An Appetize alternative for sharing Android builds
Appetize has been the default name in browser-based app streaming since 2015, and for good reason. But if your actual job is narrower — you build Android apps and you need clients and testers to open your latest build — a flat-rate link tool fits that job better, and for a lot less.
Try it with a live device
PreviewAPK is in private beta. Get early access to share your own builds.
When Appetize is the right call
Credit where it's due: Appetize is a mature, capable platform, and there are jobs it plainly does better than PreviewAPK.
- You need iOS. Appetize streams iOS and Android. PreviewAPK is Android only — if your clients review iPhone builds, this page can't help you.
- You're running demos, training, or support at a company. Appetize built its business on embedded app experiences for sales demos, employee training, and customer support, and its embed and SDK story for those flows is deep.
- You need enterprise procurement. A decade in market means the security reviews, contracts, and compliance paperwork larger organizations ask for.
If that's your world, Appetize earns its price. The question is whether it's your world.
When a flat-rate link tool fits better
Most independent developers and small teams sharing Android builds run into a different set of frustrations. The build is ready; the client is non-technical; the feedback loop is what matters. What slows it down:
- Metered usage. When minutes or seats are metered, every long client review session has a cost attached, and you think twice before sending a link around. PreviewAPK has no meter: $19/month per device, unlimited testing.
- One share link per session. Every run mints a fresh view-only link, so feedback always lands on the exact build that was on screen — never on a link that quietly started showing a newer one.
- Zero viewer setup. The person opening your link installs nothing and creates no account. One person drives; everyone else watches the same live device.
- Real-phone installs when you want them. From the portal, the owner can mint a short-lived install link (QR) for their own phone. Share links never serve files.
Appetize vs PreviewAPK, side by side
| Appetize | PreviewAPK | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Usage/seat-based plans aimed at businesses (historically from ~$59/mo, metered) | Flat $19/mo per device, unlimited testing |
| iOS support | Yes — iOS and Android | No — Android only |
| Android versions | Current and recent releases | Android 10–15, set on the device |
| Shareable build links | Yes, within its session/embed model | Session link per run — view-only, dies when the session ends; viewers need nothing |
| QR real-phone install | Not a core feature | From the portal, the owner can mint a short-lived install link (QR) for their own phone. Share links never serve files. |
| Usage metering | Yes — minutes/seats | None |
| Agent MCP | No MCP server for AI agents | Hosted MCP endpoint — a URL and a key, nothing to install; 27 tools |
| Agent handoff | No — people drive the sessions | The agent can ask the human to do one step — a password, a 2FA code, a payment — in the portal, then resumes on its own |
| Run reports | Session playback | A report card ends every agent run: what was tested, actions taken, errors — counted by the system |
| Best at | Demos, training, support, enterprise | Developers sharing Android builds |
How PreviewAPK works
- Upload your APK. Pick an Android version (10–15) and a device profile — Pixel 9 Pro or Galaxy S24.
- A device boots for your build. In seconds your app is installed and launched on a real Android device in the cloud.
- Send the link. Your client or tester opens it in any browser and sees the app running. Sessions auto-stop after 15 minutes idle, so nothing runs up costs while nobody's looking.
FAQ
Why would I switch from Appetize to PreviewAPK?
If your work is Android-only — building APKs and previewing them yourself, or sending them to clients, testers, or teammates — PreviewAPK is shaped for exactly that job. Each session gets a share link that opens the live build, there's no per-minute or per-seat metering, and pricing is a flat $19/month per device. If you need iOS streaming or enterprise demo and support tooling, Appetize remains the stronger fit.
Does PreviewAPK support iOS like Appetize?
No. PreviewAPK is Android only — Android 10 through 15 on Pixel 9 Pro and Galaxy S24 profiles. Appetize streams both iOS and Android, so if your builds include iOS apps, Appetize (or running both tools) is the right call.
How does the pricing compare?
Appetize pricing is usage- and seat-based, aimed at businesses; its published plans have historically started around $59/month with metered usage. PreviewAPK is $19/month per device with unlimited testing — no minutes ticking while a client looks at your build, and no per-seat charges for the people you share with.
Can clients view my build without an account or an install?
Yes. While your session runs, its share link opens in any browser: everyone watches it live while you drive, and viewers install nothing and need no account. If you want the build on your own real phone, your portal mints a short-lived install QR — owners only; share links never serve files.
Keep going
- PreviewAPK vs Appetize — the full head-to-head, with a decision guide.
- Share an APK with a link — how preview links work in practice.
- BrowserStack alternative — when a full QA device cloud is more than you need.