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Appcircle Mobile CI/CD Platform

Appcircle is an enterprise-grade mobile CI/CD platform that automates builds, testing, and publishing to app stores. It operates in cloud or self-hosted environments, saving up to 30% of development time, reducing errors, managing signing identities, and preventing security vulnerabilities for faster, more secure app releases.

What is Appcircle Mobile CI/CD Platform?

Appcircle is an enterprise-grade mobile CI/CD platform built to automate the entire lifecycle of iOS and Android app development. It allows teams to automate builds, securely manage signing identities, distribute apps to testers, provide an internal Enterprise App Store for in-house delivery, and handle store publishing from a single dashboard. Appcircle also includes features like app resigning, CodePush support for React Native apps, SSO/LDAP integration, detailed reporting, and native integrations with popular tools. Designed to meet enterprise security and compliance needs, Appcircle is available both as a cloud and as a self-hosted solution.

appcircle dashboard

Best Alternatives to Mobile CI/CD Tools

topchoice
Appcircle logo

Appcircle

  • Enterprise-grade all-in-one mobile CI/CD platform.
  • Supports both self-hosted and cloud deployment options.
  • Includes Testing Distribution and Enterprise App Store modules.
  • Ideal for enterprises with complex security and mobile CI/CD requirements.
  • IAM & SSO integration (OpenID & SAML) for secure access control.
  • Advanced Build Configuration with customizable workflows.
  • Offers multi-tenancy for better workspace organization.
  • Advanced Signing Identities management.
  • Provides enterprise-grade logs and detailed reporting.

Others

bitrise

Bitrise

Bitrise offers a limited publishing flow, lacks a self-hosted deployment option, and does not include signing identity management, which might impact flexibility and control for some teams.

Codemagic

Codemagic

Codemagic offers more limited customization options, does not support self-hosted deployment, and provides only basic testing distribution capabilities.

Xcode Cloud

Xcode Cloud

Xcode Cloud supports only iOS development, offers a more limited selection of pre-built workflow steps compared to other platforms, and does not provide a self-hosted deployment option.

bitrise

App Center (Deprecated)

App Center has slower build speeds, limited workflow customization, and is primarily focused on testing and analytics rather than offering full CI/CD capabilities.

jenkins

Jenkins

Jenkins requires technical expertise for its complex setup, has higher maintenance and hardware requirements, and can be challenging for beginners to learn.

FAQs

+Does Appcircle offer a self-hosted deployment option for enhanced security and compliance?

+Which platforms and frameworks does Appcircle support?

+Does Appcircle provide an Enterprise App Store for internal app distribution?

+How does Appcircle handle mobile app testing distribution?

+How do you manage environment variables and secrets in mobile CI/CD pipelines?

+How can I simplify iOS code signing processes?

+Does Appcircle support advanced user and team management features?

+How does Appcircle stand out compared to other mobile CI/CD platforms?

+Does Appcircle support OTA (over-the-air) updates for React Native apps?

+Does Appcircle provide release automation?

+How is the pricing model of Appcircle?

Appcircle Mobile CI/CD Platform

Looking for the best mobile CI/CD platform? Discover why Appcircle is the leading choice for your team.

appcenter

Flexible Deployment Options

Every enterprise is unique and may require different deployment options, such as Public Cloud, Private Cloud, Hybrid Cloud, or on-premise solutions. Appcircle addresses these needs with a portable, container-based architecture that aligns with your specific deployment requirements and helps prevent cloud vendor lock-in. Whether you choose to deploy on GCP Public Cloud, on-premise, or privately through the AWS Marketplace, Appcircle is built to meet your needs.

appcenter

Distribution Speed & Security

Multi-region secure CDNs ensure your app builds are globally accessible with optimized performance, even in regions with unique internet regulations. With encryption at rest and in transit, your packages are distributed securely.

appcenter

Built for Purpose

Distribution platforms serve different purposes, such as Testing Distribution or deploying in-house apps to internal users via an Enterprise App Store. Appcircle offers dedicated modules tailored for each of these use cases.

appcenter

IAM/SSO Integration

Comprehensive security with IAM/SSO integration, including Identity Providers such as Okta, Azure AD, and OneLogin, along with support for authentication protocols like LDAP, OpenID and SAML The platform also supports IAM role mapping (through LDAP and SSO), enabling seamless role and permission assignments based on identity provider groups for enhanced access control.

appcenter
appcenter

Apple Ad-Hoc Device Registration

Streamlined UDID registration for Apple devices with configuration profiles. The platform automatically adds device UDIDs to provisioning profiles, simplifying device management for app distribution and testing.

appcenter

Re-signing Binaries for iOS and Android Apps

Support for re-signing iOS and Android binaries allows developers to re-sign apps with new certificates (iOS) or keystores (Android), ensuring app integrity and security.

appcenter

CI Integration

Seamless integration with existing CI/CD tools is supported. With ready-to-use plugins for Azure DevOps, GitHub, Fastlane, Jenkins and more, plus API/CLI support, you can easily integrate Appcircle Distribution into your existing CI workflow.

appcenter

End-to-End Platform

Many distribution tools offer only limited functionality for tasks such as building and publishing to app stores. If you plan to leverage these features, ensure the platform provides robust, comprehensive modules for Build, Signing Identity Management, and Publishing to Stores to fully address your needs.

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Appcircle

Obj-C/Swift iOS Builds

Yes

Java/Kotlin Android Builds

Yes

React Native Builds

Yes

Flutter Builds

Yes

.Net MAUI Builds

Yes

Xamarin Builds

Possible by using custom scripts

Unity Builds

No

Hybrid/Ionic Builds

Possible by using custom scripts

Apple Silicon M2 Chip support

Yes

Git Providers Supported

Azure DevOps Services Cloud, Azure DevOps Server, GitHub, Bitbucket, Bitbucket (Self-Hosted), GitLab, GitLab (Self-Hosted)

External Custom Git Repository Support

Yes

Automated Builds with Git Push

Yes

Automated Builds with Git Tag

Yes

Advanced Build Configuration with Workflows

Yes

Workflow Components Marketplace

Yes

Build Configuration with YAML/JSON

Yes

Custom Build Scripts

Ruby and Bash

CodePush Support

Appcircle CodePush

Centralized Environment Variables

Yes

Unit and UI Test Support

Yes

Unit and UI Testing Report

Yes

Selectable Xcode Version

Yes

Android Multiple Flavor Dimension Support

Yes

Continuous Integration Pipeline

Yes

Insight

In Roadmap

Signing Identities Management

Yes

Online iOS Certificate Creation Interface

Yes

Online Keystore Creation Interface

Yes

Ad Hoc Device Registration

Advanced

Apple Device Management

Yes

App Testing Distribution

Yes

Testing Group Support

Yes

Tester Authentication with Email

Yes

Tester Authentication with Static Credentials

Yes

Tester Authentication with Enterprise Identity

Yes

Publish to Apple App Store and TestFlight

Yes

Publish to Google Play

Yes

Publish to Huawei AppGallery

Yes

Publish Flow Customization

Yes

Publish In-House with Enterprise App Store

Yes

Deployment Options

Public Cloud, Private Cloud,
On-premise, AWS (Amazon Web Services), GCP (Google Cloud Platform), Azure

Team Management

Yes

Fine-Grained User Roles and Permissions

Yes

SSO (Single Sign-On) Login

SAML and OpenID

LDAP Group/Role Mapping

Supports LDAP group/role mapping, enabling seamless integration with your organization's directory services for effective and automated tester group management.

2FA Support

Yes

Enterprise-Grade Logs/Reports

Yes

Pricing Model

Fixed, Transparent Pricing

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are those of the authors. Any content provided by our bloggers or authors is of their opinion and are not intended to malign any organization, company, individual or anyone or anything. This comparison is based on their review of the product for market research purposes

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We're here to discuss how Appcircle can enhance your mobile development workflow. Feel free to reach out! We usually respond within a business day.

This information was last updated in Q1 2024

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