@ufdtech

Apple Alt App Store

♬ original sound - UFD Tech

Europa in the Open

Like the European Jazz Trio’s Europa, the following article moves with that same quiet, spacious confidence — a melody that starts softly, then widens into something freer and more expansive. The song’s drifting, improvisational lines mirror the new landscape created by the DMA: an ecosystem no longer locked into a single rhythm, but opening to multiple voices, multiple marketplaces, multiple ways of playing. In many ways, it echoes the vision championed by EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, who has pushed for a fairer, more open digital space across Europe. Just as the trio reinterprets a classic with subtle shifts and unexpected harmonies, alternative app stores reinterpret the iOS experience — loosening the structure, giving developers room to breathe, and letting the digital composition evolve beyond Apple’s original score.

🎶 🇪🇺 🔓 🛍️ 📱 🧭 💶 🧩 🛡️ 🧑‍💻 🚀 🏛️ 🌍 🔊 Europa - European Jazz Trio

---

---

📱 Europe’s App Store Revolution: Alternative Marketplaces Arrive Under the DMA

The mobile ecosystem in Europe is entering a rare moment of transformation, where long‑standing rules are finally being rewritten.

What follows is a clear look at how new regulations are opening the door to alternative app stores — and reshaping the balance of power on iOS.

📱 Opening the Ecosystem

People in the European Union are now allowed to access alternative app stores thanks to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a regulation designed to foster increased competition in the app ecosystem. Like Apple’s App Store, alternative app marketplaces allow easy access to a wider world of apps on Apple devices, but instead of the apps going through Apple’s App Review process, they 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.

💶 The Cost of Openness

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 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 these complex rules, a handful of developers have taken advantage of the opportunity to distribute their apps outside of Apple’s walls.

🌏 A Global Shift Begins

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 (MSCA), which gives developers new options to distribute apps and process payments outside of Apple’s App Store, under new business terms that adjust commissions and fees.

📦 Alternative App Stores Available Today

AltStore PAL (EU)

Co-created by developer Riley Testut, maker of the Nintendo emulator Delta, AltStore PAL is an officially approved alternative app marketplace in the EU. AltStore apps are self-hosted by developers, who upload an alternative distribution packet (ADP) to their own servers and create a “source” that users add to AltStore. Popular apps include UTM, OldOS, Kotoba, iTorrent, qBitControl, and PeopleDrop.

Setapp Mobile (EU – closed Feb. 2026)

MacPaw’s Setapp Mobile was one of the first alternative app stores under the DMA, offering a subscription-based catalog of curated, high-quality apps without ads or in-app purchases. The service was shut down on February 16, 2026, with the company citing Apple’s still-evolving and complex business terms. Setapp Desktop remains unaffected.

Epic Games Store (EU)

Epic Games launched its alternative iOS app store in the EU in August 2024, bringing Fortnite back to iPhones alongside titles like Rocket League Sideswipe and Fall Guys. Epic is also distributing its games through other alternative marketplaces such as AltStore PAL, Aptoide’s iOS store, and ONE Store on Android, following years of legal and policy battles with Apple.

Aptoide (EU)

Lisbon-based Aptoide is an open source alternative game store already known from the Android ecosystem. Its iOS version, initially launched as an invite-only beta in June 2024, is now available across the EU. Aptoide scans apps for safety and charges developers a 10%–20% commission on in-app purchases, while offering access to a catalog of around 1 million apps across platforms.

Mobivention Marketplace (EU)

Mobivention operates a B2B-focused app store that allows EU companies to distribute internal apps used by employees but not suitable for the public App Store. The company also develops customized marketplaces for businesses and licenses its technology to larger enterprises that want a fully branded internal app store.

Skich (EU)

Skich offers an alternative app store with a Tinder-like interface for app discovery, where users swipe right to “match” with apps they might enjoy. Users can create playlists and see what their friends are playing. The store, which takes a 15% commission on purchases, is positioning itself as a social and playful way to discover games and apps.

Onside (EU and Japan)

Onside is an alternative iOS app store available in both the EU and Japan, enabled by the DMA and MSCA. It promises lower rates for developers while maintaining security and privacy, supporting bank cards and Apple Pay, with more payment methods coming. For users, Onside offers a familiar app store experience with editorial collections, ratings, reviews, and automatic updates, plus exclusive apps not found elsewhere.

#EUtech 🌍 #DigitalMarketsAct 🔓 #AppStoreRevolution 📱 #OpenEcosystem 🚀 #TechRegulation 🇪🇺