Quick answer
Loadly.io - Loadly.io wins for most builders because its free tier keeps the core workflow open-ended with unlimited releases, installs, API automation, and permanent storage, while Diawi’s free tier is capped tightly on size, expiry, and installs.
How the free tiers compare
These products solve the same basic problem, but their free tiers are shaped very differently. Diawi is a small starter tool for quick one-off sharing: you can upload an app, hand out a private link, and get a limited number of installs before the app expires after a few days. It is useful when you only need occasional test builds and do not need automation or long retention. Loadly.io is closer to a complete distribution workflow. Its free tier includes unlimited releases and installs, API-driven deployments, analytics, tester feedback, and permanent storage, so it fits teams that want to use the free tier as their main staging and distribution layer. The tradeoff is that Diawi is simpler and more constrained, while Loadly.io is built for ongoing use and grows less quickly into paid territory.
Diawi vs Loadly.io free tier, side by side
| DiawiFTV 44 | Loadly.ioFTV 99 | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum upload sizeDiawi free tier limit; Loadly.io free plan accepts files up to 2 GB. | 50 MB | Up to 2 GB |
| App expiration / download expirationDiawi free uploads expire after 3 days; Loadly.io lists never-expiring downloads. | 3 days | Never expires |
| Installs per appLoadly.io free tier does not cap installs in the provided data. | Up to 10 | Unlimited |
| Releases / buildsDiawi free tier description does not mention release count. | Not stated | Unlimited releases |
| API accessLoadly.io free tier includes automated app deployments via API. | Not stated | Included |
| Credit card requiredBoth free tiers explicitly say no credit card is required. | No | No |
After you outgrow the free tier
Diawi’s paid path is simple flat pricing: Starter at 2.99€ per month, then Premium at 29.99€ per month, with an Enterprise option at 299.99€ per month and contact-sales style treatment. Loadly.io’s paid pricing is not clearly published in the provided data; the Pro plan is listed as 0 ~ 299,99€ / month with contact-sales pricing, so you cannot reliably calculate a fixed monthly spend. In practice, Diawi is cheaper for very small, occasional sharing, while Loadly.io appears to keep more value in the free tier and pushes pricing behind sales for larger or business use.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Diawi | Loadly.io |
|---|---|---|
| Small team sharing one 20 MB build for 3 days with up to 10 installsBoth free tiers cover this use case, but Loadly.io has far more headroom. | Free | Free |
| 50 MB build shared to 12 testersDiawi would need an upgrade or add-ons; Loadly.io does not show an install cap in the provided data. | Paid plan needed; free tier caps at 10 installs per app | Free |
| 200 MB build shared for a weekLoadly.io free tier supports up to 2 GB and never expires. | Paid plan needed; free tier caps at 50 MB and 3 days | Free |
| Ongoing distribution with API-driven uploads and releasesLoadly.io includes API access on the free tier. | Not included on the free tier; Starter is 2,99€ / month | Free |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Diawi when…
- You only need to share a small build with a few testers for a short window.
- You want a simple manual upload-and-link flow without needing API automation.
- Your app builds are small enough to fit under a 50 MB upload cap.
- You do not need analytics, tester feedback, or release workflow tooling.
Pick Loadly.io when…
- You want to keep using the free tier for ongoing internal or external testing.
- You need unlimited releases and unlimited installs on the free plan.
- You want API access for automated upload and release workflows.
- You need permanent app storage, analytics, or tester feedback without paying.
- You expect to distribute builds repeatedly instead of as one-off links.
Bottom line
For the most common builder use case, Loadly.io is the better free-tier pick because it lets you keep distributing builds without quickly running into quota walls. Diawi makes sense when you need a very small, quick, manual share link and do not care about automation or long retention. If you expect to use the free tier as part of an ongoing test workflow, Loadly.io is the safer choice. If you only need an occasional throwaway upload, Diawi is enough and simpler.
Read the full listings: Diawi and Loadly.io. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.