Best APKPure Alternatives: 5 Unofficial Android App Stores
APKPure is one of the biggest Google Play Store alternatives where Android users go to find and download older app versions or discontinued apps.
However, the recent discovery of malicious code in the APKPure app by researchers has made users worry whether APKPure is safe or not. In this article, we will talk about some of the best APKPure alternatives that you can use. But before that let’s discuss a bit more on APKPure’s security.
Is APKPure safe?
Alternative app stores are always under the radar of privacy experts. Unlike in the Play Store, where Google actively scans apps for malware and other security risks, many third-party app stores have no such practices in place.
Therefore, downloading Android apps from sites like APKPure is always considered a risky endeavor.
Interestingly, in this case, the Android app of APKPure itself was problematic. According to Kaspersky researchers, a recent version of the APKPure app had malicious code that took data from users without their consent and threw ads on the lock screen. On top of that, the code had the capacity to download other malware, putting Android users at more risk.
As of now, APKPure has released a new version of their app which is safe to use. But like us, if you are skeptical about the APKPure app store, here are some of the best unofficial Android app stores that you can use —
APKPure Alternatives For Android
1. APKMirror
APKMirror is one of the most popular unofficial app stores. It is more of an app repository where you will find multiple versions of the app and app bundles.
If a beta version of an Android app has been released, you will certainly find it on the APKMirror. The app store is also a good source to get the latest update of an app, in case it’s not available on the Google Play Store.
To make sure APKs are legitimate, APKMirror has a very strict curation of what app goes onto the site such as checking cryptographic signatures, comparing the version of the app from the Play Store or talking to the developer.
We have often given out APK links from this third-party app store. Overall, we believe APKMirror is safe to use.
2. F-Droid
F-Droid is one of the best alternatives to APKPure if you prefer having open-source applications on your Android device.
The best part about open-source apps is that there is no chance of abusing the private data of users, as other developers can easily tell of a wrongdoing by looking at the app code.
F-Droid has been around since 2010 and we have put their links in many of our articles. This Reddit post will prove extremely helpful if you are looking for the best open-source apps.
3. Amazon AppStore
If you are looking for apps like app stores like APKPure that aren’t untrusted ones, then the Amazon app store is a good place to start.
It has a ton of Android apps and is a prime source of Amazon Fire Tablet apps, Fire TV apps etc. Unlike other APKPure app alternatives here, you can directly install the app instead of downloading the APK file first.
The only problem with the app is its UI. Since the app store is part of Amazon, it’s on the same official Amazon website whose interface is pathetic, to begin with.
4. APKUpdater
If you have lost faith in installing a third-party app store app after the APKPure app story, then APKUpdater is for you.
APKUpdater is more of an APK aggregator instead of a proper app store. You will find apps from the Google Play Store, APKMirror, and APKPure.
The alternative app store for Android also makes it easy for users to update their apps. You will find updates from APKMirror, Aptoide, F-Droid and Google Play. The best part is that APKUpdater is open-source and free.
5. Aptoide
Aptoide is one of the biggest and most popular Google Play Store alternatives. It has over 1 million Android apps and claims to have the best malware detection systems in the market.
The APKPure alternative doesn’t shy away from storing adult apps and apps that may have been removed from the Google Play Store.
Even though Aptoide is a popular alternative Android app store, it’s not all roses. For instance, Aptoide suffered a major breach back in April 2020 where the personal information of 20 million users was leaked online. Other than that, Aptoide doesn’t have a good image in the developer community. If you are using google chrome to visit these sites, do check out the best google chrome tab suspender alternative to free up chrome’s memory.
