Sharing an App

Exporting Source Code

  • Share | Generate Link. This provides a link to a copy of your app in Thunkable. So you can send this link to someone and they can open your app in Thunakble to run or remix.
  • The share link is a “copy” and doesn’t provide a “google docs” method of collaboration– Thunkable doesn’t have that.
  • The share link is cross-platform– with the “source code” one can test/download/publish on whichever platform is desired.
  • There is now also a public page for each app, which is actually better than the share link for sharing. If you send that link to someone, it opens to the “Project Detail Page” of the app, which has a Preview setup, as well as buttons for viewing source code or getting a copy to remix. You can access this link by going to the “My Projects” page, choosing the “…” by an app, and selecting “Project Details Page”, then copying the URL in the browser. Note: the person you sent it to must have or register for a Thunkable account.

Downloading/Installing an iOS app (without App Store involvement)

  • Download | iOS. Some minutes (10-50?) after choosing this, you’ll receive an email containing instructions and a link for installing. You can open that link on an iOS device to install the actual app on the device (different than just live testing with Thunkable Live).
  • On iOS, you need to change a setting on the device to install an app that doesn’t come through the app store (the instructions in the email tell you how). 
  • You can only install one non-app-store app on each device. This “Download” option is basically for you as a developer to test the actual app on a device, or to send it to a few people for testing. It is definitely not for widespread distribution.

Downloading/Installing an Android app (without Play Store involvement)

  • Download | Android. This results in the download of an executable app (.apk file). You can open that file on Android to install. 
  • You’ll need to change a setting on the Android device to “allow apps from untrusted sources” in order to install. 
  • You can install as many apps as you’d like with the .apk, and you can distribute the app to as many people as you’d like (and even create a QR code that causes installation).

Publishing a Web App (PRO account only)

  • Publish | Web app. This creates a URL to a web version of the app. If you are on a computer, it opens as a web page. On a device, it looks like an app (it really is running through the browser). 
  • There are some restrictions on functionality for web apps, e.g., Maps don’t work.

Publishing an iOS or Android app to App Store

  • Publish | iOS or Publish | Android
  • Thunkable walks you through the steps of publishing, the end-result is your app available on an app store.
  • For iOS, you need a developer’s license for $99/yr. For Android, you need a one time membership of $25.
  • iOS will analyze your app and your app must pass their restrictions prior to being published.