I stopped relying on Google Play for apps, and here’s what I switched to
I stopped relying on Google Play for apps, and here’s what I switched to
https://www.androidpolice.com/found-better-google-play-alternative/
Publish Date: 2026-06-14 15:01:00
Source Domain: www.androidpolice.com
For most Android users, the Google Play Store is the place you automatically turn to whenever you need a new app.
Every time you hear about a new service, spot an app on a billboard, and scan the QR code to install it, chances are it takes you straight to the Play Store.
For years, I’ve used it the same way, pretty much as the default destination for everything Android.
That said, the Play Store isn’t perfect. There are still plenty of apps that slip through Google’s review process that probably shouldn’t be there.
I’m also not a huge fan of how much AI Google is now pushing throughout the Play Store.
Then there’s the fact that many apps that are available for free elsewhere are often packed with ads on the Play Store.
Over the past few months, I’ve become a big fan of open source Android apps. I’ve switched both my gallery and file manager apps to Fossify’s open source alternatives. But Fossify is just the tip of the iceberg.
There are tons of great open source Android apps out there that never make it to the Play Store. The biggest challenge isn’t finding good apps, it’s discovering them.
That is why SafeHaven caught my attention. This Android app store is quickly gaining popularity because it aims to solve exactly that problem, acting as a storefront not just for Fossify apps, but for open source Android apps as a whole.
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