Third-party app stores will begin distributing apps on Google Play, following a court order in an antitrust lawsuit against Epic Games.
Google's official Android app store, 'Google Play,' has introduced its first third-party app store. As of the time of writing, only 'Aptoide,' a game-focused store, is available.
Aptoide Returns to Google Play After More Than a Decade, Opening a New Chapter for Competition on Android
Following Epic loss, Google has started hosting rival app stores in the Play Store - Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/08/third-party-app-stores-are-rolling-out-in-google-play-but-theres-only-one-right-now/
According to a support page accessible from some countries, Google Play is distributing third-party Android app stores in the United States based on an injunction issued by a U.S. federal district court.
When accessing Google Play from the United States, you can apparently find a category called 'Third-Party App Stores.' As of the time of writing, the only app store listed is Aptoide.
Third-party app store - Google Play
Google has stated that it does not review apps that are listed in third-party app stores. Furthermore, it says it is not involved in updates or payments made through third-party app stores.
These changes were made because of a nearly six-year legal battle between Epic Games, the developer of 'Fortnite,' and Google. At the time, Epic Games set up its own payment system for 'Fortnite,' which was available on Google Play, to avoid the fees charged by the official payment system, resulting in the app being removed from Google Play. Epic Games then sued Google for alleged violations of antitrust laws.
In this lawsuit, Epic Games' claims were upheld, and Google received a preliminary injunction requiring it to lower app store fees and add third-party app stores to Google Play. Google had announced that third-party app stores would be available on Google Play starting July 22, 2026.
Google Play and third-party app stores can now connect; Google announces withdrawal of appeal against ruling in lawsuit against Epic Games - GIGAZINE
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has released a statement expressing his delight at the launch of Aptoide.
Big news! Aptoide has become the first independent store listed on Google Play in the modern era!
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) August 10, 2026
And thanks to Google for Android's leadership as the most open mobile platform. Now Epic Games Store, Google Play, and Windows Store are open to third-party stores in the US. https://t.co/ZKT3wcsiyT
According to Aptoide CEO Paulo Tresentos, American users will have access to all 1.9 million apps and 295,000 games available on Aptoide. 9to5google, who actually accessed the service, described the process as 'almost as smooth as installing a regular app.'
Ars Technica noted that 'it's interesting that Epic Games, the company that filed the lawsuit, was the first to not release their app.' It's worth noting that distributing a third-party app on Google Play requires a $15,000 upfront service fee , which must be paid annually thereafter to maintain distribution. Epic Games may be holding off on distribution to further streamline these fees and administrative processes. Indeed, CEO Tresentos stated that 'there was still a considerable amount of hassle involved in getting it released.'
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