Diawi File Size Limit: What It Is, and What to Do When Your IPA Exceeds It
Diawi's upload limit depends entirely on your plan — and on the free tiers it's surprisingly small. Here are the exact numbers and the fastest way around them.
The exact Diawi upload limits
| Diawi plan | Max .ipa upload size | Link lifetime |
|---|---|---|
| Anonymous (no account) | 20 MB | 24 hours |
| Free account | 50 MB | 24 hours |
| Starter (paid) | 250 MB (+ add-ons) | Longer |
| Premium / Enterprise (paid) | 1.2 GB (+ add-ons) | Longer |
Source: Diawi's official features page (diawi.com/features-services) and knowledge base article "Maximum upload size" (diawi.com/knowledge-base/Diawi/Maximum-upload-size). Add-ons can extend limits by +500 MB or +1 GB on paid plans.
Why this bites real iOS teams
- Games and media apps blow past 50 MB fast. Bundled videos, high-res assets, SpriteKit scenes and on-device ML models routinely push IPAs to 200 MB–1 GB. That's instant "file too large" on Diawi's free tiers.
- Enterprise apps carry heavy payloads. Internal apps embedding offline content, PDFs or media libraries are exactly the builds that need quick OTA installs — and exactly the builds Diawi's free tier rejects.
- Paid plans only fix it if you pay. The 250 MB Starter tier covers some builds, but it's a per-plan subscription; add-ons cost extra.
- Browser uploads have their own ceiling. Diawi itself warns that very large uploads can fail in browsers — Safari in particular struggles at around 2 GB — and recommends API/cURL uploads for big files.
Your options when the IPA is too big for Diawi
1. Pay Diawi for a bigger plan
Starter (250 MB) or Premium (1.2 GB) removes the size wall, but you're paying a subscription just to host test builds, and link expiry rules still apply.
2. Strip assets out of the IPA
Move media to a server and download on first launch. Reduces the binary but adds a download step — and breaks offline use cases.
3. Use a Diawi alternative without the cap
Build Installer accepts large IPAs, keeps links live past 24 hours, and generates the same OTA install link and QR code. No subscription to lift the limit — it isn't there.
Upload a large IPA →FAQ
What is the maximum file size on Diawi for free?
20 MB for anonymous uploads and 50 MB with a free account. Paid plans start at 250 MB (Starter) and go up to 1.2 GB (Premium/Enterprise).
What happens if my IPA is larger than Diawi's limit?
Diawi rejects the upload. You'd need a paid plan, add-ons, or a different distribution service.
Can I upload a 500 MB IPA anywhere for free?
Yes — Build Installer has no hard size cap on uploads, generates the OTA manifest automatically, and doesn't expire free links after 24 hours.
Does the size limit include Android APKs?
Diawi applies its limits to all uploads. Build Installer currently focuses on iOS IPAs.