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To test a program for iPhone or iPad, seems like the only way is to join the Apple Developer program and pay $99 per year? Can you also jailbreak the iPhone or iPad and be able to test it?

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You can use a jailbreaked iOS device for testing, but you won't be able to sell your App on the Appstore. And you won't be able to test the app on other (non-jailbreaked) devices. To do that you'll need the developer license.

The reason why this is so, is that every app needs to be signed (with the certificate you get from Apple when joining the developer program) to be run on iOS devices. Non-signed code will run on a jailbroken device, but not on any other device. Also a non-signed app cannot be sold in the Appstore.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ can you not put the "i think" or "i guess" as an answer? Once you put an answer, other people will not answer (initially), and the question is stuck with an "i guess" answer. \$\endgroup\$
    – nonopolarity
    Apr 3, 2011 at 16:28
  • \$\begingroup\$ Ok, edited. Happy now? \$\endgroup\$
    – bummzack
    Apr 3, 2011 at 16:39
  • \$\begingroup\$ but doesn't that truly work or is it just a guess with the "probably" removed? \$\endgroup\$
    – nonopolarity
    Apr 3, 2011 at 17:10
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    \$\begingroup\$ This is correct. \$\endgroup\$
    – DMan
    Apr 3, 2011 at 17:19
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Roger Perkins I have not tried that myself, but others apparently have: alexwhittemore.com/?tag=jailbroken So yes, you can use XCode and the XCode tools with a jailbroken device. \$\endgroup\$
    – bummzack
    Apr 3, 2011 at 18:04
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Why all the talk about jailbreaking?

The iOS developers I know use ad-hoc distribution for testing. It's like when you sign your own SSL certificate on a home server. You'll have to add your own signature to the list of allowed signers on your device (butchering the terminology here, sorry), and then you can test to your heart's content.

Google turned up this:

http://www.readwriteweb.com/mobile/2010/12/apple-best-kept-secret-how-to-do-ad-hoc-installs.php

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  • \$\begingroup\$ This is indeed great for testing. But that app still needs to be signed before you distribute it (i.e. you have to join the apple developer program). What you describe is a way to easily test apps on a lot of devices but that's not what's asked here. \$\endgroup\$
    – bummzack
    Apr 4, 2011 at 13:47
  • \$\begingroup\$ Uh, I thought that's exactly what was being asked here. Obviously it's not legal/ethical to distribute your iOS app without joining Apple's developer program, but if you want to develop your app first and be able to test it on an actual device, this would be the way to do it. First part of the question reads "To test a program for iPhone or iPad". \$\endgroup\$
    – michael.bartnett
    Apr 4, 2011 at 16:34
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    \$\begingroup\$ The way I read it was: Do you have to join the Apple Developer Program to test your app or is it possible to use a jailbreaked device and save the $99? \$\endgroup\$
    – bummzack
    Apr 4, 2011 at 19:54

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