The Play Store is the go-to source for downloading apps on Android devices, but it's not the only option. There are several alternatives that offer a different selection of apps and features. In this article, we'll explore some of the best options for downloading apps without using the Play Store. The first and most obvious alternative is the Amazon Appstore.
This is probably the Play Store's biggest competitor, as it's the default app store sold on all Amazon Fire tablets. We've compared the Play Store to the Amazon Appstore in the past, but the Amazon option has been updated and grown a bit since then. It offers a wide selection of apps, including many that are not available on Google Play. On the other hand, if you prefer Android over iOS because Android is technically open source, then F-Droid is the app store for you.
F-Droid doesn't have as many apps as the other options on this list. However, it is the largest mobile app store that exclusively offers free and open source software. You don't have to love Linux to find value in F-Droid. By definition, all the applications here are free to use.
Not only that, you can be more confident that the software doesn't contain any malware. F-Droid even warns when apps can track your behavior or location. The latest version of F-Droid not only fits current Android design guidelines, but it also provides categories and recommendations to help you discover the apps that do what you need. This is especially valuable because if you're using F-Droid, you'll probably have to replace most of the apps you're used to.
We've highlighted our favorite open-source Android apps to give you some ideas. Another option is SlideMe. This is an app store that is sold on many devices that don't have Google Play. It is aimed at device manufacturers looking to sell in regions where the Play Store doesn't offer very good services. SlideMe is also looking for developers whose applications are not welcome on Google Play (although it doesn't allow apps with adult content).
The store app that you download to your phone is called SAM, SlideMe's app manager. SlideMe's selection of apps is larger than F-Droid's, but smaller than Amazon's. You'll find more games here than on F-Droid and you'll be able to avoid the tracking that comes with using Amazon. While SlideMe can reach areas underserved by the Play Store, the company is actually headquartered in Seattle. Every application is subject to review, so you can expect a certain degree of quality and safety. Another interesting option is Humble Bundle.
This didn't start out as an app store; initially, it offered a set of semi-regular packages that allowed you to pay whatever you wanted for a game package. If you paid more than a certain amount, you unlocked the full package. In addition, a portion of each sale went to charity. Eventually, Humble Bundle went from a series of bundles to a full-fledged app store. The site also sells soundtracks and books.
The Humble Bundle Android app isn't a complete store; instead, it's a hub for downloading the apps you've purchased and installing occasional updates. The interface is a bit out of date, but it still works. Humble Store may not contain anywhere near the selection found on the Play Store or Amazon Appstore, but all downloads are DRM-free. That means that you are the owner of the software you buy here, which you can download and back up however you want. Finally, there's Aurora Store. This is a free open source software (FLOSS) in which you can install Google applications and continue to work without installing the required Play Services application.
Now that you've learned how to manually install any app you want on Android, you can also download apps to a Chromecast with Google TV or Android TV. When you plan to download apps from outside the Play Store, you need trusted repositories to do your job. Remember to be careful when downloading applications outside the official Android markets, such as Google Play and the Amazon Appstore. As with any method of downloading apps outside of official stores, some applications may not work due to compatibility issues and some others may force you to download the latest version before you can continue. Some applications may not be installed correctly due to compatibility issues or may ask you to download the latest version from the Google Play Store before using it. Android app bundles save bandwidth and storage space but make it difficult for people to share apps with each other outside of Google Play Store. You may want to revoke permissions after installing a third-party application so that additional applications are not installed without your knowledge.
Getting Android apps without using the official Google Play store can be a bit risky depending on where you choose to get your apps. Application packages for Android are packaged in APK files that can also be downloaded from outside of Google Play (for example through your web browser).
