A Play alternative for native iPhone prototypes.
Play was an Apple Design Award winning tool for building native iOS prototypes. Apple acquired it in 2026, support ended on April 20, 2026, and it left the App Store. Prototo fills the same gap for designers who want prototypes that run as real iPhone apps. You describe screens to Claude Code or Codex instead of arranging them on a canvas, and you share them as a link that runs natively on any iPhone.
| Prototo | Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs natively on a real iPhone from a link | Yes | No longer available |
| Availability | Available, actively shipping | Discontinued in April 2026 |
| How you design | Describe it to Claude Code or Codex | Visual SwiftUI editor |
| Output | Native iOS (Expo / React Native) | Native SwiftUI |
| Sharing | Link or QR code, opens in the free Prototo app | Shared through the Play app |
| Price | Free to build, Plus $8 a month to share | n/a |
What carries over from Play
- Prototypes that are real native apps, with real scrolling, gestures and haptics.
- Viewing on your own iPhone, and on anyone else's.
- No engineering handoff to see an idea working.
What is different
Prototo is AI-native. There is no visual editor: your coding agent is the design tool, and a live iPhone preview sits beside it. If you liked Play's inspector, expect to describe changes instead ("make the card corners 20", "add a pull to refresh"). Point-and-edit lets you click an element in the preview and describe the change.
Questions
Is Play still available?
No. Apple acquired Play in 2026, support ended on April 20, 2026, and the app was removed from the App Store.
What is the best Play alternative?
For native iPhone prototypes, Prototo. It builds real native iOS prototypes from Claude Code or Codex and shares them as a link that runs natively on any iPhone with the free Prototo app.
Keep reading
Download Prototo for Mac. Free to build, and viewers get the free Prototo app on iPhone.