Alternative App Stores for the iPhone

March 21, 2025, 2:20 pm | Read time: 4 minutes

At the end of January, Apple promised to open up its closed iOS operating system to third-party software providers in the EU and thus allow alternative app stores in the future. Several providers have presented corresponding solutions.

Unlike Android, for example, iOS was a closed operating system for a long time. This meant that Apple, as the sole developer, had exclusive control over the availability and management of apps. For consumers, the curated selection in the App Store was previously the sole method for installing new applications. With the introduction of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) in the EU, this has come to an end. From now on, Apple must allow alternative app stores on the iPhone.

Multiple Providers Plan to Launch Their Own App Stores

As iOS 17.4 has only been available since the beginning of 2024, third-party stores are still in their infancy. Nevertheless, there is already a selection of alternatives that iPhone users can take a look at.

Setapp Mobile

Under the name Setapp Mobile, the software company MacPaw has created an alternative app store for iPhones and iPads. Users interested in the offer were initially able to register on a waiting list. The store has since become available to users.

MacPaw already offers a software subscription with numerous apps for Macs, iPhones, and iPads under the name Setapp. Previously, however, the Setapp subscription apps for mobile iOS devices still had to be downloaded from Apple’s App Store.

Epic Games

At the end of January, Fortnite publisher Epic Games announced its intention to open its own app store for iOS. Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store in 2020 because Epic Games offered an alternative payment method for the in-game currency ‘V-Bucks,’ which violated the App Store guidelines. Since then, the game has no longer been available for iPhones — the alternative app store from Epic Games is changing that.

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But Epic is adding a bonus on top and now offers games for download every week that would otherwise have to be paid for. Since the launch of the Epic Games Store for PC, the company has been trying to win over customers with its free games strategy and compete with industry leader Steam. Whether this can also succeed on the iPhone remains to be seen.

Altstore

For years, there have been unofficial App Store alternatives such as Altstore, which can be installed on the iPhone using Apple’s developer tools and a Mac or Windows computer. This maneuver is extremely risky for users and violates Apple’s terms of use.

At the end of January, however, Altstore announced that it would finally become “a legitimate ‘app marketplace'” — at least in the EU. The store was actually launched in March, but the app selection is basically limited to the console emulator Delta.

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Alternative App Stores: Nothing Works Without iOS 17.4

An iPhone update to iOS operating system version 17.4 is a prerequisite for the launch of Setapp Mobile, the Epic Games Store, and other alternative app stores from other providers.

Furthermore, Apple retains the authority to inspect apps from third-party providers for malware and, if necessary, remove them. Developers are also only allowed to offer one version of their app across all app stores. For example, if an app is available from a third-party provider, it must not also be available in the Apple App Store.

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More Options for Paying and Surfing

The opening up of third-party providers, which Apple was forced to do by the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), offers owners of iPhones and iPads even more options in addition to alternatives to Apple’s App Store.

The iOS update opens up iOS devices to alternative payment services via the NFC wireless interface and other browsers with their own browser engine. Users thus gain alternatives to Apple Pay and the Safari browser.

Alternative store providers must be authorized by Apple, and their apps must be submitted to Apple for review before publication. Consequently, direct app installations without a store (sideloading) or from websites, a common practice with Android, will remain unavailable.

With material from dpa

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of TECHBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@techbook.de.