Move Over, Apple: Meet The Alternative App Stores Available In The Eu And Elsewhere - Beritaja

People successful the European Union are now allowed to entree replacement app stores acknowledgment to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a regularisation designed to foster accrued competition successful the app ecosystem. Like Apple’s App Store, replacement app marketplaces connected let for easy entree to a wider world of apps connected Apple devices, but alternatively of the apps going done Apple’s App Review process, the apps connected these third-party marketplaces person to spell done a notarization process to guarantee they meet immoderate “baseline level integrity standards,” Apple says — for illustration being malware-free. However, each shop could reappraisal and o.k. apps according to its ain policies. The stores are besides responsible for immoderate matters relating to support and refunds, not Apple. 

To tally an replacement app marketplace, developers must judge Apple’s replacement business position for DMA-compliant apps successful the EU. This includes paying a caller Core Technology Fee of €0.50 for each first yearly instal of their marketplace app, moreover earlier the period of 1 cardinal installs is met, which is the barroom for different EU apps distributed nether Apple’s DMA business terms. 

Despite the analyzable caller rules, a fistful of developers person taken advantage of the opportunity to administer their apps extracurricular of Apple’s walls. 

Beyond the EU, different markets are experimenting pinch replacement app stores, arsenic well, for illustration Japan. In December 2025, Apple announced its compliance pinch the Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA), which gives developers caller options to administer apps and process payments extracurricular of Apple’s App Store.

This action besides requires developers to accept caller business terms, for illustration a reduced 10% to 21% App Store commission, a costs processing interest for Apple in-app purchases of 5%, a halfway exertion interest of 5%, and a 15% shop services committee connected web income made done a nexus successful the app.

Below is simply a database of the replacement app stores iPhone users successful these markets could effort today. 

AltStore PAL (EU)

Image Credits:AltStore

Co-created by developer Riley Testut, shaper of the Nintendo crippled emulator app Delta, the AltStore PAL is an officially approved replacement app marketplace successful the EU. The open source app shop will let independent developers to administer their apps alongside the apps from AltStore’s makers, Delta, and a clipboard manager, called Clip. 

Unlike Apple’s App Store, AltStore apps are self-hosted by the developer. To work, developers download an replacement distribution packet (ADP) and upload it to their server, past create a “source” that users will adhd to the AltStore to entree their apps. That intends the only apps you’ll spot successful the AltStore are those you’ve added yourselves. 

Some popular apps that users are adding see the virtual instrumentality app UTM, which lets you tally Windows and different package connected iOS aliases iPad; OldOS, a re-creation of iOS 4 that’s built successful SwiftUI; Kotoba, the iOS dictionary disposable arsenic a stand-alone app; torrenting app iTorrent; qBittorrent distant customer for iOS devices called qBitControl; and societal find level PeopleDrop.

Setapp Mobile (EU – closed Feb. 2026)

Image Credits:Setapp

MacPaw’s Setapp became 1 of the first companies to work together to Apple’s caller DMA business terms to group up an replacement app shop for EU users. Unfortunately, this app shop didn’t past agelong — the institution announced it would sunset the Setapp Mobile service connected February 16, 2026. (Applications connected Setapp Desktop weren’t affected.) The institution cited Apple’s “still-evolving” and analyzable business position arsenic the logic for its decision.

The institution had agelong offered a subscription-based work featuring a action of curated apps for customers connected iOS and Mac. Following the implementation of the DMA, it released the replacement app shop for Setapp Mobile for iOS users only successful the EU. Similar to its different subscription offerings, the now-shuttered app shop had included dozens of apps nether a azygous recurring subscription price, and the number of apps grew complete time. The apps were free from in-app purchases aliases ads and are mostly considered precocious quality. However, it didn’t see big-name apps for illustration Facebook, Uber, Netflix, and others. 

Epic Games Store (EU)

Fortnite shaper Epic Games launched its replacement iOS app store successful the EU successful August 2024, allowing users to download games, including its ain Fortnite and others for illustration Rocket League Sideswipe and Fall Guys, pinch much to come. The institution said it’s besides bringing its games to different replacement app stores, including AltStore PAL, which it’s now supporting via a grant, arsenic good arsenic Aptoide’s iOS shop successful the EU and ONE Store connected Android. 

The move to motorboat Fortnite successful replacement iOS marketplaces comes much than 4 years aft Apple removed the crippled from its App Store complete argumentation violations, up of Epic’s ineligible situation to the alleged App Store monopoly. While U.S. courts decided that Apple was not engaged successful antitrust behavior, the suit did pave the measurement for developers to nexus to their ain websites for a reduced commission. 

Aptoide (EU)

Image Credits:Aptoide

An replacement crippled shop for iPhone, Lisbon-based Aptoide is an unfastened root solution for app distribution. The company, already known for its Google Play alternative, says it scans the apps to guarantee they are safe to download and install.

The iOS type of the Aptoide shop launched arsenic an invite-only beta successful June 2024 earlier becoming disposable to each crossed the EU. As a free-to-use store, Aptoide doesn’t complaint its users to screen its Core Technology Fee paid to Apple, but takes a 10% to 20% committee connected in-app purchases connected iOS, depending connected whether they were generated by the marketplace aliases not. 

Across each platforms, including Android, web, car, and TV, Aptoide offers 1 cardinal apps to its much than 430 cardinal users. 

Mobivention marketplace (EU)

Image Credits:Mobivention

A B2B-focused app store, the Mobivention marketplace allows EU companies to administer their soul apps that are utilized by employees, but can’t — aliases shouldn’t — beryllium published successful Apple’s App Store. The institution besides offers the improvement of a customized app marketplace for companies that want to connection labor their ain app shop conscionable for their firm apps. Larger companies could moreover licence Mobivention’s exertion to much profoundly customize the app marketplace to their ain needs.

Skich (EU)

Image Credits:Skich

Last March, Skich announced the motorboat of an replacement app shop for EU users, which differentiates itself by offering a Tinder-like interface for app discovery. That is, users swipe correct to “match” pinch apps they mightiness enjoy. They could besides create playlists and spot what apps their friends are playing. The caller shop will switch Skich’s existing app and will spot the institution taking a 15% committee connected each purchases. Instead of filling its app shop pinch apps correct away, the shop marketed to developers astatine the Game Developers Conference (GDC).

Onside (EU and Japan)

Onside

Onside is an replacement iOS app shop disposable successful some the EU and, now, Japan, arsenic of February 17, 2026, acknowledgment to the caller regulations. The institution promises it will complaint developers little rates while still offering security, including keeping costs accusation private. The shop presently supports slope paper payments and Apple Pay and will later rotation retired support for different costs methods for illustration iDeal, Klarna, and more.

For consumers, Onside touts a scope of apical apps and exclusives that can’t beryllium recovered connected different marketplaces wrong a acquainted interface that includes accepted app shop features, for illustration editorial collections, ratings and reviews, and automatic updates.