If you are hunting for more sources to download Android apps and games then you’ll find a bumper batch in here. We take a look at the pros and cons of alternative Android app stores for users and developers, and then discuss a few of the best options.
Google recently announced that there are now over 700,000 apps and games in the Google Play Store. You would imagine that might be enough for most people. As the default location, it is obviously the most popular place to go for Android apps. The 25 billion download mark was surpassed at the end of the summer, but there are actually a lot of alternative Android app stores out there. We decided to take a look.
Why use another Android app store?
There are actually quite a few reasons that you might venture beyond Google Play. Most of the alternative Android app markets out there offer something to set themselves apart. Here’s a quick rundown of the main incentives.
- Free apps and promotions: You might enjoy a free app of the day, a discounted premium app, or some other money-saving offer.
- App recommendations: You might want to uncover some recommended apps that don’t pop up in the Google Play top ten charts.
- Curated list: You might want a smaller selection of app choices that have been filtered for quality or for a specific age group or purpose.
- Localized portal: You might want an app store that specifically caters to your country.
If you are an Android developer, you’ll also want to consider alternative Android app stores in order to maximize your exposure and ultimately your income.
What are the risks and problems?
The big risk is malware. In our Android app security basics article, we recommended sticking to Google Play and avoiding third-party app stores. The security policy on different Android app stores will vary. Some will perform similar safety checks to Google, others won’t. If you are going to take the risk then consider installing one of the top Android security apps first.
You will need to go into your Settings > Security menu and tick Unknown sources to allow downloads of non-Market apps.
Other problems you may encounter relate to a poor user experience. There are also app stores that carry pirated versions of apps and games.
For developers, the problems are more complicated. The terms and conditions may result in enforced promotions, the developer portal might be less than transparent, and updates can take longer to push out.
Best alternative Android app stores
There are a surprising number of Android app stores, but we can safely say that many of them don’t offer much in the way of enticement. We’ll run through some of the top options here that actually offer specific benefits to draw you in and then list out some others at the end.
The highest profile alternative to Google Play is definitely the Amazon Appstore, and it’s the default location for Amazon’s Kindle line of tablets. It offers a much smaller selection of apps and games, but everything has passed Amazon’s quality control standards. It is polished and easy to use.
For consumers, there are two obvious advantages to using the Amazon Appstore. The free app of the day promotion has featured some great premium apps. You can also use the Test Drive feature to try out apps in your browser before you buy.
It is limited to the U.S. and a smattering of European nations right now (UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain).
For developers it could be a good source of extra income, but there have been rumblings about Amazon’s right to choose when to do promotions. Some developers have reported huge download numbers off the back of the free app of the day promotion, but no resulting increase in sales. You are also likely to do better with tablet optimized apps than smartphone apps in general.
You’ll find a huge repository of free apps here for various platforms including Android. It’s fairly basic, but apps are divided into categories and sub-categories to make it easier to find what you want. You’ll also find likes or dislikes and comments on each app from users. It can also connect with Facebook. On the downside, you will encounter sponsored recommendations, but they are clearly marked.
Through the GetJar Gold system and the GetJar Rewards app, you can discover apps tailored for your requirements and you can earn rewards that will give you premium apps and upgrades to your favorites for free.
GetJar’s clever draw is to offer premium apps to users for free to generate traffic and then monetize that traffic with advertising dollars. Developers might be tempted by the virtual currency tie-ins and the option to target new users with different kinds of promotions. It is possible to integrate GetJar Gold into your apps, and it has 50 million users. Be warned though, the submission process might take a while.
This alternative Android app store has a global reach and a decent user base. It offers free and premium apps in various categories and they all pass through a quality control process. One of the attractions for users is availability globally and support for various payment options including PayPal. It’s also easy to filter your searches and you’ll find good app descriptions.
There is probably a greater enticement for developers because Slide ME offers the chance to target a wider international audience. Apps are more likely to stand out because the choice is more refined. Developers can set prices and choose to offer their apps for free. There is also a Slide ME ad network. It is even possible to get a greater percentage of the revenue generated by your app with Slide ME, than the standard 70 percent you’ll get in most places.
The very specific focus of F-Droid is free and open source software (FOSS) Android apps. It’s pretty basic, but there is some categorization and the list is searchable. You’ll find a big selection of free apps here and they all promise no tracking, no ads, and no dependencies. It’s worth checking out for free apps, especially if you support the open source movement.
Obviously developers will only want to venture here if they intend to release their creations with no expectation of profit.
The focus here is on social recommendations and so there are Twitter and Facebook tie-ins. You can also share opinions on apps and see what apps friends are using easily. Most of the apps are free and, like with GetJar Gold, you can earn credits and use them to get premium apps. You can also buy apps with PayPal.
Appoke is still in beta and although it offers an accessible user experience, the apps on offer are quite limited. The social side of it is a good idea, but if your friends don’t use it then it won’t work for you.
The list goes on
There are a lot more alternative Android app stores out there, but many of them have small user bases. For developers it’s always worth trying to widen the net and offer your apps in as many places as possible, but some of the smaller options are going to represent a pretty poor return for your time and effort. For users seeking apps, if a store doesn’t offer some unique hook to pull you in then it’s tough to see why you’d bother.
If you’re still looking for more Android app distribution options or sources then here’s a quick list:
Appia, App Brain, Aproov, Android Pit, Handango, Handster, Mobango, Opera Mobile App Store, Soc.io, Insyde Market, AppsFire, and there’s also the Baidu App Store in China, and Yandex in Russia.
If you have experiences, good or bad, with any of the alternative Android app stores mentioned, or even if you want to mention another one, please post a comment.
