There’s no denying that the Google Play store might have millions of apps to download, but some of us are more curious about exploring new ways to download APK files for Android that are not available on the Play store or either available in the paid version.
Whatever the case may be, there are a ton of other app stores and websites that can be utilized to download APK files for Android but not all of them offer a great experience and while every app marketplace has its unique features, some are just better than others.
Here we have listed some of the best app stores and websites that provide you with a wide variety of apps. Some of these also offer modified and cracked versions of paid apps. These apps will help you download such apps so you can easily install APK files on your Android.
APK Play Game
PROS
- One of the largest games APK database
- A huge number of APKs in almost every genre
- Properly classified into categories
CONS
- Lack of regular updates
- Too many ads on the website
This is the most comprehensive listing of Android games that I have ever seen. providing the paid apps for free is a common trait among the apps in this list but APK Play Game specializes in only gaming.
You will not find any other apps on it but when it comes to gaming, from the best racing games to the ultimate actions games and from the games for your kids to the most difficult brain hurting puzzle games, you can find anything on APK play game.
Besides this, the games that the Play store does not let you install due to geographical restrictions can also be installed with this website.
APK Mirror
PROS
- Widely acknowledged as the best website to download APKs
- Lets you download older versions of an app
- Bypasses regional restrictions
CONS
- App listing is inconvenient
- UI is old school
Whenever there’s any mention to download APK files for Android, the first thought that springs into mind is about APK Mirror. It has proven to be one of the best websites to download APKs. It is said to be run by the people behind the Android Police, one of the biggest names in tech journalism.
APK Mirror lets you download older versions of a specific app too. It also has a pretty huge variety of both free apps as well as paid apps. The website also hosts many early alpha/beta versions of apps, so that anyone can access the beta app without waiting for the stable app to release.
Besides all this, there is no region locking even in the apps that are not available in your region in the Play store. You can download such apps from APK Mirror.
Blackmart
PROS
- Extensive library of Apps
- Paid apps can be found for free
CONS
- Compatibility issues with random phones
Blackmart is widely recognized as the “king of the Android market”. It is itself an app that can be downloaded from its dedicated website. To download APK files for Android, you will most probably not find any better place than Blackmart.
While it has almost all the apps that the Google Play store has, additionally it also provides APKs for the apps that are available with only paid versions on Playstore and that includes an extensive category of apps. Almost all paid apps can easily be found here.
Get APK
PROS
- Claims to be the 2nd biggest marketplace in Android after the Google Play store
- Almost 90% of the apps available are free of cost, as per Get APK official statement
CONS
- UI could have been better
- Also has malware filled apps
It is another brilliant app to download more premium apps for free. Though it has a huge variety of free apps as well as paid ones, the application is clearly not user-friendly and is not well designed.
Despite its shortcomings, it has a special feature that no other apps have. It provides all the versions of a single app so if your device is not compatible with the latest version of any app, you can always roll back to the old version and download it from getting APK.
4Shared
PROS
- User-driven sharing platform
- Contains apps that you may not find anywhere else
- Completely free
CONS
- Apps may be hard to find as they don’t have any display
- No recommendation mechanism
Many of you might not know about 4Shared. It is not specifically an Android-related platform but rather a file-sharing platform with a huge database of music, videos, and software but you can also download APK files for Android from here.
You can access 4Shared via the website as well as its Android app that is free to download on the Google Play store. All you have to do is make an account on 4Shared and you can easily download everything for free. Since it is a user-driven sharing platform, oftentimes you may find an app on 4Shared that you couldn’t find on any other platform.
It has a huge variety of paid apps but since it’s not a marketplace, the apps are not arranged in any order or in the display. You just have to search for your required app and download your required file.
Mobogenie
PROS
- App recommendation is amazing
- Extensive app library
CONS
- UI is laggy and cumbersome
Mobogenie is yet another great option to download APK files for Android. Earlier Mobogenie had a lite version on the Google Play store but that got removed due to policy violations because it had the apps that Google normally does not allow on its platform.
It has an extensive library of applications and is updated regularly with editor’s picks. The app recommendation mechanism is great and suggests your app based on your interest. Its full version can be downloaded from its official website.
Aptoide
PROS
- Amazing design
- Contains apps that are unavailable on Playstore
- Sync with the system for seamless app updates
- Trusted app badge lets you know which one is safe
CONS
- Slow downloads
- Servers are not optimized
Aptoide is yet another recognized name in the world of Android apps. It has been gaining fame over the past couple of years and has swelled into one of the most popular app stores on Android.
To date, there are 120 Million unique devices that have installed Aptoide, making this app store top market in terms of a user base that is engaged and generates millions of downloads for its community of app developers and publishers. Aptoide can sync with the apps you installed from other locations, giving you the latest updates from different users to choose from.
The Android app for Aptoide also has a trusted badge on the apps so you know you can download APK files for Android without any fear of being mugged by any malware.
APK4Free
PROS
- AI algorithm for app check to ensure safety
- Diversity of apps
CONS
- Contains unwanted pop ups
Apk4Free is your one-stop-shop for every kind of apps. It is one of the best websites to download APK files for Android. A variety of paid apps can be downloaded via APK4Free.
It also has a Scamadviser trust score which is based on a technical analysis of public information regarding any specific app. Scamadviser uses an artificial intelligence algorithm to do over 40 checks to estimate the possibility of an online site being a scam or legit.
APKPure
PROS
- Huge collection of apps
CONS
- So spam spotting algorithm
- sometimes contains malware in apps
Founded in 2014, APKPure has grown into one of the best websites for downloading APK files for Android. Like many others on the list, it also offers a wide range of Android apps that also include free apps as well as paid apps. However, you won’t find as huge a collection of apps here as you can on other websites like the APK Mirror.
APKPure also has a spam problem. Since there is no scam spotting algorithm in the app store so you might come across some spam from time to time. The lack of any firewall makes it a little more vulnerable than many others on the list.
9Apps
PROS
- Great UIAutomatically deletes APK files after install (If selected)
- Recommendation of apps based on your interest
CONS
- Does not offer paid apps for free as others
9Apps is yet another big app marketplace with extra benefits. It also has a dedicated Android app where you can find and download APK files for Android easily. The best features of 9Apps include a stylish UI with bright colors and curvy design and is a lightweight application itself and having a file size of 2 MB only.
You can also choose to delete APK files after installing them as apps on your phone. It is pretty quick and responsive and also recommends apps based on your interest.
What about apktovi? This site is probably new in this field.