Aptoide becomes the first rival app store to return to Google Play in the US
TechCrunch
β’Mon, 10 Aug 2026 18:31:54 +0000
π° What Happened
Portugal-based app distributor Aptoide returned its games store to Google Play in the United States after more than a decade, becoming the first rival app store to take advantage of loosened restrictions. The independent store offers more than 40,000 apps to roughly 25 million monthly active users.
π The Backstory
The milestone follows US District Judge James Donato's ruling in Epic's antitrust lawsuit against Google. Since June 22, 2026, Google's Play Catalog Access Program has allowed third-party app stores to access Play's app catalog while remaining independent, ending the sideloading requirement for Aptoide in the US.
π― Why It Matters
This is a landmark in opening the Android app market to competition, giving US users a direct, installable alternative to the dominant Play Store and likely reshaping app-distribution economics and developer fees industry-wide.
Portugal-based app distributor Aptoide returned its games store to Google Play in the United States after more than a decade, becoming the first rival app store to take advantage of loosened restrictions. The independent store offers more than 40,000 apps to roughly 25 million monthly active users.
The milestone follows US District Judge James Donato's ruling in Epic's antitrust lawsuit against Google. Since June 22, 2026, Google's Play Catalog Access Program has allowed third-party app stores to access Play's app catalog while remaining independent, ending the sideloading requirement for Aptoide in the US.
This is a landmark in opening the Android app market to competition, giving US users a direct, installable alternative to the dominant Play Store and likely reshaping app-distribution economics and developer fees industry-wide.