Publishing apps outside of the Play Store

[Rohan Panesar]

Any developers on here publish apps to stores other than the Google Play Store? I'm interested in what the experience is like. Are there any benefits or drawbacks to using alternative stores?

 

[puppykickr]

Personally, I am not a develoer.
But I despise Google- what they do and how they do it.

There are multiple alternatives to use.

I like (in order) F-Droid (FOSS apps), UpToDown, ApkPure, and ApkMirror.

The main drawback in your case would be exposure, due to the stranglehold Google wants to have over Android customers.
In fact, you must overlook multiple scary warnings about using third parry app stores just to be able to do so.

This is enough to scare most people into only using Google, which also just so happens to be the largest purveyor of malware, adware, spamware, and junk apps.

 

[svim]

The reality is staying clear of Google's Play Store will significantly reduce the exposure of your app. The Play Store is still the source for apps that an overwhelming number of Android users rely upon. Most consumers use it exclusively and don't even bother with trying to determine whether third-party sources are valid or not.
So depending on the type of app you're going to upload, it's more a matter of determining your target audience. If you want more eyeballs on your app the Play Store is pretty much what you should opt to use. If you have some kind of unique utility app, you might get by just using third-party sources. It's more a matter of a judgement call on your part.

 

[James_Watson]

If your app is free, try something like APKMirror or APKPure.
However, if it is a paid app, maybe only the Google Play Store is more suitable.