Every Apple distribution route
App Store, TestFlight, unlisted apps, Custom Apps, alternative marketplaces, Web Distribution, ad hoc, and enterprise.
Apple supports more ways to deliver an app than the public App Store. Several are wrongly omitted from sideloading comparisons.
Choose by audience
| Audience | Correct route | Important boundary |
|---|---|---|
| General public | Public App Store | Full App Review |
| Beta testers | TestFlight | Builds expire and external testing needs beta review |
| Anyone with a private-looking link | Unlisted App | Still an App Store app and fully reviewed |
| Named business or school customers | Custom App | Distributed through Apple Business or School Manager |
| Eligible regional marketplace users | Alternative marketplace | Notarized; marketplace controls catalogue and support |
| Eligible EU users from developer website | Web Distribution | Approved developer and registered domain required |
| Known test devices | Ad hoc | Device UDIDs must be in the profile |
| Development team | Development provisioning/Xcode | Testing, not general distribution |
| Employees of an eligible organization | Enterprise in-house | Internal proprietary apps only |
| Managed fleet | MDM | Management relationship and policy control |
Apple's Xcode documentation tells developers to choose a route based on platform, development stage, and program membership (Apple Developer).
“Outside the App Store” is not one trust level
TestFlight, unlisted apps, and Custom Apps still pass through Apple review infrastructure. Alternative marketplace and Web Distribution apps pass notarization, which is a narrower baseline review. Ad hoc and development builds are tied to a developer team and registered devices. Enterprise apps are the distributing organization's responsibility.
The installation mechanism does not tell you who is accountable. Always identify the developer, distributor, review path, update path, and payment/support owner.
For app users
If a developer offers TestFlight or a legitimate marketplace build, use it instead of downloading a repackaged IPA. You gain a clearer update chain and avoid handing your own signing identity to another tool.
For developers
Do not reach for enterprise distribution to avoid App Review. Use TestFlight for beta testing, unlisted distribution for link-only public apps, Custom Apps for named organizations, ad hoc for a bounded registered-device test group, and the App Store or eligible alternative distribution for public products.