Flutter APK, AAB and IPA build guide for Android and iOS
This guide explains how Flutter apps are built and published for Android and iOS. You will learn the difference between APK, AAB and IPA files, how Google Play and Apple signing work, why CocoaPods are required for iOS, and how Wrapply source projects help you move from website or web app to mobile app faster.
APK, AAB and IPA: what they mean
When you create a mobile app from a website, web app, no-code project or AI-generated MVP, you need different build formats depending on the platform and distribution channel.
📱 APK
APK is the Android package format commonly used for direct installation, internal testing and sharing the app before publishing. Read the APK tutorial.
▶️ AAB
AAB is the Android App Bundle format used for Google Play publishing. Wrapply can generate a Google Play-ready AAB. Read the AAB guide.
🍎 IPA
IPA is the iOS app archive used for Apple distribution. It requires macOS, Xcode, CocoaPods and an Apple Developer account. Read the IPA guide.
💻 Flutter source code
Flutter source code gives you full control over Android and iOS builds. You can open the project in Visual Studio Code and build from source. See the source code tutorial.
Android builds: APK vs AAB
Flutter can generate both APK and AAB files. The APK is useful for testing because it can be installed directly on Android devices. The AAB is the recommended production format for Google Play publishing.
APK for testing
Use APK when you want to install the generated app directly on Android phones, send it to clients or test the mobile behavior before submitting to Google Play.
AAB for Google Play
Use AAB when you want to publish your Android app on Google Play. Google Play uses the app bundle to optimize delivery for different devices.
Useful tutorials: APK file, AAB file, Google Play publishing, Android publishing guide.
iOS builds: IPA, Xcode and Apple signing
Building an iOS app from a Flutter project requires Apple tools. Wrapply can provide the Flutter source code and iOS project structure, but final iOS build and App Store submission must be done with macOS, Xcode and an Apple Developer account.
- macOS environment
- Xcode installed
- Apple Developer account
- Valid Bundle Identifier
- App Store Connect access
- CocoaPods installed for native iOS dependencies
Typical Flutter iOS commands:
cd ios
pod install
cd ..
flutter build ios
flutter build ipa
Follow the complete build iOS tutorial, IPA file guide and App Store publishing tutorial.
CocoaPods: how pods are created in Flutter iOS projects
CocoaPods manages native iOS dependencies used by Flutter plugins, such as WebView, Firebase, push notifications, authentication, analytics and other native integrations. When a Flutter project contains iOS plugins, the iOS folder uses a Podfile to define and install these dependencies.
In a Flutter source project, pods are usually installed with:
pod install
Before building iOS, you can also read the Visual Studio Code setup guide and the build from source tutorial.
Wrapply source projects: one Flutter codebase for Android and iOS
Wrapply is designed to convert your website, web app, PWA, HTML application or AI-generated project into a Flutter-based mobile app. The generated Flutter project gives you a single codebase that can be extended for Android and iOS.
Website to Flutter app
Convert traditional websites and web applications into mobile apps. Read the Web to App guide.
Lovable to mobile app
Convert Lovable-generated MVPs into Android and iOS apps. Read the Lovable to App guide.
AI builder to app
Turn AI-generated web projects into mobile apps with Flutter. Read the AI builder to app guide.
Source code ownership
Download the complete Flutter source code and continue development independently. Read the source code page.
With the source project, you can customize app name, package name, icons, navigation, Firebase integrations, push notifications and store publishing configuration.
Firebase and native integrations
Wrapply does not force vendor lock-in. You can start with a generated mobile wrapper and later extend the Flutter project with Firebase, push notifications, analytics, authentication or custom native logic.
Push notifications
Add Firebase Cloud Messaging and native push notifications when your app needs user engagement. Read the Firebase push notifications tutorial.
Custom navigation
Configure native-style AppBar, BottomNavigationBar and FloatingActionButton behavior. Read the custom navigation guide.
App identity
Update app name, package name and app icons before publishing. Read the app name, package name and icons tutorials.
Build from source
Open the generated project in Visual Studio Code and rebuild Android or iOS versions. Read the build from source guide.
Recommended tutorials
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between APK and AAB?
APK is commonly used for direct Android installation and testing. AAB is the format used to publish Android apps on Google Play.
Can Flutter generate iOS IPA files?
Yes. Flutter can generate iOS builds and IPA files when the project is built on macOS with Xcode, CocoaPods and an Apple Developer account.
Do I need CocoaPods for Flutter iOS?
Yes, if your Flutter app uses iOS plugins or native dependencies. CocoaPods installs the native iOS dependencies required by those plugins.
Can Wrapply generate the Flutter source code?
Yes. Wrapply can generate a complete Flutter source project from your website or web app so you can build APK, AAB and iOS versions from one codebase.
Can I publish both Android and iOS?
Yes. Android publishing uses APK/AAB and Google Play Console. iOS publishing uses the Flutter source project, Xcode, IPA/archive generation and App Store Connect.
Ready to generate APK, AAB and Flutter source code?
Use Wrapply to convert your website, web app, no-code project or AI-generated MVP into a Flutter-based mobile app. Generate Android builds, download source code and prepare your project for iOS and store publishing.