fr0stbyte

Step-by-step guide

How to analyze an IPA file

To analyze an IPA file, unzip it and read its Info.plist, entitlements and linked libraries. Do it by hand in Terminal, or drop it on fr0stbyte for the full report.

Get fr0stbyte for MacTry the free IPA analyzer
fr0stbyte General tab for an analyzed IPA: App Store rating, download size, stack chips for Unity, SwiftUI, UIKit and StoreKit
fr0stbyte General tab for an analyzed IPA: App Store rating, download size, stack chips for Unity, SwiftUI, UIKit and StoreKit

The manual method

Analyze an IPA in Terminal

An .ipa is a zip archive with the app bundle inside a Payload folder. Five commands read the parts that matter most.

  1. unzip -q MyApp.ipa -d MyApp

    Unpacks the archive. Run ls MyApp/Payload to see the bundle's real name.

  2. plutil -p MyApp/Payload/MyApp.app/Info.plist

    Prints the bundle ID, version, minimum iOS and every permission string.

  3. codesign -d --entitlements :- MyApp/Payload/MyApp.app

    Lists the entitlements stored in the code signature.

  4. otool -L MyApp/Payload/MyApp.app/MyApp

    Lists every framework and library the main executable links.

  5. otool -l MyApp/Payload/MyApp.app/MyApp | grep -A4 LC_ENCRYPTION_INFO

    Shows cryptid 1 when the executable is FairPlay-encrypted.

The executable's name comes from CFBundleExecutable in Info.plist, so swap it in for the last MyApp.

unzip, plutil and codesign ship with macOS. otool comes with the Xcode command-line tools.

Each command answers one question, and sizes, assets and the tech stack take many more. fr0stbyte runs these reads and the rest from one drag and drop. Here is what stays readable in an encrypted IPA.

Quick look in your browser: free IPA analyzer.

How it works

Or drop it on fr0stbyte

  1. 01

    Drop the IPA

    Drag an .ipa onto fr0stbyte. It unpacks the Payload/*.app bundle into a temporary folder and starts reading.

  2. 02

    Read the General tab

    Icon, version, bundle ID, minimum iOS, download and installed size, App Store rating and the detected stack, on one screen.

  3. 03

    Dig into any tab

    Frameworks, Plugins, Info, Signing, Images, Animations, Audios, Fonts, Strings, Nibs: 12+ tabs, each a full inspector.

What you get

Read the stack, size and signing

  • Stack detection with versions

    React Native, Flutter, Unity, Capacitor, SwiftUI, UIKit and the package managers behind them, read from the binary with exact versions.

  • Every framework and SDK

    Dynamic and static frameworks, third-party SDKs, ad networks and SKAdNetwork IDs, each with size, version and source link.

  • Entitlements and signing

    Entitlements, provisioning, code-signing identity, FairPlay status and bundle integrity, laid out as rows you can search.

  • Size per device

    IPA, payload and installed size for 21+ device models, a composition tree map and download-size history across releases.

  • Assets, fonts, strings

    Decoded asset catalogs, Lottie and Rive animations, audio, fonts and every localized string, each in its own viewer.

  • Info.plist, explained

    Every key with a plain-English description, Sensitive and Deprecated flags and the SKAdNetwork grid. Export formatted or raw.

  • A PDF when you need one

    Five report profiles, from a one-page summary to a full technical report, in two styles.

Honest limits

What it does not do

fr0stbyte reads, it never modifies. App Store executables stay FairPlay-protected, so the main binary's code and class names are out of reach. Frameworks, resources, plists, entitlements and the signature are not. It is not a decompiler and generates no source. Analysis takes an .ipa or .fbt, not a bare .app.

FAQ

IPA analysis FAQ

How do I analyze an IPA file on a Mac?
Unzip it, then read Info.plist with plutil, entitlements with codesign and linked libraries with otool. Or drag it onto fr0stbyte, which shows all of that and more in seconds.
Which tools do I need to analyze an IPA by hand?
Terminal on a Mac. unzip, plutil and codesign ship with macOS, and otool comes with the Xcode command-line tools.
Can I analyze an IPA in my browser?
Yes. The free IPA analyzer on fr0stbyte.app reads Info.plist, entitlements, frameworks and size in your browser. The file is never uploaded.
Can it analyze an App Store IPA?
Yes. Frameworks, resources, plists, entitlements and the signature all sit outside the FairPlay-encrypted code. Only the compiled code itself stays unreadable.
Does the IPA leave my Mac?
No. fr0stbyte unzips it into a temporary folder on your Mac, and the analysis runs there, read-only.
Can I analyze an app I do not have the IPA for?
Yes. Sign in with your Apple ID, search the App Store inside fr0stbyte and download any version. 1 credit per MB.

More to do with the same file

Other ways to read an IPA

Or start at the IPA analyzer for macOS, where every one of these begins with a drag and drop.

One drop, every answer.

Drag in an IPA. Read what it is built with, what it weighs and what it may do.

Get fr0stbyte for MacIPA analyzer for Mac