Setapp Will Be One of iPhone's First Alternative App Marketplaces in EU

MacPaw today announced that Setapp will be available as an alternative app marketplace on the iPhone in the EU starting in April. Those wanting access to the beta version can join a waitlist, and developers interested in the platform can apply on this page.

Setapp iOS
Alternative app marketplaces are among the several changes that Apple is implementing in the EU with iOS 17.4, in order to comply with the Digital Markets Act.

On the Mac, Setapp is a popular subscription-based service that provides users with access to a curated collection of dozens of popular apps for $9.99 per month. This includes apps like Ulysses, iStat Menus, Spark Mail, Unite, Yoink, and more. Starting with iOS 17.4 and later, Setapp will be available directly on the iPhone in the EU.

MacPaw said the Setapp Mobile beta will offer a "carefully selected assortment of apps":

Productivity and Business Tools: Boost your efficiency with tools for managing your schedule, staying on track, personalizing your internet experience, and much more.

Creative and Design Software: Unlock your creative potential with intuitive tools designed for photo animation, document creation, and more.

Lifestyle and Productivity: Improve your daily routines with apps that help you build better habits, stay updated with the latest news, and efficiently manage your notes and ideas.

Utility Apps: Make everyday tasks easier with applications that enable you to share files effortlessly, monitor your spending, and streamline your idea organization process.

Specialized Professional Tools: Engage with advanced applications tailored for detailed document searches, comprehensive database management, and more.

MacPaw is one of the first companies to announce plans to offer an alternative app marketplace on the iPhone in the EU, along with Epic Games. Setapp subscribers on the Mac can already access a collection of iOS apps with a QR code system, and the alternative app marketplace will offer a more streamlined experience.

Apple is expected to release iOS 17.4 on or before March 6, the deadline for complying with the Digital Markets Act. For additional details about the changes coming to the App Store and more in the EU, read our previous coverage. The changes do not apply outside of the EU, nor do they apply to iPadOS in any country.

Related Roundups: iOS 17, iPadOS 17
Tag: Setapp
Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17

Top Rated Comments

tonyob Avatar
10 weeks ago
No thanks. Will only ever use the Apple App Store!
Score: 51 Votes (Like | Disagree)
error Avatar
10 weeks ago
I (EU citizen) am so not interested in alternative app marketplaces.
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
10 weeks ago
Congratulations EU friends on now having another choice of app supply, access to apps that the rest of us will NOT be able to access, etc... with many more app stores and app buying options to follow. Inevitably, competition will lead to lower app pricing too (as only competition can), so enjoy getting some of the same apps the rest of us get... but paying less for some of them. And of course, those of you in the EU who have bought the whole "doomed" scenario still have access to the Apple App Store too, so you can keep getting apps the way you always have if you prefer.

Meanwhile, the rest of us will try to keep spinning how doomed you are (virus, trojans, crime syndicates, identity theft, fire, brimstone, locusts, frogs, plague, etc) and how much better we have it with a single "Company Store" fully controlling what we can and cannot access on devices we own... in spite of having the very same seller:buyer relationships with Mac, where we have all of the same freedoms you are beginning to enjoy (and no dramatic consequences in enjoying such freedoms ourselves).

Also congratulations to developers of amazing apps for now having a way to optionally charge a bit less but make more for the work in creating and maintaining iDevice apps... by not having 15%-30% coming right off the top if they are so inclined... exactly as it is with Mac apps should those developers wish to run their own App Store and sell their Mac apps directly to any of us.

Time will now show how all that security spin was mostly a pile of nonsense... as we all already know by not having our Macs compromised by the very same arrangement for all these years we've used Macs.... and as we recently learned against the great outrage of "forced USB-C" NOT resulting in lint extinction, wobbly ports and broken tongues at every turn (I'm still finding lint everywhere I used to find lint... and nary a single USB-C port repair kiosk has popped up in popular places to fix all those wobbly ports with broken tongues).

Will there be a few instances of virus, etc? Likely, as there are already a few instances of bad apps getting to people through the Apple App Store too. But I don't expect any more as a percentage of all EU iDevices than infected/compromised Macs as a percentage of all EU Macs. If EU people make intelligent app acquisition choices, they'll be just fine... just as we all are when we make intelligent Mac app acquisition choices.

Enjoy your new freedoms of choice EU Apple people. As an American, I envy this great advantage over my own highly-constrained potentials and only a single choice as shopkeeper.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
josselinco Avatar
10 weeks ago
They were so smart with SetApp. Been paying for 6 years for 10 apps I could have just bought by now ?
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hagar Avatar
10 weeks ago
A happy EU-based Setapp user here. So I will definitely be downloading.

Regardless of the unwarranted drama about these alternative stores being a gateway to hell.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
erikkfi Avatar
10 weeks ago
I look forward to hearing about the interesting, innovative apps that were rejected from the App Store for content or legal reasons that SetApp will now offer.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

f 7ba5b5b668dd68b7179a599305cff6b117ef35d1

Apple Announces New iPad Pro With M4 Chip, OLED Display, and More

Tuesday May 7, 2024 7:15 am PDT by
Apple today unveiled redesigned iPad Pro models featuring the M4 chip, Ultra Retina XDR OLED displays, a nano-texture display option, and more. The new iPad Pro offers a considerably thinner design and slightly larger 11- and 13-inch display size options. The 11-inch model is 5.3mm thick and weighs less than a pound, while the 13-inch model is just 5.1mm thick and weighs a quarter pound less ...
5

Apple Event Live Blog: New iPad Pro, iPad Air, and More

Tuesday May 7, 2024 6:33 am PDT by
Apple's "Let Loose" event kicks off today at the unusual time of 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time, and we're expecting to see an iPad-focused event with new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, updated Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard accessories, and perhaps some other announcements. Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, on YouTube, and in the company's TV app across various platforms. We...
iOS 17 All New Features Thumb

Apple Says iOS 17.5 Coming 'Soon' With These New Features for iPhones

Monday May 6, 2024 7:33 am PDT by
Apple today announced that iOS 17.5 will be released to the public "soon," following over a month of beta testing. While the software update is relatively minor, it does have a few new features and changes, as outlined in the list below. "The new Pride Radiance watch face and iPhone and iPad wallpapers will be available soon with watchOS 10.5, iOS 17.5, and iPadOS 17.5," said Apple, in its...
f 157980180c661f30ff9611287c90241baf30faff

Apple Announces Redesigned Magic Keyboard for New iPad Pro Starting at $299

Tuesday May 7, 2024 7:39 am PDT by
Apple at its "Let Loose" event today announced a new Magic Keyboard for the latest iPad Pro models, with a thinner, lighter design. Apple says the Magic Keyboard has been redesigned to be thinner and lighter, while maintaing the same floating design. Two colors are available that match the new iPad Pro. New features include a function row with screen brightness controls, an aluminum...
maxresdefault

Everything Announced at Today's Apple Event

Tuesday May 7, 2024 1:06 pm PDT by
Apple today held the first event of 2024, debuting new iPad Air and iPad Pro models and accompanying accessories. While the event was faster than normal and took 40 minutes, we've condensed it down even further for those who want a quick overview of everything that was announced. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've also got a full recap of all of the coverage...
iPhone 15 Colors yellow

'iPhone 17 Slim' With Smaller Display Rumored to Launch Next Year

Monday May 6, 2024 9:14 am PDT by
While the iPhone 16 series is still months away from launching, an early rumor about an all-new iPhone 17 model has now surfaced. In a research note with investment firm Haitong this week, analyst Jeff Pu said Apple is planning a so-called "iPhone 17 Slim" model that would replace the Plus model in the lineup. Pu said this model will feature around a 6.6-inch display, a slimmer design, an...
Apple iPad Air hero 240507

Apple Announces New M2 iPad Air Models in 11-Inch and 13-Inch Sizes From $599

Tuesday May 7, 2024 7:10 am PDT by
Apple at its "Let Loose" event today announced new M2-powered iPad Air models in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes with a new landscape FaceTime camera, AI features, and better sound quality with the larger model. Apple says the iPad Air has been designed "to make features pioneered on iPad Pro at a more affordable price," with the brand new larger 13-inch model offering 30% more screen real estate ...