6 Google Play Store Alternatives to List Your Android Apps

The Google Play Store is the dominant marketplace for distributing Android apps, with over 2.87 million apps available as of Q2 2022. However, relying solely on the Play Store comes with risks like sudden changes to policies, algorithms, or technical issues that could severely impact your app‘s discovery and revenues.

Diversifying to other Android app stores beyond Google Play is a smart strategy to mitigate revenue risk and expand your reach to new users. Here are six major Google Play alternatives worth evaluating:

1. Amazon Appstore

The Amazon Appstore is one of the largest third-party app stores available. It provides access to Amazon‘s huge base of customers across their Fire TV, Fire tablet, Android and even Windows 11 devices.

Key stats:

Available in over 200 countries
Over 500 million annual visits
Over 100k apps and games

The Amazon Appstore uses a standard 70/30 revenue share model where developers get 70% of revenues. However, for apps earning under $1 million in revenue, Amazon offers an 80/20 split under their Appstore Small Business Accelerator Program. This can make it more lucrative than Google Play‘s 85/15 tier for smaller devs.

Amazon also provides app promotion opportunities like discounted placements and free app trials to spur adoption. And it offers AWS promotional credits equal to 10% of earnings to help offset your cloud infrastructure costs.

The Appstore has a thorough app review process that can take 2 weeks or more. It requires full compliance with their App Testing Criteria before getting approved. So plan accordingly for testing and iterate as needed before publishing.

2. Aptoide

Aptoide bills itself as the "world‘s largest independent Android app store" with over 300 million users. It allows you to publish apps for free and offers an 88/12 revenue split, more favorable than Google Play.

Some key advantages of Aptoide:

Access to users across 150+ countries
No membership fee to submit apps
Features both free and paid app monetization
Higher revenue share compared to other stores

Aptoide also powers app stores for various device manufacturers like Xiaomi, Sony, LG, Asus and others. You can quickly expand distribution to these partner stores via their new Catappult app distribution platform.

Catappult handles centralized app uploading and management while distributing to Aptoide‘s network of stores. It provides two monetization options:

Store Revenue Share Model: 25/75 split with Catappult/dev partner stores
Self Publish Model: You keep 90% of revenues

There‘s a $99 annual Catappult subscription fee but they offer full refunds within the first month if you decide it‘s not working for your app.

3. Samsung Galaxy Store

The Samsung Galaxy Store provides direct access to Samsung mobile device users. Samsung has over 21% market share globally so it‘s a huge potential audience.

Key Galaxy Store stats:

Comes pre-installed on all Samsung Android devices
Over 500 million active devices
Apps auto-updated for Samsung phone OS changes

The Galaxy Store takes a higher 30% commission on revenues. However, they mention opportunities for individual custom revenue sharing agreements in their policies. This may provide room for negotiation if you gain traction.

The Galaxy Store review process aims to complete reviews within 2 business days. Apps must comply with their Galaxy Store Seller Policy to get approval.

4. AppGallery

AppGallery is the official app store for Huawei devices. It provides an app ecosystem for their smartphones, tablets, wearables, and more.

Some key AppGallery stats:

Over 560 million active Huawei device users as of Q2 2022
Apps can be distributed in over 170 countries
Supports 19 different app categories

AppGallery offers a standard 70/30 revenue split like other major stores. However, they previously had a very developer-friendly 90/10 revenue share model prior to 2022. This may be something they bring back in the future to attract more devs.

They also provide a variety of app marketing options to increase discovery like discounted ad placements, featured spots in categories, and free app trials.

The app review process aims for completion within 1 business day according to their policy. Your app needs to comply with Huawei‘s AppGallery Connect service agreements to get approval.

5. Uptodown

Uptodown is an alternative app store focused primarily on Android apps and games.

Some interesting stats on Uptodown:

130 million monthly active users
Apps available in over 26 languages
Primarily focused on free apps

Uptodown currently only supports free apps, not paid apps. So it may only make sense if your monetization model relies on in-app purchases or ads.

Their revenue share model provides developers with an 80/20 split of earnings after app store taxes and fees are deducted. This is better than Google Play‘s 70/30 split.

There‘s no cost to submit your apps to Uptodown. Their review process aims for a 1-2 day turnaround before publishing approved apps.

6. F-Droid

F-Droid is a more niche open source app marketplace for Android. It focuses on only hosting free and open source software (FOSS).

Some key aspects of F-Droid:

Completely community-run, no corporate ownership
All apps must have source code available under open source license
Developer-friendly revenue model (82/18 split after fees)

The community nature and open ethos of F-Droid appeals to many developers. But it comes with some drawbacks:

Very small user base relative to other app stores
Limits exposure since only FOSS apps are allowed
Most users expect free apps with no paid option

Unless you have an app that aligns with their FOSS philosophy, F-Droid likely won‘t drive significant revenue or users. But it remains an option for developers who want to distribute open source apps.

When weighing alternatives beyond Google Play, here are some important factors to consider:

Available Users and Devices

The app store should reach your target audience and be accessible on their devices. For example, Galaxy Store only makes sense for Samsung-focused apps.

The revenue split and monetization options can significantly impact your earnings. Make sure to understand the full fee structure.

App Guidelines and Approval

Review the app store‘s policies closely before investing time into development. Get a sense of their app approval process and any compliance requirements.

Marketing and Promotion Opportunities

Discoverability is crucial, so examine ways the store spotlights new apps through recommendations, discounts or other featuring.

Developer Support and Documentation

Assess the developer portal, knowledge base, technical docs and other resources available from the app store provider.

Relying solely on third-party app stores has its own risks. Their policies, algorithms and commercial interests can change in ways that damage your business and visibility.

That‘s why the smartest mobile developers diversify their revenue streams across multiple channels beyond just app stores, such as:

Direct-to-consumer model: Sell via your website with in-app purchase using your own billing system.
Business / enterprise distribution: Develop custom B2B apps for internal use by companies.
Crowdfunding: Validate demand and fund development via Kickstarter, Indiegogo etc.
Physical goods: Complement your app with real-world products and merchandise.
Digital services: Offer knowledge, skills and expertise to users beyond just an app (e.g. online courses, coaching, consulting etc.)
Sponsorships and brand partnerships: Get sponsored by relevant brands who pay to reach your audience.

Diversification is smart business. Don‘t rely on any single platform, but instead build your own ecosystem using a portfolio strategy. This will make your revenues far more stable and resilient to changes in any one distribution channel.

Expanding to alternatives beyond just Google Play can open up new audiences, revenue and promotion opportunities. But each third-party app store has its own nuances around policies, monetization, users reached and more.

Evaluate your options carefully based on factors like revenue share, app guidelines, marketing capabilities and target user base.

However, even third-party app stores come with risks and lack of control. So long-term, focus on diversifying revenue streams beyond just app distribution. Build your own direct relationships with customers and create a portfolio of products, services and partnerships. This will make your business far more antifragile.