Alternative App Stores

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App Marketing Networks 2014
Alternative
App Stores
Report
As competition on the two major stores has grown,
developers have found it increasingly difficult to
achieve visibility. But a host of new alternative app
stores have proliferated, offering a number of benefits
for developers.
An inside guide, from the experts at
Alternative App Stores
A List of Alternative App

Stores for Distributing your
App or Mobile Game
The Google Play Store for Android and the Apple App Store for iOS are the two largest distribution channels
for mobile apps, offering almost global coverage to a huge potential audience. However, as competition on the
.
two major stores has grown, developers
have found it increasingly difficult to achieve visibility on them. At the
same time, a host of new alternative app stores have proliferated, driven by the open nature of the Android
platform (which allows third party app distribution) and growth of the Chinese app market, where Google Play
is not available. These new app store environments offer a number of benefits for developers and can form an
important part of an app marketing and distribution strategy.
To start with these different app stores may cater to a niche audience. Knowing what audience an app store
caters to means developers can upload their app with confidence there will be users that are interested in
that type of app. For example, an alternative app store may focus on a specific app genre (e.g. games, utilities,
business or one type of user segment). Alternative app stores also allow targeting of national audiences for
exampleWandoujia (China), and the SK T-Store (Korea) would be key channels for Western developers and
publishers seeking to access those markets. In fact, when targeting the Chinese market, theres no choice but to
use one of the maybe 200 alternative stores that exist there.
Alternative app stores may also offer a revenue share model that is more favourable to developers than the
standard 70/30 split offered by Apple and Google Play. For example,Soc.io Mall offers a 80/20 split in favour of
the developer. Some app stores may not be as generous with their revenue share model, but do offer the ability
to pay for a certain amount of downloads to increase an apps popularity, or even to buy featured placement.
This ability to access additional promotional tools is one of the key advantages of using different app stores for
independent developers who may find the tight editorial control of the major stores difficult to penetrate.
To some extent, alternative app stores are becoming too big for developers to ignore. Data from the One
Platform Foundation suggests that a developer who submits their app to multiple alternative app stores will
increase their expected downloads by 200% when compared to the Google Play Store. One thing is clear,
alternative app stores can deliver increasingly impressive levels of downloads and user numbers:
AppChina has 30 million users
Tencent App Gem has 80 million users
Anzhi has 25 million users

The Amazon Appstore has 25 million apps downloaded every month
The Opera Mobile Store has 30 million apps downloaded every month
AppChina has 600 million apps downloaded every month
Wandoujia, Chinas largest alternative app store, has a staggering 200 million users with over 30 million
apps downloaded every day - 500,000 new users are acquired every day
Samsung Apps is preinstalled on more than 100 million Galaxy smartphones
Soko Media - Learn more at www.mobyaffiliates.com

App Store User base Breakdown
The chart below shows the number of users from some of the biggest alternative app stores. Wandoujia
is clearly emerging as the leader in terms of users with over 200m in total a figure that is likely to grow
significantly following its recent fundraising round of 120m. However, a number of other Chinese stores also
deliver user bases in the 10s of millions as does the SK Telecom store in South Korea.
App Store User Bases 2013 (m)
Source:One Platform Foundation,CrunchBase,TechinAsia
App Store Downloads Breakdown

The chart below shows the number of app store app downloads each month. Again, the major Chinese stores
are pushing 1bn downloads per month whilst some of the Western based players are still relatively small in
scale with volumes in the 10s rather than 100s of millions. This reflects the fact that in China, the alternative
stores are the main route to market, whereas elsewhere they remain an additional channel to iOS and Google
Play.
App Store App Download Volumes Per Month (m)
Source: One Platform Foundation,CrunchBase,TechinAsia
The List of Alternative App

Stores
With some of the advantages of alternative app stores listed above then, the next stage is knowing the specifics
of each store. Our guide below has the key information on these alternative distribution channels. If you have
any suggestions for other app stores that we may have missed, do not hesitate to get in contact with us.
SlideMe
SlideMe is an alternative app store that was founded in 2008 and is based in Seattle. Serving as a marketplace
(and featuring a growing community within this), it hosts a variety of Android apps catered to specific
audiences. The company says their philosophy is defined on the basis that one Application Store cant reach
everyone, everywhere with the applications they want. They are ranked second to Google Play when speaking
in terms of global reach for Android apps an impressive milestone.
The company provides an on-device Application Store for device vendors, and delivers the apps themselves to
niche markets through variables such as: geographical location, the device being utilised, the payment method
and apps that users cant find in a more conventional manner; SlideMe allows developers to sell their new app
globally. In essence, the company is positioned as the place that distributes developers apps to users who
do not have Google Play enabled devices available to them many of these devices have SlideMe preloaded
instead. They also offer custom distribution channels, they have no country restrictions across different
Android device types and there is no setup fee for developers.
SlideMe Breakdown

Platforms: Android
Countries: Global
Developer Services: Promotional tools, distribution platform, (no setup fee)
Key stats: Preloaded on handsets of over 140 manufacturers; features on more than 20 million Android
devices
SlideMe Store Releases

Amazon Appstore
Amazon launched their own alternative app store for Android developers in 2011 and being a well-known
brand has helped the company attract quite a lot of attention to it. The store features a smaller number of apps
than some of the other competing stores, this is partly due to their moderation process which has to meet
certain quality standards. They offer a free paid app or game every day which can generate a significant amount
of exposure for the app developer, and personalised recommendations, customer reviews and 1-Click payment
options mean users can find and install a developers app quickly and easily.
Amazon provides useful services for developers using their app store, such as: an app compatibility test that
detects problems for developers automatically the test will let developers know if their app is suitable for
publishing or not; a cross-platform analytics service that analyses user engagement through active devices,
sessions and retention; a reward program for developers called the Appstore Developer Select which offers
free ad impressions, boosts customer acquisition through Amazon coins and offers 25% credit back when
purchasing Amazon Web Services products. The company is positioned as one of the largest third-party
alternative app stores and they allow for the distribution of developers apps in over 200 countries in online and
mobile store formats.
Amazon Appstore Breakdown

Platforms: Android
Countries: Global
Developer Services: Developer select program, cross-platform analytics
Key stats: 80,000 apps on the store; 25 million apps downloaded every month
Amazon Appstore Free Apps Demo

GetJar
Founded in 2004 byIlja Laurs and based in California, GetJar has had over 2 billion apps downloaded since its
inception; 3 million apps are downloaded every day. Additionally, over 395,000 developers have registered
with the company to distribute their apps. The supported app platforms for developers are Android, the older
Windows Mobile, and even iOS, (although Android is predominant here). Users can find a developers app
through a series of categories and top and newer apps are displayed on the front page of the website-store.
On the developer side of things, there is no upfront cost and the requirements to get an app published are
minimal. Developers have the ability to target any phone or platform as well, so there is a high degree of
flexibility here. Specifically for developers looking to publish Android apps, there is the ability to grow inapp revenue through GetJars Offerwall system and the option of displaying App deals within an app and
offering in-app discounts to re-engage existing users or acquire new ones. GetJar claims to reach over 200
million Android users too developers can target this audience with free cross-promotion and the companys
proprietary Behavioral Targeting technology. They are positioned as one of the largest alternative app stores
out there at the time of writing.
GetJar Breakdown

Platforms: Android, BlackBerry, Java, Symbian, Windows Mobile
Countries: Global
Developer Services: Promotional tools, cross-platform analytics, distribution platform, (no setup fee)
Key stats: 3 million apps downloaded every day; reaches over 200 million Android users
IDCEE 2013: Official Interview with Ilja Laurs, the Founder and Chairman of GetJar

Opera Mobile Store
The Opera Mobile Store was launched in 2011 and followed the success of Opera Mobile that launched
long ago in 2000. The companys popular store boasts support for multiple app formats: Android, Java, iOS,
Windows Mobile and provides 170,000 apps and games for 6,000 different mobile phone models. The front
of the website-store features the most popular apps, new paid and free software that has just been released
and software that has been updated recently. The apps are split into key categories like Business and Finance,
Games, Multimedia, Communication and more.
App or game developers can sign up for a developer account which allows them to publish their apps to multiple
different formats; a promotional platform is also part of this free account. The stores large range of supported
app formats coupled with the fact a developers app can be distributed to 230 countries, means the platform
is positioned as one of the leading places for a developer to reach specific local markets this is ideal then for
a developer who has created an app with a definite market in mind. A new blog has also launched on the store
that offers guidance, insight and rewards for new developers with interviews, app reviews, contests and more.
Opera Mobile Store Breakdown

Platforms: Android, Java, Symbian, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, iOS
Countries: Global
Developer Services: Free promotional platform, distribution platform
Key stats: 100,000,000 users per month; 1,800,000 apps are downloaded per day; apps are published in
230 countries
Opera Mobile Advertising November 2013 from Opera Software

AppsLib
AppsLib is a specialised marketplace that was launched in 2009 by the creators of Archos tablets. The stores
apps are designed for Andorid devices with larger screens, predominantly Android tablets; the store is present
on over 2 million Android tablets. There are roughly 40,000 apps on the store itself and they are approved
individually for different tablet devices which is indicated by a stamp the apps come in paid and free varieties
as well. Users are required to choose their tablet device and create an account before they can download apps.
Developers can target a wide range of users with AppsLib and the platform offers a high amount ofspecificity:
developers have the option to choose which exact tablet devices their apps will appear on. The manufacturers
of these devices are given tools to test a developers app, which, if successful, results in the aforementioned
approved stamp that users see when browsing the store. Payment to developers is provided via PayPal, and the
revenue share model is the standard: 70% goes to the apps developer and 30% goes to the company to cover
the costs. AppsLib actually comes installed on many of the Android tablet devices the apps are created for,
meaning it has a high amount of availability to users, and consequently, a greater amount of exposure for the
developer. The companys store is positioned as one of the dominant marketplaces for Android tablet apps.
AppsLib Breakdown

Platforms: Android (mainly tablets)
Countries: Global
Developer Services: App certification, developer account for downloads and sales data, payments via
PayPal
Key stats: 40,000 apps on the store; present on over 2 million Android tablets
Restoring AppsLib Store on an Archos 32 Tablet using Wi-Fi

AppBrain
AppBrain is an online Android market browser store with the ability to enable installations directly to a users
phone. The store was founded by Mathijs Vogelzang and the Zrich-based company AppTornado in 2009. The
company has launched an impressive 35 Android apps, which when combined, total 50 million downloads
these apps are published by Swiss Codemonkeys. The store displays the Android apps via search, categories
and rankings, and sections such as hot today, all-time popular, top rated and the popularity in a certain country,
which help users to locate Android apps more efficiently at the time of writing there are 1036815 apps
available on the Android market.
AppBrain gives app developers the option of advertising their app through a pay-per-install based promotion
system to acquire new users and expand their business. The option for app developers to monetise their app
is carried out through the use of the AppLift SDK by AppBrain. The AppLift network offerwall behind this
gives users the chance to download and install free apps to their device each time one of these free apps
is downloaded, the developer generates revenue from it. Developers can create further installs through the
AppBrain network which is effective for launch campaigns. A free app can also be downloaded so users can
manage their apps on their device as well, meaning there is a higher level of availability. Users can share their
favourite apps installed on their device with other friends for the developer then, this helps to drive revenue.
AppBrain is positioned as one of the leading ways to discover Android apps, so its worth considering by
developers looking to distribute their app to an large alternative store.
AppBrain Breakdown

Platforms: Android
Countries: Global
Developer Services: AppLift SDK tools (monetisation service), promotion system, real time tracking
Key stats: Launched 35 self-developed Android apps that total over 50 million downloads
AppBrain Fast Web Installer Tutorial

Anzhi
Anzhi, once named GoAPK, is one of the oldest Chinese Android markets out there launching way back in 2008.
The popular store was backed by Chinese games giant Shanda, which has enabled Anzhi to deliver millions of
app downloads over time. The store often comes pre-installed on mobile devices, as the Google Play store is
extremely difficult to access in China. There is an app available to get Anzhi on mobile devices which allows
users to access the store and browse through the various categories the apps fall into. The apps are divided into
the following categories: featured, new, must have and topic.
Anzhi is driven primarily by its very large community where users can discuss the apps they have downloaded
this is central in dictating whether an app is successful or not for the developers. If an app is positively spoken
about in the forum, then it is likely that it will be a continuing success for the developer. If users have not
enjoyed the app however, an app developer may have difficulty being found and appreciated on the store. It is
worth mentioning that the number of malware apps on the Anzhi store can be a hindrance to both users and
developers alike, (a common problem with the alternativeChinese app stores). Anzhi is positioned as one of the
most popular Android app stores in China.
Anzhi Breakdown

Platforms: Android
Countries: China
Developer Services: Promotional tools, free account setup, app distribution
Key stats: 25 million active users
Anzhi App Store Review
10

Aptoide
Founded in 2011, Aptoide differs from many of the alternative Android app stores out there because any user
can also create their own store within its marketplace. The benefit of having such a unique system means there
is a significant diversity of apps available on the growing platform. Apps can be downloaded from the website
after installing a client and they are split into two distinct categories for users to browse through: applications,
and then a separate section for games. Like most of the alternative app stores, Aptoide can be browsed through
on both the website and via mobile devices.
On the developer side of things, Aptoide offers a Certified Publishers Program which is free to use Aptoide
claim there are no limitations for its free use. Once a developer is certified, they are entitled to certain benefits
such as being marked as a trusted developer to users by a visible stamp and having access to a larger userbase.
A certified developer also has priority in Aptoides search results, with access to app statistics which allows
them to analyse the different variables, and the ability to manage app distribution across multiple stores.
Developers are assigned a member of the Aptoide team for help with other issues they may face. The revenue
sharing conditions include in-app advertisement and in-app billing. Aptoide is positioned as one of the key and
rising alternative app stores due to its unique multi-store approach.
Aptoide Breakdown

Platforms: Android
Countries: Global
Developer Services: Certified publishers program, app statistics, multiple-store app distribution platform
Key stats: Used by 3.5 million active monthly users

Aptoide Partner Program from aptoide
11

Yandex
Founded in 1997, Yandex is a Russian internet technologies company and serves as the leading search provider
in Russia. Since their rapid growth, the giant company has also launched its own separate alternative app store
for Android devices; the Yandex store comes pre-installed onJolla handsets since a deal was successfully made
between the two companies. The store features automatic app updates, Kaspersky anti-virus protection and
mobile billing functionality. Apps and games are stylishly displayed within the Yandex store across categories
such as featured, top in the charts, and games. The APK for the store can be downloaded for free straight to
Android devices and access is granted after a simple and standard account setup process.
Developers can find a host of new distribution options that allow them to publish their new app quickly and
across all of Yandexs partner stores. The Yandex store supports payment by credit cards and mobile billing on
the developers side of things as well. Once a developer has signed up to the Yandex store, they can add their
app by going to the developer console and following the process a new app will only be approved by Yandex
once it has passed the antivirus check. In terms of the revenue share model, developers who sell their app on
the store will follow the standard 70/30 split found in many other alternative app stores. Yandex is positioned
as the store that is becoming a very serious contender for Googles own store.
Yandex App Store Breakdown

Platforms: Android
Countries: Global
Developer Services: Distribution through partner stores, payment via credit cards, mobile billing
Key stats: App store features over 85,000 apps; store is preinstalled by 6 OEMs
One Platform Foundation: Publishing to multiple appstores simplified. from Timur Dyussebayev
12

Mobango
Founded in 2006, Mobango is a community-driven alternative app store that offers a free online and mobile
service platform. Mobango allows users to create and share a wide variety of mobile content, not just apps
and games. The free online and mobile service is used by 8 million registered mobile user across 150 different
countries. Android and Java are the biggest supported formats on the store, while others such as Windows
Mobile, Symbian and BlackBerry feature a limited selection of apps. As the store provides a host of other
mobile content, applications and games are split into two separate sections. Within these two sections there
are further categories like Education or Business for the apps section and Action or Adventure for games.
Developers can publish their mobile apps and games for free by registering with Mobango. Distribution and
the promotion of these apps or games happens from the self-serve platform developers may also track
the progress of their app here. While promoting their app on Mobango, developers pay per each individual
completed download. A developers app is promoted in premium areas of the store, that in turn help to drive the
downloads and installs. Mobango does not offer a form of monetisation for developers, instead the promotion
and subsequent downloads of their app is the incentive to publish. Mobango is positioned as the largest mobile
web community in the world, and with its continued growth, the number of app developers jumping aboard is
rising.
Mobango Breakdown

Platforms: Android, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, Java, Symbian
Countries: Global
Developer Services: Self-serve platform for distribution and promotion
Key stats: 100,000 apps across all platforms; 1bn total downloads globally; 40,000 developers signed up;
8mn users
Mobango apps store from mobangoltd
13

AppsZoom
Founded in 2009, AppsZoom is an alternative app store that features apps and games for both the Android
and iOS formats. Thousands of apps and games are reviewed every year by the editorial team to ensure there
is a quality selection for users to browse through. Making sure there is a healthy selection of apps for users
is so central to AppsZoom that they recently won the Best Mobile App Review Site as part of their growing
success. The apps on the website are displayed in various categories along with a dedicated section for both
Android and iOS. A community feature is another aspect that AppsZoom can boast users have the ability to
find out what others are installing through activity feeds that help promote exciting new apps on the rise. A blog
is also independently managed by the team at AppsZoom which provides important updates on the mobile app
industry.
Developers are not left out either, with AppsZoom providing a host of tools to make app distribution as easy
as possible. Fitting in with the overall image of the store, developers are rewarded for their quality apps.
A developers app has the option of being reviewed by a member of the team, which if acclaimed, means: a
reviewed app is downloaded four times more than one without a review, developers can share their credible
reference and their app is featured in an exclusive latest reviews section. There is also an app analysis section
for developers which recommends what needs to be improved on an individual app there is a fee for using this
service. AppsZoom can handle the promotion side of things too, with Geotargeting, CPI/CPC /CPM options,
Campaign schedules and Campaign reports being part of the service. Lastly, APK downloads allow users who
dont have Google Play to download a developers app. AppsZoom is positioned as a growing alternative app
store that is focused on alerting users to new, exciting and quality apps, while providing ways for developers to
get discovered as well.
AppsZoom Breakdown

Platforms: Android, iOS
Countries: Global
Developer Services: Promotional tools (Geotargeting, CPI, CPC and CPM), distribution tools, app analysis,
APK downloads
Key stats: AppsZoom Apps Discoverer app downloaded 125,000 times
AppsZoom Social Features Demonstration
14

Baidu
Baidu, Chinas leading search engine, decided to join in the mobile apps industry by launching their own
alternative app store for Android devices. The Baidu store aggregates apps from other third-party stores in an
aim to ensure there is a comprehensive library available to users a mobile app is available for users who prefer
to browse on the go rather than on a computer. Apps are displayed on the web page in columns, and a star rating
indicates the popularity of an app to the user. At the top of the page some apps are featured with a large image
advertising them; a great way for developers to get their app noticed on the giant store. A search bar feature
allows users to find apps they were looking for, or to discover new ones they might not have known about.
One of the major advantages of signing up to develop at Baidu is that a developers apps are displayed through
the search results of many of Baidus biggest services. The search engine itself is one of these services, and
as Baidu comfortably leads in this area, the chances of a developers app getting noticed is greatly increased.
One of the key problems for some developers has been that the opportunity to distribute apps in Baidus store
is hindered by the language barrier Baidu has since launched an English language website for developers
who want to take part in the huge and foreign app market. The website serves as an introduction to Baidus
developer tools, such as: the in-App ad service, an analytics platform, PCE (Personal Cloud Storage), BCE,
(Baidu Cloud Environment), and more. The website also offers news updates on the mobile apps industry. Baidu
has said it plans to significantly expand the website so any developer who wants to tackle the foreign market
can do so. Baidu is positioned as the leading search engine in China, and their alternative app store is becoming
one many developers want to sign up to.
Baidu App Store Breakdown

Platforms: Android
Countries: China
Developer Services: Promotional tools, analytics service, in-app updates, MTC centre
Key stats: 69 million daily native apps are distributed through the store
Baidu from Nanor
15

Samsung Apps
Samsung launched its alternative app store in 2009 with the aim of providing a place where users could
download apps across Samsungs extensive mobile product range this includes tablets of course. The apps are
specially catered to Android Samsung devices and there is a range of free and paid applications for users to
browse through. The left side of the store displays the categories of apps that are available, with health and
fitness to social networking to pure entertainment apps top paid, top free and top new sections also feature
prominently on the store. At the very top of the store is a premium choice section recognising some of the best
apps on the store. Apps can also be displayed via the user inputting what device they have.
Developers have access to development tools such as the Samsung Mobile SDK, an in-app purchase system, and
the AdHub SDK. The Samsung Mobile SDK consists of ten independent packages with their own features to
help developers during the creation process these packages range from gesture, media control, motion, image
filters and more. The Samsung in-app purchase system allows developers to sell additional content with their
Android apps it also means they can provide a variety of items to the users. The Samsung AdHub SDK allows
developers (and advertisers) to generate revenue through their apps by using Real-time-bidding functionality
as their advertising solution. Samsung is the number one leading mobile phone manufacturer, so it comes as no
surprise that their Android app store carries some significant force behind it.
Samsung Apps Breakdown

Platforms: Android
Countries: Global
Developer Services: Samsung Mobile SDK, promotional tools, in-app purchase system, real-time bidding
Key stats: Samsung distributes its apps in 125 different countries
Samsung Apps Web Tutorial
16

1Mobile
1Mobile is an alternative app store that provides a collection of mobile apps, games and videos. Multiple mobile
formats are catered to on the website, but Googles Android format features the largest library of applications.
The apps are displayed in a variety of ways on the website: there is a Games of the Week feature at the top
that lists the best new apps and games to appear on Google Play within the last week, an editors choice section
where the editors list their favourite 50 games and apps, the top trends of recent times and more. A section of
the website is also home to the 1Mobile Market APK the dedicated 1Mobile store app for mobile devices that
allows users to browse, download and install over60,000 apps wherever they are.
Developers have to go through a standard registration procedure before they can start publishing apps on
1Mobile. Once they have registered for an account, developers submit their app to 1Mobile for an AppReview
if the developers app is judged to be of a high enough quality to be published, it will appear on 1Mobile within
2 business days. If the app doesnt meet the certain requirements, then the developer will have to respond to
the feedback and fix any present errors its part of 1Mobile being a store that focuses on providing a selection
of quality apps to its users. The revenue share model for 1Mobile is the standard 70/30 split a special SDK is
required for the purpose of in-app billing. 1Mobile is positioned as an app store that is focused on becoming the
leading alternative choice for app store sales and distribution.
1Mobile Breakdown

Platforms: Android
Countries: Global
Developer Services: Distribution platform, promotional tools, SDK required (for in-app billing)
Key stats: There are over 500,000 Android apps on the 1Mobile market
1Mobile App Demonstration
17

AppChina
AppChina (formerly Qiuqiu), is an alternative app store that was founded in 2011. With 30 million users
installing the stores mobile client, and a completed A-round funding worth $6.35 million, AppChina aims to
become the leading Chinese app store in the mobile apps industry no easy task with multiple competitors
that are determined to do the same. A unique feature of AppChina is that it is the only app store in China to
pay back double any loss resulting from virus-infected apps to its users. There is also a host of different ways
to download the apps on the store: users can download the APK files to their computer, they can use use the
Peapod Client separately to download the apps, they can get a download link through a text message, or they
can use the official and dedicated app from AppChina.
Developers have to register for an account on AppChina, and once this is completed, they can upload and
update any apps that are being distributed. AppChina reviews every app submitted to them within 1-3
business days, and any app that doesnt meet the requirements will be sent back to the developer for changes.
Developers from countries other than China, that want to distribute their apps to the store, may find it difficult
as there is very little in the way of help at the time of writing. AppChina is positioned as one of the rapidly
growing alternative Chinese app stores fighting for first place in the evergrowing mobile apps industry with
huge funding backing them and new features appearing frequently, they may well take the top spot.
AppChina Breakdown

Platforms: Android
Countries: China
Developer Services: Distribution platform and promotional services
Key stats: There are 120,000 apps available on the store; on average, each app is downloaded 5,000 times
AppChina Store Demonstration
18

AndroidPit
The young Berlin-based company AndroidPit launched their own alternative app store in in 2009. The
companys growing Android platform is now home to over 1 million registered users who are catered to on
a daily basis. Features such as a news feed that is updated frequently, a friendly and vibrant forum, and fair
and detailed application reviews have been at the core of acquiring their userbase. Apps can be installed from
the AndroidPit website itself or the dedicated app that can be found here. The free app features most of the
content that is found on the website, from app reviews, app recommendations, news articles, hot topics, the
ability to leave a comment and more.
Registering to develop with AndroidPit has benefits such as the ability for developers to reach AndroidPits
partner stores upon app distribution (GMX, 1&1, Smartbook, Telefunken and more), and the fact that the app
will be delivered to the respective Android device automatically. The revenue share model is the standard for
most app stores: for developers this is the 70/30 split. Paypal and Click&Buy are also supported by AndroidPit
meaning there is more choice for developers. Every download and install is tracked for developers and can
be found on the developer profile page there is also a purchase notification feature that informs developers
about each purchase and return of their app, with the ability to automatically send a notification e-mail to the
purchaser if desired. AndroidPit is positioned as the largest independent Android platform on a global scale.
AndroidPit Breakdown

Platforms: Android
Countries: Global
Developer Services: App distribution platform (partner stores included), app statistics service, Paypal and
Click&Buy support
Key stats: There are 5.4 million unique users per month; there are 14,871 developers registered at the time
of writing
AndroidPit 2.0 App
19

Soc.io Mall
Soc.io Mall serves as both a small alternative Android app store that is dedicated to apps and games, while
also providing an extensive range of eBooks, with music and video support also to come at a later date. Soc.
io Mall aims to make each persons experience unique by catering to their individual tastes the vision is that
everything a user would need that is Android related can be found on the store. Apps and games are separated
into the categories of new releases, top rated, top downloaded, all apps, and all games. There is also a number of
large image panels that advertise the most popular and latest apps right at the top of the site ideal for a new
developer looking to get some exposure.
Developers that want to sign up and submit an app to Soc.io Mall can do so for free. Soc.io Mall has also
developed a Licensing Library for developers who are worried about the possibility of piracy. The Licensing
Library ensures that paid apps or games are run only on devices of the users who actually purchased them
developers will have to embed the licensing mechanism within there app to take advantage of it. Other major
benefits for developers looking to get involved include the ability for their app to be distributed everywhere,
and the high revenue share model offered: an 80/20 split for developers. While Soc.io Mall is still very much in
its infancy, there is undoubtedly a huge amount of potential here with eBooks, apps, games and the promise of
more in the future, Soc.io Mall could become the definitive place for Android-related entertainment.
Soc.io Mall Breakdown

Platforms: Android
Countries: Global
Developer Services: Distribution market, Licensing Library
Key stats: The store is pre-installed on 5 million devices worldwide; a total of 40,000 products are available
on the store
Soc.io Mall Demonstration
20

PandaApp
PandaApp is an alternative app store that provides apps and game downloads for the Android, iOS and
Windows Phone formats. There is a healthy selection of additional content to be found on the website as
well: news stories and app reviews are updated on a frequent basis for all three formats, and the website also
features video, ringtone and wallpaper libraries for users to browse and download. Once users have joined
PandaApp they can participate in a number of different activities too, from earning PandaApp gold, setting
up their own VIP accounts, and winning free promo-codes. A collection of images at the top of the website
showcases top 10 lists, new games, and the most popular apps on the store. There is also a dedicated app for
the PandaApp store on Android that features the following: app management services, the ability to sync files,
a backup and restore function, and the ability to see trending apps with trendy resources. The app can be
downloaded here.
Submitting an app to the PandaApp store requires a developer to sign up and fill in their details the whole
sign up process is free as standard. Once they have signed up developers can submit their app to PandaApp
for approval. While PandaApp handles the promotion side of things, the developer takes charge of the game
content update, customer service and publishing. The revenue share model is not a generous as some of the
other stores out there, with a 40/60 split in PandaApps favour there is the option to pay for downloads to
increase an apps popularity. PandaApp is positioned as a multi-format alternative app store on the rise, with a
dedicated collection of mobile content and a growing community to back its ambitions.
PandaApp Breakdown

Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows Phone
Countries: China
Developer Services: Free account sign up, promotion, distribution services
Key stats: There are over 3 million and a half users
PandaApp Interview with Gameloft Eric Tan
21

Tencent App Gem
Tencent serves as one of Chinas largest and most used internet service portals and is continually updating and
improving its internet, mobile and telecom services and online advertising. Like Baidu, search engine provider
Tencent also has an alternative app store, Tencent App Gem, that aims to provide users with a host of Android
apps via its website and dedicated app. The store is in direct competition with the other emerging third-party
Chinese app stores. The website and the dedicated app includes apps for both mobile phone devices and tablets
the Android app itself features: a clean and simple interface, enhanced sharing functionality, data backup
options and additional mobile content available to download such as videos, wallpapers, and more.
As ever, western developers looking to get involved in the huge app store have to contend with the language
barrier problem. A developer is required to sign up to submit an app to the Tencent App Gem store which is free
the chance of getting featured on the store can be low, but Tencent has begun to reach out to app developers
looking to jump aboard by forming new partnerships. A key boast of being featured on theTencent App Gem
store for developers is of course having the chance to access a massive userbase across multiple devices.
Helped by the fact that Tencent itself is the powerhouse provider behind Tencent QQ, the Tencent App Gem
store is securely positioned as one of the largest Chinese alternative app stores out there at the moment.
Tencent App GemBreakdown

Platforms: Android
Countries: China
Developer Services: Distribution platform to multiple devices
Key stats: The store is used by more than 80 million active monthly users; there are over 100,000 Android
apps on the store
22

Wandoujia
Wandoujia is Chinas largest alternative app store. Launched in 2010 originally as a PC suite for mobile
management, the store offers a huge collection of Android apps for users to browse through and download
at their leisure. The apps are not actually hosted on Wandoujia, rather the store aggregates the Android apps
from other sources. The global version of Wandoujia is known as SnapPea SnapPea has to be downloadedto a
users computer (on a Windows operating system) before it can used to sync across photos, download apps and
talk to contacts via text messages.
Developers wishing to sign up will need to visit the developer centre here from there, Wandoujia will review
the pending account within two working days, and if approved, a developers APK files can then be submitted
to the store for review. Wandoujia states that foreign developers are a big focus of their overall vision, with
existing partners such as Flipboard, Evernote Sketch, Evernote Food, Path, Pocket, and Line proving to be highly
successful for them. The store has a payment SDK for in-app purchases and billing is carried out via Alipay
revenue reports are shared with a developer on a monthly basis. The revenue share model for app developers is
the following: 40% goes to the developer, the mobile carrier will take 30% (generally a developer will integrate
a mobile carriers SDK into their app), and Wandoujia takes 30% of the revenue for promotion purposes.
Wandoujia is positioned as the leading Chinese alternative app store.
Wandoujia Breakdown

Platforms: Android
Countries: China
Developer Services: Statistics and revenue reports, in-app purchases and billing via Alipay (Payment SDK)
Key stats: Over 200 million users; Over 30 million apps downloaded every day.
The Wandoujia Story from WandouLabs
23

HiAPK
HiAPK is another one of Chinas big alternative app stores that is competing for the top spot against a serious
group of rivals. Purchased by NetDragon, a Chinese online game developer and operator, the store features
an expanding userbase. The website is effective at targeting users who are searching for suggestions and
app information for their Android-enabled mobile devices. The website splits its content into the following
categories: mobile games, apps that come under the title software, and specific games and apps for a specific
type of phone model. The dedicated Android app itself features the ability to download, share and discover
apps together with other people, recommends the hottest apps on the store, and even features a form of microblogging which allows for a discussion on anything app-related.
Western developers that want to get involved withHiAPK will face similar problems to the other Chinese
alternative app stores, namely the issue of the language barrier. As with the other stores, overcoming this can
lead to a developers app getting distributed to a huge userbase app developer Punchbox claims the store
brought them 3.5 million app downloads. Developers can sign up and register here, and if they are approved,
will gain access to a developer portal to start submitting their apps. The alternative app store is positioned as
another significant and growing force in the Chinese mobile apps industry.
HiAPK Breakdown

Platforms: Android
Countries: China
Developer Services: Free sign up, distribution platform
Key stats: The store has acquired 100 million users; there are over 290 million app downloads every month
Intro to Wandoujia Handpicked Apps from WandouLabs
24

SK T-Store
The SK T-Store was founded in October 2011 by SK planet, a subsidiary of SK telecom. The Korean alternative
app store has a large userbase and millions of apps are downloaded every month the store distributes apps
to Android devices in the South Korean market. In the future, the alternative app store is focusing on an
increased level of diversity and further content, with plans to expand the eBooks, videos, and other multimedia
applications available to Android mobile users. Apps and games are displayed on the store in various tabs at the
top, and the ability to download the dedicated Android app is available on the website.
Developers that want to jump into the Korean app store market will need to sign up and register in the
standard procedure. Of course, as with most of the foreign app markets, the language barrier is big problem
for developers looking to distribute their app in new areas. The SK T-Store uses the standard revenue model
for app stores, with developers deciding on their app prices and taking 70% percent of the total revenue, the
other 30% goes to the company each developers app has to individually be approved. The app store offers
developers the ability to use an analytics service provided by Flurry Analytics the process requires developers
to install the Flurry SDK which then enables them to see reports, revenue metrics, app engagement, app
retention, and more. The SK T-Store is positioned as a dominant force in the South Korean mobile apps market.
SK T-Store Breakdown

Platforms: Android
Countries: Korea
Developer Services: Analytics service, distribution platform
Key stats: There are over 18 million users on the store; there have been over 1.5 billion app downloads; 28
million downloads every month; there are 100,000 apps on the store
Overview from sktstore
25

D.cn Games Center
The alternative app store D.cn Games Center, also known as Downjoy, was founded in 2004 by CEO Harry
Xiao the store was also an official partner of Rovio Mobile in 2011. The store, as the name would suggest,
specialises in mobile gaming, but there is a large selection of other apps featured on there as well. The mobile
games and apps are distributed to a variety of mobile platforms from Android to Windows Phone. The stores
community has been building for over 10 years, and Downjoy says its users are willing to spend more on games
because of this fact they claim to drive one of the highest ARPUs (Average revenue per user) in the mobile
gaming industry. The website-store also features a set of independent web pages that are dedicated to each of
the key mobile platforms.
App developers looking to get involved and signed up with the D.cn Games Center have a host of advantages
for doing so especially if mobile gaming is their forte. Downjoy, via its Games Center, provides game
recommendations, a user community and data information services to help developers. Developers are also
helped by the alternative store in three ways: Downjoy can be the exclusive distributor of a developers app;
they may serve as a business incubator by conducting a host of business, management and marketing training
for the developer; they may also provide small bridge loans to the app developers that need some extra financial
aid. Downjoy claims its top mobile games developers generate high revenues, with some earning over 5mn RMB
monthly. D.cn Games Center is positioned as the largest mobile gaming platform in China, and they continue to
build in strength.
D.cn Games CenterBreakdown

Platforms: Android, iOS, Symbian, Windows Phone
Countries: China
Developer Services: Distribution platform, financial support, developer training, data information services
Key stats: Over 80 million users on the store; 50 million daily unique users; 10 million app downloads a day
26
Final thoughts
There you have it, a list of some of the biggest and fastest growing alternative app stores for developers to
distribute their app or mobile game to. With such a large number of specialist stores to choose from, it may well
be hard for developers to decide which to use.
One option for developers seeking to take advantage of multiple app stores is to use one of the app store
submission platforms that are popping up. For example, Codengo provides distribution to over 20 app stores
from a single form fill, whilst the mobile ad network Inmobi has recently acquired and developed a similar
system called App Publish. The onepf organisation is also attempting to create a standard for independent app
stores to make it easier for developers to submit and maintain apps on multiple stores. As an alternative to
distributing over a wide variety of app stores, developers should take the time to think about where they want
their app to go and should submit to a smaller number of stores. The right store depends on the target market
and the type of app or game that is being offered. We hope that this research will be useful to anyone seeking to
navigate this sector of the app market and that they find new sources of distribution and growth.
27
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App Marketing Networks 2014

An inside guide, from the experts at