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 on allow for easy access to a wider world of apps on Apple devices, but instead of the apps going through Apple’s App Review process, the apps on these third-party marketplaces have to go through a notarization process to ensure they meet some “baseline platform integrity standards,” Apple says — like being malware-free. However, each store can review and approve apps according to its own policies. The stores are also responsible for any matters relating to support and refunds, not Apple. 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 new 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 the complicated new rules, a handful of developers have taken advantage of the opportunity to distribute their apps outside of Apple’s walls. 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. This option also requires developers to accept new business terms, like a reduced 10% to 21% App Store commission, a payment processing fee for Apple in-app purchases of 5%, a core technology fee of 5%, and a 15% store services commission on web sales made through a link in the app. Below is a list of the alternative app stores iPhone users in these markets can try today. AltStore PAL (EU) Image Credits:AltStore Co-created by developer Riley Testut, maker of the Nintendo game emulator app Delta, the AltStore PAL is an officially approved alternative app marketplace in the EU. The open source app store will allow independent developers to distribute their apps alongside the apps from AltStore’s makers, Delta, and a clipboard manager, called Clip. Techcrunch event Boston, MA | June 9, 2026 Unlike Apple’s App Store, AltStore apps are self-hosted by the developer. To work, developers download an alternative distribution packet (ADP) and upload it to their server, then create a “source” that users will add to the AltStore to access their apps. That means the only apps you’ll see in the AltStore are those you’ve added yourselves. Some popular apps that users are adding include the virtual machine app UTM, which lets you run Windows and other software on iOS or iPad; OldOS, a re-creation of iOS 4 that’s built in SwiftUI; Kotoba, the iOS dictionary available as a stand-alone app; torrenting app iTorrent; qBittorrent remote client for iOS devices called qBitControl; and social discovery platform PeopleDrop. Setapp Mobile (EU – closed Feb. 2026) Image Credits:Setapp MacPaw’s Setapp became one of the first companies to agree to Apple’s new DMA business terms to set up an alternative app store for EU users. Unfortunately, this app store didn’t last long — the company announced it would sunset the Setapp Mobile service on February 16, 2026. (Applications on Setapp Desktop weren’t affected.) MacPaw stated that “still-evolving and complex business terms that don’t fit Setapp’s current business model” are the reason for its decision. The company had long offered a subscription-based service featuring a selection of curated apps for customers on iOS and Mac. Following the implementation of the DMA, it released the alternative app store for Setapp Mobile for iOS users only in the EU. Similar to its other subscription offerings, the now-shuttered app store had included dozens of apps under a single recurring subscription price, and the number of apps grew over time. The apps were free from in-app purchases or ads and are generally considered high quality. However, it didn’t include big-name apps like Facebook, Uber, Netflix, and others. Epic Games Store (EU) Fortnite maker Epic Games launched its alternative iOS app store in the EU in August 2024, allowing users to download games, including its own Fortnite and others like Rocket League Sideswipe and Fall Guys, with more to come. The company said it’s also bringing its games to other alternative app stores, including AltStore PAL, which it’s now supporting via a grant, as well as Aptoide’s iOS store in the EU and ONE Store on Android. The move to launch Fortnite in alternative iOS marketplaces comes more than four years after Apple removed the game from its App Store over policy violations, ahe