Share an iPhone prototype without TestFlight.
TestFlight is how apps get beta tested, and it was built for apps, not prototypes. To put a native prototype on someone's iPhone with it, you need a paid developer account, code signing, an upload, processing time, and beta review for external testers. Prototo replaces all of that with one Publish button: you get a link, and it opens natively in the free Prototo app.
| Prototo | TestFlight | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs natively on a real iPhone from a link | Yes, one link or QR code | Yes, after upload and invite |
| Apple Developer Program | Not needed | Required ($99 a year) |
| Code signing and upload | None | Required for every build |
| Review for outside testers | None | Beta App Review for external testers |
| Time from change to their phone | Seconds to publish | Minutes to hours, per build |
| Link lifetime | Permanent | Builds expire after 90 days |
| What the viewer installs | The free Prototo app | TestFlight, then your build |
The TestFlight path, step by step
- Join the Apple Developer Program.
- Set up signing, a bundle id and an App Store Connect record.
- Archive and upload the build from Xcode, then wait for processing.
- Submit to Beta App Review if the tester is outside your team.
- Invite testers by email or public link. They install TestFlight, then your build.
- Repeat for every change.
The Prototo path
- Describe your prototype to Claude Code or Codex in Prototo Desktop.
- Click Publish. You get a link and a QR code.
- They open it in the free Prototo app. It runs natively.
- Change something and publish again: the same link updates.
When to use TestFlight instead
When you are shipping a real app with a backend, accounts and live data to the App Store. Prototo builds front-end prototypes, and TestFlight is the right tool for beta testing a production app.
Questions
Can I test a native iOS prototype on a real iPhone without TestFlight?
Yes. Publish it from Prototo Desktop and open the link in the free Prototo app on any iPhone. The prototype runs natively with real gestures and haptics, without a developer account or an upload.
Does the person I share with need a developer account?
No. They need an iPhone and the free Prototo app from the App Store.
Keep reading
Download Prototo for Mac. Free to build, and viewers get the free Prototo app on iPhone.