Setapp Mobile Launches in Open Beta as Alternative App Store in EU

Ukraine-based developer MacPaw has announced the open beta release of Setapp Mobile, its alternative app store for iOS devices in the European Union. This launch comes in the wake of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which mandates support for third-party app marketplaces on iOS in the EU.

setapp mobile 1
Setapp Mobile, which has been in closed beta testing for several months, is now available to all EU users running iOS 17.4 or later. The platform offers a curated selection of over 50 apps across various categories, including productivity, finance, creativity, and utilities.

Unlike traditional app stores, Setapp Mobile operates on a subscription model, where users can access all available apps for a monthly fee of €9.49 for its "iOS Advanced" plan, with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. The app marketplace follows in the footsteps of Setapp's existing Mac-based service, which has gained popularity for its all-in-one app access approach.

The app lineup includes both MacPaw's own offerings and those from third-party developers. Notable apps available at launch include CleanMyPhone, ClearVPN, Riveo video editor, and MonAI, among others, although it's worth noting that several of these apps are free to download on the App Store.

Speaking to TechCrunch, Yaroslav Stepanenko, director of marketing at MacPaw, emphasized the company's focus on user experience and app curation. "We think there is demand for the alternative app store, so we decided to launch it and tune our business model based on the feedback from users," Stepanenko said.

MacPaw is not alone in trying its hand in the EU market for alternative app stores. Aptoide, a veteran third-party store from the Android ecosystem, recently introduced a dedicated game store for iOS. There's also AltStore PAL, featuring the game emulator Delta and various Patreon-supported apps.

These alternative app marketplaces, as Apple calls them, represent a new frontier for app distribution on iOS, but they also faces challenges, such as navigating Apple's controversial Core Technology Fee and competing with its established ‌App Store‌ ecosystem.

Popular Stories

Apple Watch Ultra Night Mode Screen

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Launching Later This Year With Two Key Upgrades

Wednesday July 2, 2025 1:13 pm PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support. Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Max Battery Capacity Leaked

Thursday July 3, 2025 5:40 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post, the leaker listed the battery capacities of the iPhone 11 Pro Max through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a battery capacity of 5,000mAh: iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh iPhone 12 Pro Max: 3,687mAh...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Magsafe

iPhone 17 Pro's New MagSafe Design Revealed in Leaked Photo

Wednesday July 2, 2025 8:37 am PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to have a slightly different MagSafe magnet layout compared to existing iPhone models, and a leaked photo has offered a closer look at the supposed new design. The leaker Majin Bu today shared a photo of alleged MagSafe magnet arrays for third-party iPhone 17 Pro cases. On existing iPhone models with MagSafe, the magnets form a...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...
Wi Fi WiFi General Feature

iOS 26 Adds a Useful New Wi-Fi Feature to Your iPhone

Wednesday July 2, 2025 6:36 am PDT by
iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 add a smaller yet useful Wi-Fi feature to iPhones and iPads. As spotted by Creative Strategies analyst Max Weinbach, sign-in details for captive Wi-Fi networks are now synced across iPhones and iPads running iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. For example, while Weinbach was staying at a Hilton hotel, his iPhone prompted him to fill in Wi-Fi details from his iPad that was already...
iOS 18

Apple Releases Second iOS 18.6 Public Beta

Tuesday July 1, 2025 10:19 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a day after Apple provided the betas to developers. Apple has also released a second beta of macOS Sequoia 15.6. Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible...

Top Rated Comments

Ctrlos Avatar
11 months ago
Oh great, here we go. Another 15 pages of propaganda from Apple apologists telling us that having alternate storefronts is but a harbinger of the apocalypse without looking at how they have functioned on Android for the last 10 years.

Guys, its getting old now. We all have consumer choice. You can continue to buy groceries from your favorite outlet without bothering people who use the store across the road.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coffeemilktea Avatar
11 months ago

Speaking to TechCrunch ('https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/17/macpaw-launches-its-alternative-ios-app-store-for-eu-in-open-beta/'), Yaroslav Stepanenko, director of marketing at MacPaw, emphasized the company's focus on user experience and app curation.
Nothing says "incredible user experience" quite like paying a monthly fee of €9.49 so you can download an app called "CleanMyPhone." :p
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SexExpert Avatar
11 months ago

I’m sure most EU iOS users are much happier and thankful that they now have the ability to pay €9.50 a month for access to groundbreaking apps like “CleanMyPhone” than they would be if they had access to Apple Intelligence. Thanks EU!
i thought Americans where supposed to be all for freedom and choice?

I think you're just mad that the EU was able to tell Apple what to do.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
surferfb Avatar
11 months ago
I’m sure most EU iOS users are much happier and thankful that they now have the ability to pay €9.50 a month for access to groundbreaking apps like “CleanMyPhone” than they would be if they had access to Apple Intelligence. Thanks EU!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JackLeBoul Avatar
11 months ago
"The subscription price includes access to Setapp's existing Mac-based service ('https://setapp.com/'),-----"

Reviews of Setapp (Mac-based) have been generally positive, with about 260 apps included in the monthly price, and now you get the mobile store for free or vice-versa. That is not too bad.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mrkevinfinnerty Avatar
11 months ago

I’m sure most EU iOS users are much happier and thankful that they now have the ability to pay €9.50 a month for access to groundbreaking apps like “CleanMyPhone” than they would be if they had access to Apple Intelligence. Thanks EU!
Non EU users looking for their access to Apple Intelligence

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)