appcenter

Xcode Cloud

Xcode Cloud is a continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) service built into Xcode, designed to automate the building, testing, and distribution of apps for Apple platforms.

What is Xcode Cloud?

Xcode Cloud is a CI/CD service integrated into Xcode, Apple's official IDE. It is tailored for developers building apps for iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS. Xcode Cloud automates key tasks such as building apps in the cloud, running tests on simulated devices, and distributing builds to testers or the App Store. This service simplifies the development workflow by handling the complexities of integration and delivery, allowing teams to focus more on coding and innovation.

xcode cloud dashboard

Top Alternatives to Xcode Cloud

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  • 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

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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.

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Codemagic

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

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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.

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Jenkins

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

FAQs

+What is Xcode Cloud?

+How to Use Xcode Cloud?

+What is the difference between Xcode and Xcode Cloud?

+Do I need a Mac for Xcode Cloud?

+Can I use Xcode Cloud on Windows?

+Is Xcode Cloud compatible with Android?

+Is there a self-hosted option for Xcode Cloud?

+Can I use Xcode Cloud for free?

+How Does Xcode Cloud Compare to Other CI/CD Tools?

Appcircle vs. Xcode Cloud

Compare Appcircle with Xcode Cloud as Mobile CI/CD and DevOps tools and discover how Appcircle stands out.

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.

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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

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Xcode-Cloud

Obj-C/Swift iOS Builds

Yes

Yes

Java/Kotlin Android Builds

Yes

No

React Native Builds

Yes

No

Flutter Builds

Yes

No

.Net MAUI Builds

Yes

No

Xamarin Builds

No

No

Unity Builds

No

No

Hybrid/Ionic Builds

No

No

Apple Silicon M2 Chip Support

Yes

Yes

Git Providers Supported

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

GitHub, GitHub (Self-Hosted), Bitbucket, Bitbucket (Self-Hosted), GitLab, GitLab (Self-Hosted)

External Custom Git Repository Support

Yes

Yes

Automated Builds with Git Push

Yes

Yes

Automated Builds with Git Tag

Yes

Yes

Continuous Integration Pipeline

Yes

Yes

Advanced Build Configuration with Workflows

Use workflow steps that are tailored and maintained for mobile development.

Usage between custom pre-action, action, post-action

Workflow Components Marketplace

Yes

No

Build Configuration with YAML/JSON

Yes

No

Custom Build Scripts

Ruby and Bash

No

Centralized Environment Variables

Yes

Yes

Unit and UI Test Support

Yes

Yes

Unit and UI Testing Report

Yes

No

Selectable Xcode Version

Yes

Yes

Android Multiple Flavor Dimension Support

Yes

No

Insight

In Roadmap

No

Centralized Signing Identities

Yes

No

Online iOS Certificate Creation Interface

Yes

Yes

Online Keystore Creation Interface

Yes

No

Ad Hoc Device Registration

Yes

Yes

Apple Device Management

Yes

Yes

App Testing Distribution

Yes

Yes

Testing Group Support

Yes

Only TestFlight internal and external

Tester Authentication with Email

Yes

No

Tester Authentication with Static Credentials

Yes

No

Tester Authentication with Enterprise Identity

Yes

No

Publish to Apple App Store and TestFlight

Yes

Yes

Publish to Google Play

Yes

No

Publish to Huawei AppGallery

Yes

No

Publish Flow Customization

Yes

No

Publish In-House with Enterprise App Store

Yes

No

Deployment Options

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

Public Cloud hosted on Apple's infrastructure, no private cloud or on-premise options.

Team Management

Yes

Yes

Fine-Grained User Roles and Permissions

Yes

Yes

SSO (Single Sign-On) Login

Yes

No

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.

No

2FA Support

Yes

Yes

Enterprise-Grade Logs/Reports

Yes

No

Pricing Model

Fixed, Transparent Pricing

Pricing based on compute hours/month

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

Click here to view more mobile CI/CD software comparisons.

Switching to another CI/CD tool can be a complex decision. Switching to Appcircle is easy,however we've prepared this comparison to help you decide easier.

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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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