What is TestFlight?
TestFlight is Apple's official service for distributing beta versions of an app to testers before it is released on the App Store. Developers upload a build, invite people to try it, and gather feedback and crash reports, all managed through App Store Connect. It is the standard way to test an iOS app with real users on real devices ahead of launch.
How TestFlight works
After you upload a build to App Store Connect, you can make it available through TestFlight. There are two kinds of testers. Internal testers are members of your own team, up to 100 people, who can install builds quickly without an extra review. External testers are anyone else, up to 10,000 people, invited by email or through a shareable public link. The first build you share externally goes through a brief Apple beta review before it can be distributed. Testers install the TestFlight app, accept the invite, and run your beta on their own iPhone or iPad. Builds made available this way expire after 90 days.
Why TestFlight matters
Testing on real devices is different from testing in the simulator. TestFlight puts your app on actual hardware in the hands of real users, which surfaces bugs, performance issues, and confusing flows that you would otherwise miss. Crash reports and tester feedback flow back to you, so you can fix problems before they reach the public App Store, where every issue is visible in reviews. It is the recommended last step before submitting for public release.
TestFlight versus an App Store release
It is important to separate the two. A TestFlight build reaches only the testers you invite; it is never on the public App Store. Releasing publicly is a separate step that goes through full App Store review. TestFlight is the rehearsal; the App Store submission is the performance, and Apple reviews each.
TestFlight in AppFlight
AppFlight can upload your build and manage TestFlight distribution as part of its path to the App Store, alongside building native Swift, signing the app, and submitting for review. This lets you get a beta into testers' hands without operating the upload and signing steps by hand. Public release still depends on Apple's App Store review, so a submitted app is not the same as an approved one.
FAQ
How many people can test an app on TestFlight?
You can invite up to 100 internal testers who are members of your team, and up to 10,000 external testers by email or a public link. External builds go through a brief Apple beta review.
Is a TestFlight build the same as an App Store release?
No. TestFlight distributes a pre-release build to testers only. It is not available to the public on the App Store. You still submit separately for App Store review to release publicly.
Do TestFlight builds get reviewed by Apple?
Internal testing among your team does not require beta review. The first build shared with external testers goes through a lighter Apple beta App Review before it can be distributed.