Websites using Hokej

Okay, let s break down HockeyApp, covering its purpose, revenue model (though somewhat complex now), potential alternatives, pricing structure (as it was before deprecation), and customer care details. Since HockeyApp is no longer a standalone product and has been integrated into other Microsoft services, we ll primarily discuss it in the past tense but also touch upon where its functionality lives today.

What Was HockeyApp? (Overview)

HockeyApp was a platform designed for mobile app developers to streamline the following processes:

• Beta Distribution: Easily distribute beta versions of iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows apps to testers.
• Crash Reporting: Capture and analyze app crashes to identify bugs and improve stability.
• User Feedback: Collect user feedback directly from within the app.
• User Metrics: Basic analytics to understand how users were interacting with the app.

Essentially, HockeyApp was a one-stop shop for mobile app development teams to manage the feedback and iteration cycle.

Revenue Model (Before deprecation)

HockeyApp operated on a freemium model with different tiers depending on the number of apps, users, and features. Here s a general idea of how the pricing structured used to be:

• Free Tier: Limited number of apps, testers, and features. Typically used for small teams or individual developers.
• Paid Tiers (Various Levels): Increasing monthly or annual fees based on:
  • Number of apps
  • Number of users/testers
  • Storage space
  • Feature sets (e.g., priority support, advanced analytics)

Alternatives to HockeyApp (Today)

Since HockeyApp s core functionalities have been integrated into Visual Studio App Center and Azure, direct replacements aren t a perfect match. However, here are alternatives that offer similar features in the mobile app development lifecycle:

• Microsoft Visual Studio App Center: Microsoft s current platform, including distribution, crash reporting, analytics, and build services. It s the most direct successor to HockeyApp. It provides features covering the whole mobile application lifecycle.
• Firebase App Distribution (Google): Focused primarily on app distribution for Android and iOS apps. It integrates well with other Firebase services.
• Instabug: Focuses on in-app feedback, bug reporting, and crash reporting with SDKs for mobile apps.
• TestFlight (Apple): Primarily for iOS app beta testing through the App Store.
• Crashlytics (Google): Primarily focused on crash reporting. Integrated into Firebase.
• Bitrise: Mobile CI/CD platform with app distribution features.
• Appcircle: Mobile CI/CD and app distribution platform.

Pricing (Of Alternatives - Since HockeyApp is Deprecated)

• Visual Studio App Center: Offers a free tier with limits. Paid plans are based on build minutes and the number of devices used for test runs. They also have different offerings for the backend services based on storage and compute usage. Review their current pricing on the Azure website.
• Firebase App Distribution: Generally offered as part of the Firebase suite, which has a free Spark plan with limitations, and paid Blaze plan with usage-based pricing. Check Firebase pricing for details.
• Instabug: Subscription-based with different tiers based on the number of monthly active users, features, and support levels. See Instabug s website.
• TestFlight: Free to use for Apple Developer Program members.
• Crashlytics: Free to use as part of Firebase.
• Bitrise: Free tier available, with paid plans based on build minutes and concurrency.
• Appcircle: Free tier for small teams, with paid plans based on build minutes, device farm usage, and features.

Customer Care (HockeyApp, Historically)

Before its transition, HockeyApp s customer support options typically included:

• Documentation: Extensive online documentation, FAQs, and tutorials.
• Community Forums: A community forum for users to ask questions and share knowledge.
• Email Support: A support email address for direct inquiries.
• Paid Support Tiers: Higher-tier plans often included priority support with faster response times and dedicated support channels.

Customer Care (For Microsoft Visual Studio App Center - the Successor)

Since App Center absorbed HockeyApp s functionality, support channels are now through Microsoft:

• Azure Support: The Azure portal provides access to support plans, ranging from basic to premium, offering different response times and levels of assistance.
• Documentation: Microsoft provides extensive documentation for App Center on their website.
• Community Forums: Stack Overflow and other developer communities are valuable resources for getting help with App Center.
• GitHub Issues: App Center has a GitHub repository where you can report bugs and feature requests.

Key Takeaways and Considerations

• HockeyApp is no longer a standalone product. Don t try to find it as a separate entity.
• Visual Studio App Center is the primary successor. If you were a HockeyApp user, App Center is the place to go.
• Evaluate your needs carefully. Consider what features are essential for your team (e.g., distribution only, comprehensive crash reporting, user feedback) when choosing an alternative or using App Center.
• Pricing models vary significantly. Pay close attention to the pricing structures of alternative solutions, as they can change over time. Factor in the number of apps, users, and the features you need to estimate costs accurately.

I hope this comprehensive overview is helpful!