How TestFlight beta testing works
TestFlight distributes test builds through App Store Connect to two kinds of testers. Internal testers are members of your team and get builds fast. External testers are anyone you invite, up to a large cap, by email or a public link.
Builds for external testers go through a lighter Beta App Review first, and each build has an expiration, so you're always testing something current.
- Internal testers: your App Store Connect team, quick access to new builds
- External testers: up to 10,000 people via email invites or a public link
- Beta App Review for external builds before they're distributed
- Builds expire after 90 days, keeping testing on recent versions
- In-app feedback and crash reports flow back through TestFlight
- Test multiple builds and groups in parallel for staged rollouts
Running a beta that produces real signal
A beta is only as good as the feedback loop around it. Recruiting the right testers, telling them what to try, and making it easy to report problems is what turns installs into insight.
We help you structure test groups, write clear test notes, and triage the crash and feedback data so you fix the issues that matter before the public launch, not after.
- Recruit testers who resemble your real audience, not just friends
- Write per-build test notes so testers know what changed and what to check
- Use groups to stage releases and isolate risky features
- Collect and triage crash logs and feedback into a fix list
- Verify on the device and OS versions your users actually run
- Use the beta to validate purchases, push, and other live integrations safely
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Frequently asked questions
Do testers need an Apple Developer account?
No. Testers just install the free TestFlight app and accept your invite by email or public link. Only you, the developer, need the Apple Developer account to distribute builds.
How many people can test our app?
You can have a small number of internal testers from your team plus up to 10,000 external testers. A public TestFlight link makes it easy to recruit external testers without collecting emails one by one.
Does a TestFlight build still go through Apple review?
Internal builds don't, so your team gets them quickly. External builds go through a lighter Beta App Review before distribution, which is faster and less strict than full App Store review but still a checkpoint. We manage that process for you.