Top 3rd-party app stores for android and ios năm 2024

Google has always monopolized the markets when it comes to Android apps and games. And it's not beneath the company to succumb to using dirty tricks like showering alternative app stores with money to choke out its competition. Google has made it abundantly clear that it wants the Play Store to be the only app store in town, but it doesn't mean it deserves its crown.

So, to help Android enthusiasts escape Google's suffocating ecosystem, we've put together a list of some of the best Play Store alternatives you can find — from open-source markets like F-Droid to library-keeping in Aurora Store; we have plenty of options. Just because we own a reliable Android phone doesn't mean we need to get our favorite apps directly from Google.

1 F-Droid

F-Droid is your go-to for free and open-source software on Android; in other words, this is an app haven for devs (and app acquirers like ourselves). So if you're looking for complete freedom from Google, F-Droid is also the best place to get started. F-Droid is free, and the app catalog is noncommercialized (very much unlike Google), though you're welcome to donate to the developers on your own accord.

The only downside of using F-Droid as an app store is that it takes some learning (and adjusting) since the design isn't tailored for the everyday user. But that's similar to how powerful a photo editing program like GIMP performs (even if complicated to use at first), just as well as the best commercially available program, Adobe Photoshop. So it'll be challenging to return once you've adapted to F-Droid.

2 APKMirror

APKMirror is one of the most trusted sources to sideload apps onto your Android device. You can easily grab an APK (source file) for most apps, but you'll want to be careful where you find these APKs, which is why we turn to APKMirror, as each listing is vetted by the owner. Please note APKs may slowly get phased out in favor of split APKs or app bundling as app developers aim to save on bandwidth and storage space. But thankfully, APKMirror supports this new structure, so there are ways to acquire and sideload bundled apps the same as you would an APK. So if you're looking for ways to grab apps directly or are in need of a particular version no longer published on the Play Store, APKMirror has got you covered.

3 Samsung Galaxy Store

Now, if you're looking for a traditional app store experience, the Samsung Galaxy Store brings precisely that. Unfortunately, however, not all devices can access the Galaxy Store. You can only use the app with Samsung Galaxy-powered devices, which should be part of your app library by default. The store offers fewer apps than Google, but it only needs to connect to your Samsung account, and it still holds exclusives, such as the mobile version of Fortnite, something the Play Store doesn't offer. While the Galaxy Store may not fully replace the Play Store for everyone, it still makes for a healthy alternative for Samsung users.

Samsung Galaxy Store

4 TapTap

A genuine alternative to the Google Play Store's many games, TapTap is an app store solely for games. Exclusives aren't unheard of on TapTap, so you'll notice some titles unseen on the Play Store are already available for pre-registration on TapTap. This indicates the store is growing to compete against Google, which is why some of the spicier titles, like Valorant Mobile, are only available for pre-registration on TapTap.

TapTap offers many titles you can also get on the Play Store, and you can find others sorted by personal tastes and preferences. The key difference is discoverability for new games is much easier on TapTap due to its focus on gaming. So if you plan to install TapTap on your Android device, go for the full version (APK file) rather than the lite version found on the Play Store.

TapTap mobile (APK download)

5 Itch.io

Itch.io is the best avenue for indie games, where developers have complete control over how their games are distributed and sold. No longer have to worry about adhering to the Play Store's 15% tax on the first $1 million and 30% cut for money made after. Itch.io uses an open revenue-sharing mode, allowing developers pay what they want instead of a fixed/forced rate. It essentially provides a more fair and flexible model so developers don't have to worry about distribution fees as much, which is precisely the support indie developers need. Note that there is no native Android app/APK for Itch.io, but you can browse the website through your mobile browser or pin the web page to your home screen.

Itch.io

6 Aptoide

Ironically, Aptoide was available on the Google Play Store until 2018; the app was flagged as harmful to have installed on your device. In actuality, it was perfectly safe but flagged for removal due to anti-competitive practices. Today, Aptoide is one of the most popular independent stores you can install; you aren't geo-restricted to which apps you can access, and there are even apps you won't find on the Play Store. Of course, due to how user-friendly the app is and the freedom for developers to upload titles, you may want to tread lighty on which apps you download. Still, Aptoide gets around this issue by offering certified and trusted apps via official trust stamps that are deemed safe by the store; this way, you know which apps are fine to download.

Aptoide (APK download)

7 Amazon App Store

Similar to the Samsung Galaxy Store, the Amazon App Store functions traditionally as an app store where you'll find a variety of Android games and apps. To access the store app, you must install the APK linked on Amazon; you'll also need to create an Amazon account (if you don't already have one). Overall, the interface is clean, and you no longer have to jump between menus to navigate to your library; all downloaded apps are located under "My apps" in the app store, which you can filter by latest, alphabetical order, and not installed. We praise Amazon App Store's design for being simple and easy to navigate, making it an excellent alternative to the Play Store, which is congested with repetitive recommendations.

Amazon App Store (APK download)

8 AppBrain

AppBrain makes it easy to curate apps, and you can use it alongside other app store sources (note that Amazon App Store doesn't work). You can turn to AppBrain to network apps and put forth recommendations and suggestions based on apps you like. To use AppBrain, you don't necessarily need a Google account; you can sign in with Facebook and Twitter.

What's nice about using AppBrain is how the recommended app feature is optional (not forced); you have to navigate to "Recommended Apps" and select "Update recommendations" to see a list. You can browse AppBrain, and it'll reveal the app's score, the number of downloads, and favorited number in a single column. So while AppBrain isn't a store, per se, it highlights the data you need to make educated decisions on what apps and games to install, filling a gaping hole on the Play Store and its lack of competent discovery.

9 Aurora Store

From a glance, the gorgeous UI design already makes Aurora Store an attractive option as a Play Store alternative. Between the customizable display options and Aurora Store's policy for privacy to not track your downloads and the apps you use (unfortunately, the Play Store is quite guilty of this), and not requiring a Google account to operate, pushes up Aurora Store as a fine contender as a Play Store replacement. In addition, being open-sourced means you'll acquire new apps that you wouldn't otherwise find on the Play Store. And if you're already a user of F-Droid, consider installing Aurora Droid. Aurora Droid combines the best of both worlds by serving as a repository for F-Droid apps but also provides access to the fantastic design Aurora has going for it.

Aurora Store (APK download)

10 Uptodown

This is a safe open marketplace alternative that doesn't require any sign-ups or fees to use. You can browse Uptodown's website to find APKs or download the app store. Each APK listing is verified for safety, offering an app rating, comments, and download count. Tapping the hamburger menu presents options to customize your experience, like keeping tabs on your device's downloaded/installed APKs, managing updates, rollbacking apps, and finally, a section to keep track of your app wishlist. Freemium apps, including in-app purchases, are mainly supported, but the developers are working on bringing paid apps to the store.

The whole idea behind Uptodown is adding and distributing apps in the most non-restrictive way possible while ensuring your downloading activity is entirely safe and secure. Uptodown provides all the freedom in one single place.

Uptodown (APK download)

11 Huawei AppGallery

It still has a ways to go to catch up to Google, but still, over the years, it has impressively grown, laying in around 580 million monthly active users (in 2022). Huawei devices come preloaded with the AppGallery already since, unfortunately, Huawei doesn't play nice with Google (considering that all Google-serviced apps are banned). But thankfully, any Android-powered device has access to Huawei AppGallery, and most will find it much less cluttered and more straightforward to navigate than the Play Store.

Huawei lets you download apps directly from the store, but if the store doesn't have the app, you can grab the linked APK by tapping "get" (as opposed to "install" for current app listings). Unfortunately, app discovery is still a weak point for AppGallery. Still, the developers are working hard to bring AppGallery up to speed as a complete replacement for the Play Store; major changes to the store were pushed through in 2020 to focus on honing in on popular and familiar apps. So improvements are likely to continue, making this a noteworthy choice as an alternative to keep in your back pocket.

Huawei AppGallery (APK download)

12 QooApp

QooApp is one of our favorite apps for discovering authentic Asian games and apps. As you may already know, Google is notorious for region-locking apps. So, if an app happens to be unavailable in your country, you're out of luck. And to no one's surprise, region-locking software kills global app discovery. Of course, the downside of using QooApp is that the app store won't provide much outside if you're not the target audience (anime and Asian culture). But hey, if you're fluent in Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, you will find apps in QooApp that won't be in the Play Store.

QooApp (APK download)

13 Obtainium

We've included Obtainium (by ImranR98) as an honorable mention on this list, as Obtainium plays more of a supportive role in retrieving APKs. It will pull up apps hosted from other open sources, such as GitHub and F-Droid. You can think of Obtainium as a helpful plugin; it allows you to grab apps from the actual sources and all the updates that come with it. It's an excellent way to cut out the middle man of needing an app store to acquire some apps, especially if you're a user who doesn't care for an app store's bloatware.

The downside of Obtainium is that it requires you to manually add apps or search for sources. So, if you're hoping to use Obtainium for app discovery, you'll have a hard time. You can also set up Obtainium to notify you when an app developer releases an update or set it up to check in intervals (so it doesn't immediately use up all your data). All in all, Obtainium may be a tricky app to set up initially, but if you're only installing a few apps anyway, it becomes an excellent plugin to assist with management.

Obtainium (GitHub)

Finding the best Google Play Store alternatives

As Google keeps monopolizing digital distribution services, it starts pushing more developers who want to publish apps out the door. Just because Google reigns supreme as the most popular (app) storefront doesn't mean we are obligated to use it.

Independent app stores have plenty to offer; some include a better, more user-friendly UI with actual fleshed-out categories, while others flaunt more developer-friendly practices by being open-sourced, giving more unrestricted access to apps. And don't forget that one of the primary reasons we came to Android is the freedom of choice with apps and games — sideloading apps is one of Android's many perks!

What is the best third

Features.

What is the most trusted app store?

Google Play Store is the most popular Android app store in the market. According to app store statistics, over 3.57 million Android apps are published on the Google Play Store. As the name suggests, it's run and managed by Google and generally comes pre-installed on all Android mobile devices.

What is replacing Google Play?

The Google Play Movies & TV app and web client will be discontinued on January 17, 2024. It will be replaced by Google TV and YouTube. Users will still be able to access previously purchased content, but from Google TV and YouTube.

Is there another app store besides Google Play?

Similar to the Samsung Galaxy Store, the Amazon App Store functions traditionally as an app store where you'll find a variety of Android games and apps. To access the store app, you must install the APK linked on Amazon; you'll also need to create an Amazon account (if you don't already have one).