Play Store Alternatives

For Android users, Google Play Store is one of the best apps to download different applications for their phones today. There is nothing which is completely perfect in this world, and neither the play store is. Play Store has its limitations; that is why some alternatives for Play Store are available on the internet. These alternatives contain specific applications that are unavailable on Google Play Store or come at a price. The play store alternatives include third-party app stores or platforms that enable users to sideload or install applications on their mobile phones, especially Android.

Users get many unique applications on such alternative platforms to Play Store. The reason behind this is that the policies of these App stores are not as restrictive as they are for Google Play Store. Therefore, if a user wants to use those applications that are not available on the Google Play Stores, it is better to use the alternative app stores. Such alternative app stores help download and use those applications not available on Google Play Store. However, it may be unsafe for users, and Google does not recommend using any other platform to download the application.

This article lists some popular app stores that are good enough as an alternative to the Google Play Store. These alternatives will provide you with free applications and with some fantastic features. Let us take a look at it.

1. APK Monk

Many android users are usually familiar with the app store "APK Monk", which allows users to download some of the best applications that are unavailable on the Google Play Store. But a major drawback of using APK Monk is the outdated and cluttered user interface. However, to some extent, this problem was resolved with the recent user interface update. APK Monk is a third-party client for installing android apps. The fast and responsive user interface of APK Monk makes it different from others and is also convenient for users to use with low or unstable connectivity. Another fantastic feature of APK Monk is that it features more repositories to sync, which means the user will get access to more untapped applications that are unavailable on the Google Play Store.

2. APK Pure

APK Pure is not a new name in the market of app stores and is also very popular as an alternative to Google Play Store. The users of APK Pure can download the APK (.apk) file of any android app locally, which is the reason behind the popularity of this app store. All those applications not available on the Google play store or the apps that never get launched because of some restrictive policies can be found on this app store. Once the APK has been downloaded, the user can easily install it on the mobile phone accordingly. APK Pure app brings an evolved experience for browsing and downloading applications in the APK file format. The user interface of this app is simple and clear, and the apps are listed categorically, which makes it convenient to find desired apps. Most of the applications, including games, which are chargeable on the Google Play Store, are free here, and there are some applications you can buy at a discount too. Also, there is no need to worry about any malware affecting your device as this app store does not contain any malware in the form of modded applications.

3. The Amazon App Store

Amazon App store also brings the trust of Amazon with it. This app store is compatible with almost every smartphone and tablet. You will also find a vibrant user interface, and this app store is optimized so perfectly that while using this app store, the user will feel that it is an in-built app store of your device. One more exciting feature of this app store is that many popular apps and games are made available on this app store occasionally to download free of cost.

4. APTOIDE

If you want the look and feel of the Google Play Store and a similar feel in the alternative Play store, then Aptoide is the best option. This app store is designed especially considering the looks and standards of the Google Play Store. The users get a wide variety of applications here which is enough to satisfy the needs of every type of user. This is because more than 70000 applications are available, and the collective download number is more than 3 billion. This app store is used by over 130 million users worldwide and is an achievement in itself.

5. Aurora Store

This app comes with an elegant design, and with the help of this app, a user cannot just download new apps but also update his pre-existing ones. Apart from this, you can search apps here and get the details of app downloads, ratings and other statistics. This app is very suitable for the users if any specific application is unavailable in your region because, with the help of this app store, you can easily spoof your location and download any app you want. So those applications which are blocked for your region on the Google Play Store, you can download that same application with the help of this app store. One of the best things about this app is its user interface. In this app store, all the games, apps, tools and other services are categorized in a perfect manner. Like the Google Play store, you can also update your existing applications, which is a plus point of this app store. So if an android user is searching for the best all-rounder alternative to Google Play Store, then there is no other better option than Aurora Store.

6. Appvn

Who does not like free things? Everyone loves it. Google Play Store charges some amount for download for some specific apps, but on Appvn, a user can download the same application without any charge. This app was initially developed as a Vietanamise application, but it is also available in English because of which this application is reaching a significant audience day by day. Suppose the user is thinking about his safety protection while using this app. In that case, the user should not worry about it because it is a third party app-store where the app content is frequently updated, and from that, you can also get real-time information.

7. XDA Labs

It was developed by XDA developers. You must have heard about XDA developers and their reputation. If you have any security issues related to this app store, there is no need to worry about it as the moderators check the uploaded or shared apps. On XDA Labs, you can check forums and also get access to a mini app store where you will find some valuable tools. Most of the apps that are available here, their services and tools are not meant for general users as XDA Labs always focuses on providing additional or unique features by which the Android user experience can be enhanced. The typical users find it a little challenging to use such apps. Also, if you have a rooted Smartphone where the exposed framework is enabled, you can download the XDA-designed exposed module from here. This app is updated frequently because of which a user will find no bugs. This app store is highly recommended if a user seeks an alternative to the Google Play store.

8. F- Droid

If any Android user is in search of some exciting applications, then this app store could be the perfect choice for that. From here, a user can download all the applications that are unavailable on Google Play Store or have been deleted. The best part of using this app store is that the user will not find any pirated or cracked applications; therefore, your device will not be affected by any malicious virus. This is the point which makes this app store the most secured app store of all after the Google Play Store. You can also explore many open source applications which you will not find on the Google Play Store normally. In short, it is a complete Google Play Store alternative with additional apps.

9. APK Mirror

APK mirror is slightly different from all the app store alternatives mentioned until now. It is not an app like other alternatives to Google Play Store. Instead, it is a website which is available for a long time, enabling users to get their desired android apps. Here, the user will find all the apps, games and services or tools, even those unavailable on Google Play Store. Suppose you are hesitating to use any third-party app store because of security and privacy reasons. In that case, you should definitely consider APK Mirror because it is not an app but a website. You can search your app by navigating the website via a web browser and download and install it without any restrictions, privacy, or security concerns. This website is well optimized for mobile devices, and you can also download all versions (recent and old) of your favourite app from this app store website.

10. AC market

AC market provides a wide range of apps, including games, and it is straightforward to use this application. It has a very user-friendly interface, and because of that, the user will not find any difficulty while searching for the desired apps. This app store can be downloaded at the website acmarket.mobi.com, and it is advised to use an ad blocker while downloading it.

11. Huawei App Gallery

Huawei App Gallery used to be a dedicated app store for Huawei and Honor devices. But after the US sanction and Google ban, Huawei App Gallery can now be downloaded on any android device. The user of the Huawei App Gallery store will get more than 1.3 million apps, and the user will get some of the most popular apps. This app store has more than 400 million users worldwide, and it also protects the user's privacy and offers parental control.

12. Uptodown

Uptodown was founded by Luís Hernández and José Domínguez in 2002. It is one of the best alternatives to the Google Play Store. It also has a very user-friendly interface, which is why users love it. Also, the apps on this app store are categorized in a manner by which the user can easily find the app which he/she wants to download. It is available in multiple languages, i.e. in almost 15 languages. It is so popular that it has over 130 million users all over the world. The user can download the application version of the Uptodown app store from its website and can keep the applications updated on their mobile phones.

13. SlideMe

If any Android user is searching for any alternatives to Google Play Store without any privacy or security concerns, then SlideMe is the best option available in the market. Most of the apps available on the Google Play Store that cost you a particular amount if you want to download them are available on SlideMe for free. It will also not disappoint the user in terms of look and feel. The applications listed on the SlideMe App Store go through a quality check process, making it one of the most trusted alternatives for the Google Play Store.

14. Yalp Store

The next alternative for the Google Play store is Yalp Store. On the home interface of this app store, the user can check if there is any update available or not for the pre-installed apps on the device. The user can also click on the three dots, which are available on the upper corner of the right-hand side, where he will find the option of category where the apps are listed categorically, which makes the app store easy to use. The user can easily download the APKs of desired apps which they want to download with the help of the Yalp Store.

15. Happy Mod

From the name itself, it can be derived that this is the app store for all the mods of games and apps. For example, the features of all the games for which we need to pay some amount to unlock are already unlocked in the Happy Mod app store, and paid applications are also available free of cost. All the features or apps generally locked on the Google Play Store are available unlocked in this App Store.

Conclusion

Choosing the best alternative for the Google Play Store sometimes becomes difficult for the users. The list of the alternatives of Play Store listed above will help you in deciding the right and most suitable alternative for Play Store. Play Store has a very restrictive policy because of which there are a number of applications which are not available there. Still, these alternatives give you the option to download all those apps which are not available there on the Play Store. The users do not try any other third-party app other than the Google Play Store mainly because of privacy and security concerns. But the alternatives mentioned above ensure that the user's privacy is not harmed. What is interesting here is that even if Google Play Store provides you with a large number of applications to download and enjoy, it does not provide these alternatives on the Google Play Store to download. If you wish to download these alternative app stores, then you can directly download them from their websites by searching on the search engines like Google, Bing, etc.