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Comparison

The no-code Capacitor alternative: your site on the App Store without a Mac

Capacitor is excellent — free, open source, and the standard way for developers to wrap a web app in a real native shell. But 'free' assumes you have a Mac with Xcode, a working knowledge of certificates and provisioning profiles, and a few evenings to spend. If you got 'just use Capacitor' as advice and your heart sank, this page is for you: Paludis produces the same end result — your live site as a signed native iOS app in the App Store — with none of the toolchain.

What Capacitor is

Capacitor is a free, open-source native runtime from the Ionic team. It wraps your web app in real native iOS and Android projects that you then build, sign, and submit yourself. It has a rich plugin ecosystem and gives developers total control — including writing custom native code. The catch is the word 'yourself': iOS builds require a Mac running Xcode, an Apple Developer account, and hands-on work with signing certificates, provisioning profiles, and App Store Connect.

Paludis vs Capacitor at a glance

PaludisCapacitor
Software price$49.99 once per appFree, open source
What you needA live URL and an Apple Developer accountMac + Xcode, Node toolchain, certificates and provisioning, App Store Connect know-how
Mac requiredNo — builds and signing run in the cloudYes, for building and signing iOS apps
Coding requiredNoneJavaScript/TypeScript plus native project configuration
Time to TestFlight~10 minutes of your timeTypically a few evenings the first time
Native controlStandard native shell, managed for youUnlimited — it's your own Xcode project
Best forNo-code builders and founders without a MacDevelopers who want full control over the native project

Capacitor is the better choice if:

  • You're a developer, you own a Mac, and you're comfortable in Xcode
  • You need custom native functionality beyond what any wrapper service offers — Capacitor lets you write native code directly
  • You want Android from the same project, for free

Paludis is the better choice if:

  • You don't have a Mac — Paludis builds and signs in the cloud
  • You don't code, or you'd rather not spend evenings on certificates and provisioning profiles
  • You want TestFlight in minutes, with submission automated end to end
  • You want a safety net with Apple: rejection fixed with you, or a full refund

Frequently asked questions

Isn't Capacitor free? Why pay for Paludis?

The software is free; shipping with it isn't. You need a Mac with Xcode (several hundred pounds if you don't own one), and the first build typically costs a few evenings of setup, certificate wrangling, and App Store Connect learning. Paludis charges $49.99 once and compresses all of that to about ten minutes: paste your URL, connect Apple, and the build, signing, and TestFlight upload run in the cloud.

Can I use Capacitor without a Mac?

Not for iOS, in practice — compiling and signing an iOS app requires Xcode, which only runs on macOS. Some CI services rent you cloud Macs, but you still manage certificates, provisioning profiles, and the submission process yourself. Paludis exists to make that whole layer someone else's problem.

Do I lose anything by not using Capacitor directly?

Some ceiling, honestly. Capacitor gives developers an open native project where anything is possible — custom native modules, any plugin, both platforms. Paludis gives you a managed native shell around your live site. If your app is your website, that's everything you need; if you know you'll need deep custom native code, Capacitor is the right tool.

Does Paludis do Android?

No — Paludis is iOS-only today. If you need Android on day one, a tool that does both platforms is the right call. Many builders ship iOS first (it's where App Store presence and buyer expectations are strongest) and revisit Android once the iOS app has proven itself.

Will Apple approve a wrapped website?

The risk is Apple's Guideline 4.2 — apps that feel like 'simply a website bundled as an app' — and it applies equally to a hand-rolled Capacitor wrapper and to any service. What gets you through is the same either way: a mobile-optimised layout and genuinely useful functionality. And every Paludis build is covered by our rejection guarantee: if Apple rejects your app, we fix and resubmit with you until it's approved — or you get a full refund.

Ready to see your app on the App Store?

Paste your URL and we'll handle the native build, Apple signing, and TestFlight — no Mac required.

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