A powerful Microsoft App Center alternative for 2025

As we enter 2025, mobile app developers are looking for modern, scalable, and flexible tools to streamline their CI/CD pipelines and ensure high-quality app releases. If you've been relying on Microsoft Visual Studio App Center, you may have noticed that the solution is scheduled for retirement by the end of March 2025. That's where Updraft App Distribution comes in—a robust alternative, built to meet the evolving needs of modern mobile app development teams.

In July 2024 we already wrote about the shutdown of Microsoft Visual Studio App Center and why Updraft is a suitable alternative.

In this blog post, we will show in more detail why Updraft is a great choice for developers seeking an App Center alternative. We highlight the benefits it offers to ensure faster workflows, better team collaboration, and more streamlined app distribution and management.

What is Updraft?

Updraft is a mobile app distribution platform that offers a seamless solution for app artifacts management, app code signing, app distribution and release management across iOS, Android and Windows applications.

Key Features of Updraft

• Create app projects: One of the biggest advantages over other CI/CD solutions is that in Updraft projects are created. A project is a folder with different apps from different development environments like test, stage, pre-production or production in it. This optimizes the overview and user access management. 

• Easy app upload: Upload apps manually via drag & drop, or via CURL/API upload and automated uploads with custom parameters.

• Artifact history: Each app in your project has its own app version history. Therefore you have all the app versions of all your apps in the same place and can easily switch between the development environments. Upload as many artifacts as you wish, get all the meta-information of the build.

• App distribution

  • Share your app through public installation links, QR codes, and email notifications.

  • Support for enterprise app stores (web-based or with the Updraft app available on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store).

  • Features include beta releases, single releases, and public and protected landing pages for each app version you are sharing.

  • Protect your apps or make them publicly available.

• Code sign your apps

  • Sign your apps (".ipa" and ".aab" files) with relevant apple certificates, apple provisioning profiles or the keystore without having Xcode or Android Studio on your machine. Code signing is super easy with Updraft!

• Notifications

  • Notify project and app members about new app versions or feedback you received via the Open Source SDK

  • Control notifications per project or app for streamlined communication.

• Tester and group management

  • Manage testers and distribution groups per project.

  • Features include bulk importing testers (.csv) and group-specific notifications when releasing a new app version.

• Release management and history

  • You have two options when it comes to release management: You can either create a single release or a beta release. In the single release, you select the app, the app version, the added testers and tester groups, add release notes and then send exactly this version. This allows you to control your testing and only receive feedback when and from whom you want it. With a beta release you send one installation link for both the iOS and Android version of your app - no need to worry about the OS system of your testers, as Updraft detects it and displays the app accordingly.

  • There is a download and installation tutorial, so your testers always know how to accept Unknown Sources in Android and the certificates in the iOS settings.

  • Track your release and distribution history with options to disable or delete releases you have distributed.

• Publishing for in-house and public use

  • Publish apps and share it via weblink

  • Share your app landingpage with your audience

  • Use the Updraft app to distribute your apps 

  • Publish your iOS and Android applications via the App Store and Play Store integration

• Integrations and API access

  • Integrate with tools like Slack, Microsoft Workflows, Discord, WebEx and Webhooks.

  • Full SDK support for feedback, bug reporting and in-app automatic updates.

  • Open API access for custom workflows and automation.

• Security and access controls

  • Features include Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

  • SSO/SAML 2.0 Support from Okta, Google Workspace, Microsoft Entra or the possibility to use your Custom SSO or OpenID - you choose where you manage your user directory. 

  • Add your custom storage (S3 bucket, Google Cloud bucket) and choose yourself where to host all your app related data. You choose your region and your provider, we do the rest. 

  • Protect your app with fine-grained user roles and permission-groups (SSO mapping done right :)).

• Advanced team management

  • Enable role-based access control for projects and apps.

  • Support for permission groups and SSO-based group mapping for streamlined team management

Want to know more about our features? Check out the features page or our product documentation.

Why you should switch to Updraft

Updraft not only offers all the features you know from Microsoft Visual Studio App Center, but goes one step further by providing a range of advanced features. Plus: it is cheaper! Designed as a tool that has been simplifying app distribution since 2013, Updraft has continually evolved with a strong focus on usability, security, and flexibility.

Key Advantages of Updraft

1. Platform independent
   Updraft supports Android, iOS, and Windows platforms seamlessly.

2. No account requirements

   • No Gmail address or Google account required.

   • No Apple ID or account necessary to download and install apps.

3. Uncompromising security

   • SSO integration: Updraft supports secure user management through SAML 2.0 and OpenID, allowing authentication directly within the customer's environment.

   • Custom storage: Choose exactly where your app data is stored.

   • Swiss hosting & cloud: All personal user data is hosted securely in Switzerland, ensuring compliance with GDPR and Swiss Privacy Law.

4. Developer-friendly integration

   • Updraft integrates effortlessly with existing CI/CD tools.

   • It does not touch or alter your source code, ensuring a clean and secure distribution process.

5. Focus on app distribution
   Updraft keeps it simple by focusing on app distribution and code signing, leaving other complexities to specialized tools.

6. Trusted and proven

   • Operational since 2013, Updraft has grown alongside its users, continually adding features to simplify processes while prioritizing security and user needs.

   • Created by experienced app developers, Updraft reflects firsthand knowledge of challenges like code signing, App Store submissions, and compliance with Apple and Google guidelines.

7. High-quality support

   • Swiss-based, professional help desk.

   • Support team with years of practical experience in app distribution, store management, and CI/CD integration.

Learn more about our journey and expertise on our About us page.

 

The Updraft Difference

Updraft is a simple yet powerful solution for app distribution and app code signing. It offers unmatched flexibility, strong security, and seamless integration while ensuring your data is stored securely in Switzerland.

With Updraft, you’re not just using a tool—you’re gaining the support of a team of expert developers who truly understand the intricacies of app development and distribution.

Flexible and cost-effective pricing

Updraft offers fair and transparent pricing tailored to your needs:

• Free Forever Plan: Perfect for getting started – completely free with no hidden fees but with some limitations.

• Pay-as-you-go Plan: Full flexibility – pay only for the used storage you actually use plus a small basic fee per month.

• Resigning Plan: Designed for app store management teams focused on right code signing and app resigning to submit apps to the integrated Apple and Play store. 

• Enterprise Plan: Customized solutions for large enterprises and organizations with specific requirements. Get full access to SSO settings, OpenID and Custom Storage features. We are happy to discuss your needs:).

For more information and comparison of our Plans, visit our pricing page.

Compared to other providers, Updraft not only delivers a wider range of features but also offers a significantly better price-to-performance ratio. With our efficient app distribution platform and competitive pricing, you save costs without compromising on quality, security, or support.

Updraft makes app distribution both affordable and powerful, giving you everything you need to succeed. 

If you are currently looking for a Microsoft Visual Studio App Center alternative, we highly recommend you check out Updraft! Do not hesitate to reach out to us via email if you have any questions regarding features, pricing or switching from Microsoft App Center (or any other provider for that matter) to Updraft.
We are always happy to help and accommodate the needs of our customers!