Alternative app store by Amazon
Amazon Appstore
is a free
utility
app for mobile devices developed by Amazon. It's an
alternative
app store
for Android users and the default option for the company's own products running
Fire OS
, such as the Fire Tablets and Fire TV devices. It comes bundled and preinstalled with purchases.
Top Recommended Alternative
Avast One Free Antivirus
Ad
Free
4.3
Jio Apps Store
Free
3.4
Compared to
Google Play
, the Amazon Appstore has a far smaller selection of apps and games to choose from. Instead, it has a
highly curated catalog
that has been created based on popularity and the number of users, in general. For non-Amazon device users, it can be
manually side-loaded
and installed.
App selection
The Amazon Appstore is perhaps the most
well-known
and
widely used
alternative to Google Play. Its difference from the popular app store isn’t vast. The only major thing you will notice is the
number of apps
available for download. While Google Play boasts nearly three million potential downloads, the number of apps available on the Amazon Appstore hovers at around
600,000
only.
Many of the
popular apps
available on Google Play can also be downloaded on Amazon Appstore. This includes
,
Messenger
,
Netflix
,
Spotify
,
VLC
, and countless more. But sadly,
YouTube
and most apps produced by Google are not available.
However, while the Amazon Appstore has a link to the Amazon Video Store, you would need a
premium membership
to be able to access the content. This makes it harder for users who want an extensive media library. In contrast, Google Play lets you buy
books
,
movies
, and
music
within the app with no additional membership required.
But what users would love about the Amazon Appstore is the fact that it gives more than
$20, 000
worth of apps, games, and in-app items for
free
. What’s more, these free contents aren’t just niche stuff that you probably would not want to download. It includes
heavily downloaded apps
such as
Office Suite Pro 8
, DuckTales, and
Monument Valley
. For apps that are already free, like
Angry Birds
and
Star Wars Rebels
,
every in-app purchase is free
.
Free content isn’t hard to spot in the Amazon Appstore. You only need to look for the
Actually Free
banner on top of the right-hand corner of the app’s thumbnail. Free apps of the day are also posted on top of the app’s homepage.
Ease of Use
The Amazon Appstore is not available for download on other app stores. In order to access the app on your Android device, you would need to install the
Amazon Underground
app. You can download the underground app
directly
from the Amazon website or have it
emailed
to your device.
Once you have the Underground app installed, you can proceed to download the Amazon Appstore. The app would require you to
enable unknown sources
in your security or application settings. The
Amazon Appstore APK
is available on the Amazon website and the
Softonic
website.
But while the installation can be arduous, using the
app is easy
. The app comes with a
sleek interface
that is easy to navigate. On the homepage, you can see the apps available for download. These apps are
neatly organized
so you can easily find what you are looking for. There is also a
search bar
on top of the screen that lets you key in the app title.
The Verdict
Google Play may be the staple app store for Android users, but it is nice to have a
handy alternative
. Amazon Appstore offers some
cool features
and can even help you
save money
with its daily free app offering. If you are looking for another place to download your favorite programs, this app is perfect for you.