hosting. It's the pragmatic default when the App Store and TestFlight are too slow and raw ad hoc is too manual. See how to distribute an iOS app without the App Store.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between ad hoc and TestFlight? Ad hoc installs only on pre-registered UDIDs, with no review, lasting until the certificate expires. TestFlight invites testers by email/link, needs review for external testers, and expires builds after 90 days.

Can I distribute to more than 100 iPhones without the App Store? Ad hoc caps at 100 devices per product type per year, so use TestFlight (up to 10,000 external testers) or an OTA tool for larger groups.

Does enterprise distribution work for external clients? No — it's for internal employees only; using it externally violates the agreement (Apple revoked Facebook's and Google's certificates in 2019).

Key takeaways

• Five iOS distribution methods: App Store, TestFlight, ad hoc, Enterprise, OTA — each with distinct review, limit and expiry rules.
• TestFlight expires builds after 90 days; ad hoc caps at 100 devices per type per year.
• Enterprise is employees-only and not a route to external testers.
• OTA tools like Appisto combine no-review installs with cross-platform reach — see the full mobile app distribution guide.