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Aptoide Returns to Google Play After More Than a Decade, Opening a New Chapter for Competition on AndroidFollowing Google's review process, the independent app marketplace is set to become the first major competing Android app store distributed through Google Play in the United States. LISBON, Portugal, Aug. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Aptoide today announced that Aptoide Games, its specialized games app store, has been approved for distribution through Google Play in the United States under Google's new Play Catalog Access program, marking the company's return to Google Play more than a decade after competing app stores were effectively excluded from the platform.
The milestone represents a significant evolution in the Android ecosystem. For the first time in years, millions of Android users in US will be able to discover and install a fully featured independent app store for games directly from Google Play, reducing one of the biggest historical barriers to competition between Android app stores. Founded in 2009, Aptoide has grown into one of the world's largest independent Android app marketplaces, serving approximately 25 million monthly active users and offering access to more than 400,000 Android applications. The United States is the company's largest market. The launch follows a period of profound change in the Android ecosystem, including regulatory scrutiny and the landmark Epic Games v. Google litigation, which challenged longstanding restrictions affecting competition in Android app distribution. More recently, Google introduced the Play Catalog Access program, allowing qualifying third-party app stores to integrate with Google Play infrastructure while remaining independent marketplaces. For Aptoide, the announcement has particular historical significance. The company previously distributed its app store through Google Play during Android's early years before policies preventing competing app stores from being distributed through Google Play resulted in it removal. More than a decade later, Aptoide is returning under a new framework that explicitly recognises third-party app marketplaces. "This is much more than a product launch," said Paulo Trezentos, CEO and Co-founder of Aptoide. "More than ten years ago, Android users lost the ability to discover alternative app stores through Google Play. Today, that changes. Users gain more choice, developers gain additional distribution opportunities, and Android becomes a more open and competitive ecosystem." Aptoide believes the availability of independent marketplaces through Google Play will benefit users, developers and the Android platform itself by lowering distribution barriers while preserving user security. Over the past fifteen years, Aptoide has invested heavily in trust and safety technologies, including malware detection, app validation, developer verification and machine-learning systems designed to identify potentially harmful applications before they reach users. "Competition drives innovation," said Álvaro Pinto, Chief Operating Officer of Aptoide. "Developers should have multiple ways to reach users, and users should have genuine freedom to choose where they discover applications. Making independent app stores accessible through Google Play is an important step towards a healthier Android ecosystem." The company believes that reducing friction for users wishing to install competing marketplaces will encourage innovation across Android distribution while expanding opportunities for developers seeking alternatives beyond a single distribution channel. The launch also comes as mobile platform regulation continues to evolve globally. Authorities in multiple jurisdictions have increasingly encouraged greater openness in digital marketplaces, with competition authorities and courts examining how mobile operating systems should support consumer choice and competing distribution platforms. The availability of Aptoide Games through Google Play demonstrates that independent app marketplaces can coexist within Android's ecosystem while maintaining the security expectations users have come to expect. Beyond Android, Aptoide has also become one of the few independent app marketplace operators approved by Apple to distribute apps on iOS under the European Union's Digital Markets Act. The company is currently operating its iOS marketplace in the European Union and has been selected to participate in similar alternative app marketplace programs in Japan and Brazil as those markets open to greater competition. About Aptoide Founded in 2009, Aptoide is one of the world's largest independent Android app marketplaces. Available worldwide, Aptoide serves approximately 25 million monthly active users and provides access to more than 400,000 Android applications. The company develops app distribution technologies for consumers, developers, OEMs and enterprise partners, with a strong focus on openness, innovation and user choice. For more information, visit www.aptoide.com
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