Google Play Store Alternative: The best apps in comparison

The content offered is not checked and many of them do not inspire confidence at first glance, and illegal downloads may well be among them. However, a free app store is of course always a good opportunity for new developers to present their apps to a larger audience free of charge. In the store, the group otherwise offered paid apps for free for users of Android and Fire tablets, the developers received money from Amazon.

If you are looking for a new app for your Android smartphone, the Google Play Store is usually the first port of call. However, that's not the only place there are apps. Google Play doesn't offer alternative stores for the download itself, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. In this article, we will introduce you to four Google Play Store alternatives and show you for whom these are basically worthwhile. 

What are the reasons for a Play Store alternative?

Some of the services offer apps that are not available in the Google Play Store. In addition, users of Huawei smartphones in particular will have to look for an alternative in the future.

What is an app store? 

An app store is a sales platform where you can purchase and download programs (usually for smartphones and tablets). How safe are the alternative apps? While providers like Google Play or Amazon check your content for viruses and other malware, with other services you have to rely on the honesty of the developers. Therefore, caution is generally advised with alternative providers. 

1. Aptoide: Quantity is not the same as quality Aptoide is probably the best-known alternative to the Google Play Store at the moment and at the same time one of the most sophisticated. The store is based on a distributed network of different store providers and combines their content on a common platform. The app can be downloaded directly as an apk file from the manufacturer's website. Developers and users can create their own app stores, fill them with content and manage them free of charge. Apps that can no longer be obtained from the official app stores are also included (e.g. Adobe Flash Player), as well as the beta version of WhatsApp or the Nova Launcher. In addition, Aptoide does not have a country lock, i.e. no content that is only reserved for certain countries or regions, but this also entails risks. Since the uploaded apps are not checked by Aptoide, they may contain malware or come from dubious sources, or are sometimes even illegal (especially with regard to apps that cost money elsewhere). 

Tip: The Google Play Store is also available in one so-called modded version, in which you change the DPI, among other things, Activate in-app payments or deactivate the self-update. The modded version can only be installed on a rooted mobile phone, e.g. with the help of Lucky Patcher. 

2. F-Droid: Funded by donations The F-Droid repository currently contains more than 500 open source apps, sorted into clear categories, all of which can be downloaded for free. Many of them are based on voluntary initiatives, so they usually lag a little behind the commercial programs in terms of functionality. In addition to numerous unknown apps, you will also find well-known programs at F-Droid such as the Firefox browser, Gibberbot, or K-9-Mail. The tool is financed through donations and does not receive any ratings. The F-Droid team checks the (usually) ad-free apps and ensures that there are no nasty surprises such as viruses or Trojans behind them. If the source code already contains spy functions, these will be removed. The download with F-Droid works similarly to the Google Play Store. In addition, the tool also takes on the management of the downloaded content and notifies you in the event of an update. 

3. Uptodown: The safe solutionUptodown isn't just for Android apps. The portal also offers numerous programs for other operating systems, such as Windows, iPhone, Mac, or Ubuntu. A total of around 2.5 million apps are currently available (the Android range includes around 30. 000 apps) that you can download without prior registration (excluding paid content). However, the versions tend to be a bit older than, for example, Aptoide. The associated installation packages are also available for download on the Uptodown website, but you should still install the app first. According to the provider, all content is checked for viruses and malware. These are primarily freeware or free demo versions that you can only convert into a full version via the respective in-app purchases. 

Uptodown does not offer its own payment system for this - you decide whether and to what extent (always, daily, or weekly) you want to receive notifications. If you wish, Uptodown will inform you about app updates or send you suggestions for the best free programs.

4. GetJar: Small but nice The GetJar app store has also made a name for itself on the Internet. You will not only find many of the well-known Android apps there, but also numerous applications for platforms such as Symbian, Java ME, Blackberry, or Windows Mobile. With "only" around 150,000 apps, GetJar does not come close to the Google Play Store, but they are all free of charge. A user account is not required for the download. However, GetJar doesn't take it too seriously when it comes to controlling. The content offered is not checked and many of them do not inspire confidence at first glance, and illegal downloads may well be among them. The risk of catching a virus or Trojan horse is also relatively high here. However, a free app store is of course always a good opportunity for new developers to present their apps to a larger audience free of charge. Unlike other programs, GetJar does not update itself either. This means that you have to update for Unfortunately, stores always have to trigger manually. Good to know: Uptodown used to be an app store where you could get paid programs by participating in competitions or installing advertising apps. After a change of ownership, the service is now being managed by a Lithuanian company, and since then only free apps have been offered from home. 

5. SlideMe Marketplace: The Google Play Store alternative for tablets When browsing the SlideMe Marketplace, it quickly becomes apparent that it has been optimized primarily for tablets. The interface is based on tiles, which are particularly effective on large displays. The service offers both paid and free Android apps, but the main focus is on games for which the developers do not neglect niches (e.g. indie). The content is divided into different categories and can be conveniently downloaded directly from the app. However, this requires registration with the provider. By recommending certain applications to friends and family, you can receive credits, but direct deposits for the purchase of paid apps are not possible. SlideMe has a prepaid system for this, which you have to top up using PayPal, credit card, or your mobile phone bill. With this credit, you can then also purchase paid content. However, the selection of apps on SlideMe is significantly smaller compared to the Play Store. In addition, the application is annoying with advertising at regular intervals. 

Good to know: Until 2017 there was another alternative to the Google Play Store with more than 1.3 million available downloads with Amazon Underground, the official app of the Amazon App Store. In the store, the group otherwise offered paid apps for free for users of Android and Fire tablets, the developers received money from Amazon. The service has since been discontinued, but the Amazon App Store offer is still accessible via the shopping app or the website.