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Move over, Apple: Meet the alternative app stores available in the EU and elsewhere
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Move over, Apple: Meet the alternative app stores available in the EU and elsewhere

#alternative app stores #Digital Markets Act #Apple App Store #EU regulations #app marketplaces #iPhone alternatives #app distribution #developer fees

📌 Key Takeaways

  • European Union residents can now access alternative app stores for iPhones following the Digital Markets Act implementation
  • Alternative app stores use their own review processes instead of Apple's App Review
  • Developers must accept Apple's alternative business terms and pay a Core Technology Fee
  • Several alternative app stores have emerged including AltStore PAL, Epic Games Store, Aptoide, Mobivention, Skich, and Onside

📖 Full Retelling

European Union residents gained access to alternative app stores for their iPhones in late 2024 following the implementation of the Digital Markets Act, a regulation designed to increase competition in the app ecosystem and challenge Apple's long-standing dominance over app distribution. These alternative marketplaces function similarly to Apple's App Store, providing users with access to a wider world of apps on their Apple devices, but instead of undergoing Apple's App Review process, apps in these third-party marketplaces go through a notarization process to ensure they meet baseline platform integrity standards, such as being malware-free. Each store can review and approve apps according to its own policies and is responsible for support and refunds, not Apple. To operate an alternative app marketplace, developers must accept Apple's alternative business terms for DMA-compliant apps in the EU, including paying a new Core Technology Fee of €0.50 for each first annual install of their marketplace app, even before the threshold of 1 million installs is met. Despite these complicated new rules, several developers and companies have established alternative app stores, with some like Setapp Mobile already discontinuing service due to the complex business terms. Beyond the EU, other markets like Japan are also experimenting with alternative app distribution options, with Apple announcing compliance with Japan's Mobile Software Competition Act in December 2025, which gives developers new options to distribute apps and process payments outside of Apple's App Store under different business terms.

🏷️ Themes

App Market Competition, Digital Markets Act, App Store Alternatives

📚 Related People & Topics

App Store (Apple)

Mobile app distribution platform by Apple

The App Store is an app marketplace developed and maintained by Apple, for mobile apps and desktop apps on its iOS, macOS and iPadOS operating systems. The store allows users to browse and download approved apps developed within Apple's iOS SDK. Apps can be downloaded on the iPhone, iPod Touch, or i...

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Regulation (European Union)

Regulation (European Union)

Type of EU legislative act

A regulation is a legal act of the European Union which becomes immediately enforceable as law in all member states simultaneously. Regulations can be distinguished from directives which, at least in principle, need to be transposed into national law. Regulations can be adopted by means of a variety...

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗
Digital Markets Act

Digital Markets Act

EU regulation on digital economy

The Digital Markets Act (DMA) is an EU regulation that aims to make the digital economy fairer and more contestable. The regulation entered into force on 1 November 2022 and became applicable, for the most part, on 2 May 2023. The DMA aims to ensure a higher degree of competition in European digital...

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗

Entity Intersection Graph

Connections for App Store (Apple):

🏢 Anthropic 1 shared
🌐 Claude 1 shared
🌐 Virtual assistant 1 shared
🌐 Pentagon 1 shared
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Deep Analysis

Why It Matters

The availability of alternative app stores in the EU and Japan represents a major shift away from Apple's longstanding App Store monopoly, fostering competition and giving developers more distribution choices. This change could lead to lower fees, innovative app discovery methods, and greater consumer freedom, fundamentally reshaping the mobile app ecosystem.

Context & Background

  • The Digital Markets Act (DMA) in the EU mandates that Apple allow alternative app stores to increase competition
  • Apple requires alternative marketplaces to undergo a notarization process and pay a Core Technology Fee
  • Similar regulations like Japan's Mobile Software Competition Act are enabling alternative stores outside the EU

What Happens Next

More developers are likely to launch alternative app stores, but they must navigate Apple's complex business terms and fees. Regulatory pressure may expand to other regions, potentially leading to a more fragmented but competitive global app market.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Core Technology Fee?

It is a fee of €0.50 per first annual install that alternative marketplace developers must pay to Apple, even before reaching 1 million installs.

Are apps on alternative stores safe?

Apps must pass Apple's notarization for baseline security, but each store sets its own review policies, so safety can vary.

Can iPhone users outside the EU access these stores?

Currently, alternative app stores are primarily available in the EU and Japan due to specific regulations, not globally.

Original Source
People in the European Union are now allowed to access alternative app stores thanks to the Digital Markets Act , a regulation designed to foster increased competition in the app ecosystem. Like Apple’s App Store, alternative app marketplaces on allow for easy access to a wider world of apps on Apple devices, but instead of the apps going through Apple’s App Review process, the apps on these third-party marketplaces have to go through a notarization process to ensure they meet some “baseline platform integrity standards,” Apple says — like being malware-free. However, each store can review and approve apps according to its own policies. The stores are also responsible for any matters relating to support and refunds, not Apple. To run an alternative app marketplace, developers must accept Apple’s alternative business terms for DMA-compliant apps in the EU. This includes paying a new Core Technology Fee of €0.50 for each first annual install of their marketplace app, even before the threshold of 1 million installs is met, which is the bar for other EU apps distributed under Apple’s DMA business terms. Despite the complicated new rules, a handful of developers have taken advantage of the opportunity to distribute their apps outside of Apple’s walls. Beyond the EU, other markets are experimenting with alternative app stores, as well, like Japan. In December 2025, Apple announced its compliance with the Mobile Software Competition Act , which gives developers new options to distribute apps and process payments outside of Apple’s App Store. This option also requires developers to accept new business terms , like a reduced 10% to 21% App Store commission, a payment processing fee for Apple in-app purchases of 5%, a core technology fee of 5%, and a 15% store services commission on web sales made through a link in the app. Below is a list of the alternative app stores iPhone users in these markets can try today. AltStore PAL Co-created by developer Riley Testut, maker of the...
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Source

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