This list of mobile app distribution platforms includes digital distribution platforms, or marketplace 'app stores', intended to provide mobile applications, aka 'apps' to mobile devices. For information on each mobile platform and its market share, see the mobile operating system and smartphone articles. A comparison of the development capabilities of each mobile platform can be found in the article mobile app development. For cross-platform development, see mobile development framework. The mobile app article contains other general information.
These application marketplaces, or 'm' are native to the major mobile operating systems.
There are Script error: No such module "Table row counter". native mobile app distribution platforms currently on this list.
app store name |
date established |
status | owner | available apps |
download count |
installed base |
device platform |
allows individual developers to publish |
cut for developer per sale |
developer fees (per year) |
development tools (SDK) |
free of charge IDE? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amazon Appstore for Android |
22 Mar 2011 | live | Amazon.com, Inc. |
453706 453,706
|
unknown | unknown | Android OS (customised), Android, BlackBerry 10 |
yes | 70 70%
|
free [2] (previously: United States dollar 90 [2] (waive fee for 1st year, plus $50 AWS promo code)) |
Amazon Mobile App SDK [3] |
yes |
Apple App Store (iOS / iPadOS) |
10 Jul 2008 | live | Apple Inc. | 2200000 2,200,000 | 130 billion (Jun 2016) [6] |
800 million (Jun 2014) [7] |
iOS[l 1] iPadOS |
yes | 60–70 60–70%
[8] |
99 United States dollar 99 | iOS SDK, Xcode |
yes [11] (Xcode 6 is free on Mac App Store and Apple Developer) |
BlackBerry World | 1 Apr 2009 | closed [12][13] | BlackBerry Limited (formerly Research In Motion) |
223601 223,601
|
3 billion (May 2012) [15] |
75 million (Jan 2012) [16] |
BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry Tablet OS, BlackBerry 10 OS[l 2] | closed for new app submission |
70 70% | 00 free | BlackBerry 10 native SDK (with full POSIX and Qt support), HTML5 Qt4 SDK, Android (via BlackBerry Android Tools SDK), Adobe AIR SDK, BlackBerry OS SDK | yes |
Download Fun / Catalog | 20 Sep 2003 | closed [20] | Danger, Inc. / Microsoft | unknown
|
unknown | unknown | Danger OS | yes | 40 40%
|
00 free
|
Danger OS SDK[21] | yes |
Firefox Marketplace |
6 Sep 2013 | closed [22] | Mozilla Foundation |
5957 5,957
|
unknown | unknown | Firefox OS | yes | 70 70% | unknown | unknown | yes |
Google Play (formerly Android Market) |
22 Oct 2008 | live | Google, LLC | 3500000 3,500,000 | 50 billion (Jul 2013) [27] |
over 2 billion (May 2017) [28] |
Android [29] |
yes | 70 70%
|
One-time registration fee: 25 United States dollar 25 | Android SDK, Android Studio | yes |
HP App Catalog |
6 Jun 2009 | closed | Palm, Inc. / Hewlett- Packard |
10002 10,002
|
108 million (Aug 2011) [32] |
2.6 million (Jul 2010) [33] |
webOS[l 3] | yes | 70 70% | 00 free | Enyo | yes |
Huawei AppGallery |
2011 [35] |
live | Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. |
220,000 (Nov 2022) [36][37] |
432 billion (Q4 2022)[38] |
700 million (Jul 2020) [39] |
Android, Huawei EMUI,HarmonyOS |
yes | 100 100%
for first 2 years, then 70% |
00 free | Android SDK, HMS Core, HMS Toolkit |
yes (Huawei Quick App IDE and DevEco Studio) [40] |
Microsoft Store (formerly Windows Store) |
26 Oct 2012 | live | Microsoft Corp. |
669000 669,000+
|
unknown | 410 million Windows PC devices (Nov 2015) [41] 93 million smartphones [note 1] (Sep 2015) [42][43][44][45] [46][47][48][49] |
Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows 10 Mobile, Windows Phone | yes, with restriction [note 2] |
70 70%
- raised to 80% if developer sales exceeds United States dollar 25,000 in a year |
19 individuals: United States dollar 19, or free for student; companies: US$99.
|
Visual Studio 2013 or higher for Windows 8.1. Visual Studio 2015 or higher for Universal Apps. Windows App Studio |
yes |
Nokia Download! |
2006 | replaced with the Ovi Store |
Nokia Oyj |
unknown
|
unknown | unknown | Symbian (S60), Series 40 |
unknown | unknown
|
unknown | unknown | unknown |
Nokia Store (formerly Ovi Store) |
26 May 2009 | closed, replaced with the Opera Mobile Store[52] |
Nokia Oyj |
120000 120,000
|
17 million/day (Oct 2012) [53] ~6 billion (Aug 2012) [54] |
multiple [l 4] Symbian, MeeGo, Maemo, S40, Nokia X software platform |
yes | 70 70%
|
01 €1 | Qt 4 SDK,[56] Nokia Web Tools,[57] Nokia SDK for Java, Java ME,[58] Nokia X services SDK[59] | yes | |
OpenStore for Ubuntu Touch |
Sep 2014 [60] |
live | UBports (a democracy) |
001 many
|
unknown | unknown | open-source mobile phones | yes (anything packaged in the Ubuntu package database should run) |
N/A
|
00 free
|
Linux | yes |
PureOS Software Center |
live | Purism supported by The Debian Project (a democracy) |
001 quite many
[61] |
unknown | unknown | open-source mobile phones | yes (anything packaged in the Debian package database should run)[61] |
00 0
|
00 free
|
Linux | yes | |
Samsung Galaxy Store (formerly Samsung Galaxy Apps) |
Sep 2009 | live | Samsung Electronics |
unknown
|
unknown | over 1 billion (Oct 2020) [62] |
Android, Tizen, Windows Mobile, Bada |
unknown | unknown
|
unknown | unknown | unknown |
Snap Store | 9 Dec 2014 [63] |
live | Canonical Limited |
unknown
|
unknown | unknown | Linux distributions |
yes | N/A
|
00 free
|
Snapcraft | unknown |
Ubuntu Software Centre aka Ubuntu App Store |
17 Oct 2013 | closed, replaced by Snap Store |
Canonical Limited |
2650 2,650+
|
unknown | unknown | Ubuntu Touch | yes | N/A
|
00 free
|
Ubuntu SDK | yes |
Windows Phone Store (formerly Windows Phone Marketplace) |
21 Oct 2010 | closed, merged with the Windows Store[65] |
Microsoft Corp. |
400000 400,000+
|
9 billion (Mar 2015) [66] (105 per device) |
100 million (Jun 2015) [42][43][44][46] [67][68][69] |
Windows Phone[l 5] | yes | 70 70%
|
19 individuals: United States dollar 19, or free for student; companies: US$99 / unlimited paid apps, and 100 free apps submissions.
[70][71] |
Windows Phone Developer Tools, includes specialty versions of Microsoft Visual Studio, Expression Blend | yes |
date established |
status | owner | available apps |
download count |
installed base |
device platform |
allows individual developers to publish |
cut for developer per sale |
developer fees (per year) |
development tools (SDK) |
free of charge IDE? |
Third-party platforms are software distribution platforms which are used as alternatives for operating system native distribution platforms. Independent operating systems are software collections which use their own software distribution, customised user interface (UI), software development kit (SDK) and application programming interface (API) (except billing API which is related only to application store).
There are Script error: No such module "Table row counter". third-party mobile app distribution platforms currently on this list.
app store platform name |
date established |
status | owner | available apps |
download count |
install base |
device platform |
cut for developer per sale |
developer fees (per year) |
developer console |
development platform(s) (SDK) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Appland | 2011 | live | Appland | 130,000 [72] |
25 million (Mar 2016) |
5 million (Mar 2016) |
Android and iOS | 70 up to 70%
|
free | unknown | unknown |
Aptoide | 17 Nov 2009 | live | Aptoide | 1,100,000 (Oct 2020) |
17.5 billion (Oct 2020) |
120 million (Oct 2020) |
Android | 75 up to 75%
|
free | unknown | Android SDK, Java ME |
Cafe Bazaar | Apr 2011 | live | Hezardastan Technologies | 160,000 (May 2019) [73] |
unknown | 40 million (May 2019) [73] |
Android | 70 up to 70%
|
free | unknown | unknown |
Cydia | Feb 2008 | live | saurik | unknown | unknown | 30 million | iOS | N/A
|
free | unknown | iOS SDK, Xcode |
F-Droid | 29 Sep 2010 | live | F-Droid Limited |
4,002 [74] |
248 million (Mar 2015) [75] |
unknown | Android | N/A
|
free | unknown | Android SDK |
GetJar | 2004 | live | GetJar, Accel Partners |
849,036 (Mar 2015) [76] |
3 billion (Mar 2015) [77] |
200 million users [76] |
multiple [78] Android, BlackBerry OS, Flash Lite, Java, iOS, Palm OS, Symbian, Windows Phone |
N/A
|
free [78] |
unknown | unknown |
Handango | 2000 | closed | PocketGear | 190,000 (MMM 20YY) [79] |
unknown | unknown | multiple [l 6] Android, BlackBerry OS, Palm OS, PSP, Symbian, Windows Mobile |
42 ≈42%
|
free | N/A | unknown |
Handmark | 2000 | closed | Handmark | unknown | unknown | unknown | multiple [l 7] Android, BlackBerry OS, iOS, Java, Palm OS, Symbian, Windows Mobile |
unknown
|
unknown | unknown | unknown |
MiKandi | 29 Nov 2009 | closed | MiKandi | unknown | unknown | 80000 (Dec 2009) [80] |
Android [81] |
unknown
|
unknown | unknown | unknown |
Opera Mobile Store |
Mar 2011 | closed | Opera Software |
300,000 (Nov 2014) [82] |
45 million per month (Dec 2012) [83] |
unknown | multiple [84] Android, Java, Symbian, BlackBerry OS, Windows Mobile, iOS |
70 70%
|
free [85] |
unknown | Android SDK, Java ME, S60, BlackBerry SDK, Windows Phone Developer Tools |
Pocket Gear |
1999 | closed | PocketGear | 140,000 (Jun 2010) [86] |
unknown | unknown | multiple Android, BlackBerry OS, Java, Palm OS, Symbian, Windows Mobile |
55 ≈55%
|
free | unknown | N/A |
Uptodown App Store |
Nov 2011 | live | Uptodown Technologies |
2,500,000 (Mar 2021) [87] |
450 million per month (Nov 2021) [88] |
unknown | Android | 80 80%
|
free | Yes | N/A |
Rootpk | 2022 | live | Rootpk | 700,000+ (Sep 2022) |
unknown | unknown | Android | 90 90%
|
free | Yes | N/A |
2022 | live | VK, MinTsifry Of Russia | 21,000+ (Oct 2022) |
unknown | unknown | Android | unknown | free | unknown | N/A | |
Applivery App Distribution |
Feb 2017 | live | Applivery Mobility Management[89] |
2,000,000+ (Dec 2020) [89] |
unknown | unknown | Android and iOS | 0 {{{2}}}
|
free | Yes | Android SDK, iOS SDK |
Updraft App Distribution | 2014 | live | Apps with love AG / Moqod BV. | unknown | 350,000+ in 2022[90] | 15,000 Users in 2022[90] | Android and iOS | 0 | free | Yes | iOS SDK, Android SDK |
date established |
status | owner | available apps |
download count |
install base |
device platform |
cut for developer per sale |
developer fees (per year) |
developer console |
development platform(s) (SDK) |
Mobile app distribution platforms are online marketplaces where developers can upload and distribute their mobile apps to millions of users worldwide. These platforms serve as a bridge between developers and users, providing a centralized location where users can discover and download new apps, and developers can reach a wider audience. Mobile app distribution platforms are essential for app developers, as they offer a convenient and efficient way to promote and distribute their apps to a large number of potential users.
They also provide a range of tools and services that can help developers to monetize their apps, such as in-app advertising and in-app purchases. Overall, mobile app distribution platforms play a critical role in the mobile app ecosystem, facilitating the growth and success of the industry as a whole.[91]
There are many mobile app distribution platforms available for developers to distribute their mobile apps to users.[92] Some of the most popular 10 mobile app distribution platforms are:
Each of these platforms has its guidelines, revenue models, and user bases. Developers need to choose the right platform(s) for their apps based on their target audience and business objectives.[93] [94]
Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List of mobile app distribution platforms.
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