Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

F-Droid VS Aptoide

Compare F-Droid VS Aptoide and see what are their differences

F-Droid logo F-Droid

F-Droid is an interesting alternative for Android users who want to try something different and not have to use the Goole Play store all the time.

Aptoide logo Aptoide

Aptoide is a third party replacement for the traditional Google Play Store.
  • F-Droid Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-13
  • Aptoide Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-29

F-Droid features and specs

  • Open Source Philosophy
    F-Droid focuses exclusively on free and open-source software, promoting transparency, community collaboration, and user control over their applications.
  • No Tracking or Ads
    F-Droid does not include any forms of user tracking or advertisements in the apps it offers, ensuring user privacy and a cleaner experience.
  • Security and Privacy
    The repository is curated with a strong emphasis on security and privacy, often including apps that respect user data and have minimal permissions.
  • Offline Usage
    F-Droid's repository can be browsed, and apps can be installed and updated without a continuous internet connection, making it more flexible for offline use.
  • Custom Repositories
    Users can add multiple repositories, allowing greater access to a variety of apps and increased customization of the app selection.
  • No Registration Required
    No account or registration is needed to use F-Droid, making installation quick and straightforward without personal information risk.

Possible disadvantages of F-Droid

  • Limited App Selection
    Compared to other marketplaces like the Google Play Store, F-Droid has a more limited selection of apps, potentially lacking some mainstream or proprietary applications.
  • Update Delays
    Due to the curating process and less frequent updates, some apps on F-Droid may receive updates later than their counterparts on other platforms.
  • User Interface
    The user interface of F-Droid can be less polished and user-friendly compared to mainstream app stores, which might not appeal to all users.
  • Dependency on Third-Party Repositories
    While custom repositories are a pro, they can also introduce risks if the added repositories are not well-maintained or secure.
  • Installation Process
    Installation processes for some apps might require additional steps like enabling unknown sources or managing permissions, which can be challenging for less tech-savvy users.

Aptoide features and specs

  • Wide Selection of Apps
    Aptoide offers a vast array of apps, including those not available on mainstream app stores like Google Play. This provides users with more choices.
  • No Geo-Restrictions
    Aptoide does not enforce geo-restrictions, allowing users to download apps that may be restricted in their country on other app stores.
  • User-Centric
    Aptoide allows users to create and manage their own app stores, giving them control over app distribution and customization.
  • Direct APK Downloads
    Aptoide allows for direct APK downloads, which is beneficial for those who prefer to manually manage their app installations.
  • No Need for Google Account
    Users do not need a Google account to download and install apps from Aptoide, helping maintain greater privacy and data autonomy.

Possible disadvantages of Aptoide

  • Security Risks
    Since apps on Aptoide are not always as rigorously vetted as on mainstream platforms, there is a higher risk of encountering malicious software.
  • Potential for Piracy
    Aptoide has been criticized for hosting pirated or copyright-infringing apps, which can lead to ethical and legal concerns for users.
  • Quality Control
    The lack of stringent quality control can result in a higher presence of low-quality or poorly functioning apps compared to more regulated app stores.
  • Interface Usability
    Some users find Aptoide's interface less intuitive and user-friendly compared to other popular app stores, which can affect the user experience.
  • Update Delays
    Updates for apps may not be as frequent or timely as on other platforms, potentially leaving apps outdated and less secure.

F-Droid videos

F-Droid recap review, de-Googling my phone

More videos:

  • Tutorial - F-Droid | A free software app store you must have | Tutorial
  • Review - F-Droid for Android

Aptoide videos

Aptoide Android Marketplace Review | 2015

More videos:

  • Review - Best Google Play Alternative 2019 - Aptoide & Amazon App Store Review
  • Review - APTOIDE TV: ANY APP IN THE WORLD

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to F-Droid and Aptoide)
App Store
66 66%
34% 34
Mobile Apps
65 65%
35% 35
Software Marketplace
57 57%
43% 43
Mobile OS
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare F-Droid and Aptoide

F-Droid Reviews

10 Best Google Play Store Alternatives for Android Apps
F-Droid is an app store that specializes in free and open-source software (FOSS). All apps on F-Droid are free and open-source, meaning they can be freely distributed and modified. The app store has a selection of over 3,000 apps, including popular FOSS apps like Signal, Firefox, and OpenStreetMap.
Source: geeksramp.com
Best Android APK Download Sites 2022: APK Mirror, APK Pure, Aptoide, and More
On an F-Droid app, you won’t find all the games and games that you usually get on the Google Play Store, instead, you’ll find a lot of open source apps, which are mostly not available on Google Play. The app has a pretty sleep UI. In case you feel like donating some money to the F-Droid, the donations will be used for the maintenance of the app like servers, admin work, and...
Source: droid.news
9 best safe sites to download Android APKs
F-Droid is a marketplace that contains more than thousands of free open-source apps. Available on both the web and as an application, F-Droid is a one-stop hub for users who love to install and tinker with open-source apps on their Android phones. Furthermore, those who’re into programming can also create their own repository on the website.
22 Best Google Play Store Alternatives 2023
Interestingly, volunteers run F-Droid, and they rely on donations. Android developers like F-Droid because they can access the codes of various apps and use the data to create their own.
6 Google Play Store Alternatives to List Your Android Apps
F-Droid is a free and open-source app marketplace where you can host free applications with paid updates/features.
Source: geekflare.com

Aptoide Reviews

10 Best Google Play Store Alternatives for Android Apps
Aptoide hosts a selection of over 1 million apps. The app store is particularly popular in Europe and Latin America, and it has a unique feature called “Aptoide TV” that allows users to browse and download apps optimized for TV screens. Aptoide also has a feature called “Rollback,” which allows users to install previous versions of an app. This is particularly useful for...
Source: geeksramp.com
9 best safe sites to download Android APKs
Aptoide is one of the oldest app marketplaces on Android. It can be considered a direct alternative to the Google Play Store thanks to a similar user interface and approach. The website gives a detailed description of an app along with the provision of reviewing and rating the applications. Furthermore, users can find those apps on Aptoide that are not on the Play Store due...
22 Best Google Play Store Alternatives 2023
Aptoide has no geo-restrictions, which is one of the reasons I prefer it to the Play Store. Plus, AppCoins is one of Aptoide’s in-app payment options, allowing you to enjoy better deals and bonuses in your in-app purchases.
6 Google Play Store Alternatives to List Your Android Apps
In a nutshell, we are talking about over 430 million users spread across 20 app stores, such as Aptoide, Oppo, VIVO, MI, etc., under the Catappult app distribution.
Source: geekflare.com
The 5 Best Sites for Safe Android APK Downloads
Aptoide is an Android app store that offers a wide variety of apps, both free and paid. It’s one of the most popular alternative app stores, with over 200 million users worldwide. Aptoide is known for its safety and security features, which include malware scanning and verification of app developers. It also has a built-in anti-virus engine that scans apps for malicious code...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, F-Droid seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 379 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

F-Droid mentions (379)

  • MagiskSSH – SSH server on Android without Termux
    I think this is a bit overkill for my taste with root but depends on use case. I'm SSHing regularly into my Android phone (and it does not need root) for backup purposes. Used various apps for that but settled for years on Termux. * Install https://f-droid.org/ store * Install Termux from there * Install ssh daemon and rsync in Termux with
        pkg upgrade.
    - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • Google Removed Organic Maps from the Playstore
    What version of Android is this? When I install an apk I only get a single confirm / cancel popup. Also, as a sibling comment pointed out, there are third party app stores with all the comfort of the Play store (and far less adware): https://f-droid.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Google Removed Organic Maps from the Playstore
    Install it from F-Droid and live free of this monopolistic bullshit https://f-droid.org. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Running LLMs on Android: A Step-by-Step Guide
    F-Droid is an installable catalogue of FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) applications for the Android platform. Download and install the F-Droid app from https://f-droid.org/. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Hosting Your Own AI Chatbot on Android Devices
    Head over to the F-Droid website and follow the instructions to install the app. Once that's done, open F-Droid and search for Termux and install the latest version. Please don't use Google Play Store to install Termux, as the version there is very outdated. - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
View more

Aptoide mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Aptoide yet. Tracking of Aptoide recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing F-Droid and Aptoide, you can also consider the following products

APK Pure - Download apk for Android with APKPure APK downloader. NoAds, Faster apk downloads and apk file update speed. Best of all, it's free

APKMirror - Android Market and APK Downloads

Amazon Appstore - The Amazon Appstore is a place to purchase and download apps for your Android device.

Aurora Store - Aurora is a FOSS Play Store client that does not require a Google Account to download directly from Play Store. However you can login with your Google Account to download your already paid apps!

GetJar - Discover and play paid apps and games for free.

Uptodown - Uptodown is a mobile app and website that lets you download games and apps to users on most of the major platforms.