I'm developing a small Kotlin app for fun and originally built it for Android users. I'm still learning Kotlin and sometimes use AI tools to help me understand the code. I'd like to make the app available to some friends who use iPhones, but I've learned that Apple's development and distribution process is more restrictive than Android's. From what I understand, I may need access to a Mac to build an IPA, and apps signed with a free Apple developer account only remain installed for about seven days before they need to be renewed. A paid developer account costs around $99 per year. I'm considering buying an older Mac mini from around 2014–2018, but I'm unsure whether it would run a suitable version of Xcode reliably. Is my understanding correct, and would buying an older Mac be worthwhile, or would renting a Mac in the cloud be a better option?
2 Answers
An older Mac mini might work, but compatibility depends on the macOS version it can run and which version of Xcode you need. Older hardware may be limited to outdated Xcode versions, so it can become frustrating if Apple’s tools or SDK requirements move on. For occasional compiling and testing, renting a Mac in the cloud may be a better choice than buying hardware that could struggle with newer tools.
Your understanding is mostly right. iOS apps can be installed outside the App Store, but the process is much less convenient than Android sideloading. With a free developer account, the signing usually expires after roughly seven days, so you have to reinstall or renew the app regularly. A paid Apple Developer membership removes that short testing limit and also gives you options such as TestFlight and App Store distribution.
Would you recommend buying a 2018 Mac mini for this, and do you know whether the seven-day limit applies to every free account installation?
If you only need to build occasionally, a cloud Mac is probably the safer option. You avoid spending money on an old machine that may stop supporting the Xcode version your project requires.