The one-stop destination for most Android users who want to install apps is Google Play Store, but there are a few problems using the same. One of the major issues is the unavailability of select apps due to geo or legal restrictions, which makes it impossible to install them via the Play Store. However, Geo-blocking is not the only reason why people search for Google Play Store alternatives. Although Google has introduced and improved the measures used to detect and purge apps with Malware, some still sneak in and steal data. Not every “wannabe” Play Store alternative on the web can be considered safe; hence calling for the need of a proper list. So, we created this list, including only the ones that we enthusiasts have been using for years, if not, decades. Moreover, thanks to the way Android is built, it’s easy to install supported apps on Android without much hassle. So, let’s quickly jump in on the list.
1. APKMirror
APKMirror is an excellent Google Play Store alternative that’s trusted by the Android community for downloading apps. While it’s not an app but a website, it’s a huge repository of Android apps. One of the many prime uses of APKMirror is to download the latest version of an app whose update hasn’t landed in your region yet, but downloading geo-restricted apps is also a good use case for the website. The website features APKs and the latest Split APK format by Google, and the platform also has an app to install Split APKs on to your device.
APKMirror verifies the signature of all the new APKs with the original one to authenticate the publisher. The best part about the platform is it keeps track of app versions; hence, if the new version of the app doesn’t work, you could always download the previous version from the same webpage, install it, and it should start working fine again. Overall, APKMirror is one of the best Play Store alternatives for Android.
Download APKMirror
2. Aurora Store
Unlike APKMirror, Aurora is a fully-fledged app store that uses the GPlayApi to retrieve packages directly from Google and display the apps and updates to you. Also unlike many apps on this list, Aurora is completely free and open-source and is hosted on GitHub. One of the main selling points of the Aurora Store has to be its anonymous sessions, where users can start installing apps right away without signing into the app.
Besides, it uses MicroG for account sign-in so there’s no way Google can spy on you. The app is also customizable with a variety of themes and other features. While Aurora isn’t available on the Play Store, it can be installed from its official website or F-Droid, another open-source play store alternative that we’ll check out next.
Download Aurora Store
3. F-Droid
F-Droid is a free and open-source app store that hosts free and open-source applications. What makes the platform special is it’s home for some of the best open-source applications, and those waiting to be discovered. F-Droid is especially popular among users of the de-googled operating system AKA those who use Android without Google’s services. Although you may find some proprietary applications on F-Droid, the majority of its library only contains free and open-source applications that are not widely known.
The official F-Droid app may not offer the best user experience, hence we have F-Droid clients that feature F-Droid’s wide app library but with their own user interface magic. Aurora Droid is a great example of a good third-party F-Droid client. It’s developed by the folks that are responsible for the development of the Aurora Store, another great alternative to the Google Play Store.
Download F-Droid / Download Aurora Droid
4. Amazon App Store
Amazon App Store is another commercial app marketplace that is competing with the Google Play Store directly. While it’s not as comprehensive as the Google Play Store, it’s popular because Amazon preinstalls it on its Fire products and Kindle. The apps are categorized into different sections to enhance discoverability.
Upon installation, you are greeted by a screen where you would sign in using your email address. And the UI looks familiar to the Google Play Store’s early iterations. The apps are organized into categories as one might expect. The download and installation procedures are pretty standard for a user migrating from the Play Store.
Download Amazon App Store
5. APKPure
When you search for a specific APK online, you’re likely to stumble upon APKPure. Like APKMirror, it’s one of the oldest Android app-distributing sites. Like APKMirror, it has a huge library of applications and games that you can download and install with ease. There’s also an APKMirror app that you can install to start installing apps from the platform itself, saving you a lot of time.
In our experience, leave APKPure as your second resort if you don’t find a desired app on APKMirror. We say this because the homepage of APKPure looks like it has a lot of crappy applications and games that may contain malware; in fact, in our attempt to install a game, it asked permission to access contacts which is suspicious. Overall, if you know what you’re doing, APKPure isn’t a bad choice.
Download APKPure
6. Huawei AppGallery
AppGallery was a dedicated app store for Huawei and Honor devices, but after the US sanction and subsequent Google ban, the company has made its Android app store open to everyone. It means that you can install and use the Huawei AppGallery on any Android device, making it a good alternative to Google Play Store.
We would still suggest being wary of what you download from the store and the permissions you give since there could be a lot of malware dwelling inside the store. According to Huawei, AppGallery has more than 1.3 million Android apps including all the popular apps and publishers. Apart from that, AppGallery has currently around 400 million users. All in all, if you want a decent Google Play Store alternative, Huawei AppGallery it is.
Download Huawei AppGallery
7. Samsung Galaxy Store
Galaxy Store is an exclusive app store for all Samsung smartphones, smartwatches, smart TVs, and more. Samsung smartphones do come preloaded with Google Play Store, but most Samsung apps’ updates are managed by the Galaxy Store. Besides, Samsung has recently partnered with many publishers to make its platform widely popular and more profitable to developers.
Fortnite is one such game that Samsung partnered with Epic to bring to the Galaxy Store, which is a blow to Google and to some extent, Apple too because Fortnite isn’t available on both the Google Play Store and App Store due to revenue sharing conflicts. Hence, it’s safe to say that if Samsung keeps at it. Galaxy Store will show great competence with the Play Store and will be a great alternative to the Play Store on most devices. However, for now, it’s a great alternative to the Play Store on Samsung devices only.
Download Galaxy Store or You can find it in the App Drawer on Samsung Devices
8. Uptodown
Yet another decent app store to download Android apps, Uptodown has been around for quite some time now, and it features a vast library of applications and games that you can install. It has both a web version and an application that stays on your device and updates your apps. One of the best things about Uptodown is it also has Windows and macOS apps, making it a universal solution for those who own both Android and/or Windows/macOS.
The website has over 1.4 million apps with a reported user base of over 450 million monthly users. Developers of some of the most popular apps such as Brave, Truecaller, and PUBG work with Uptodown to bring the latest versions of their apps on the platform. Overall, Uptodown is one of the best Google Play Store alternatives that you can try.
Download Uptodown
Abubakar Mohammed
