Setapp's EU Alternative iPhone App Marketplace Launching on May 14

MacPaw today said that its Setapp alternative app marketplace for the iPhone will be launching on Tuesday, May 14 in the European Union.

Setapp iOS
A Setapp marketplace has been in the works since February, which is when Apple first announced the alternative app downloading options that would be coming in iOS 17.4.

For those unfamiliar with Setapp, it is a subscription-based service that lets users access dozens of apps for $9.99 per month. Popular apps like Ulysses, iStat Menus, Spark, Unite, Yoink, and more are available through the current subscription service.

According to MacPaw, Setapp will provide a "carefully selected assortment of apps" across categories like productivity, design, lifestyle, utility, and more.

Setapp already offers a $12.49 subscription that provides access to both the iOS and Mac versions of apps, but EU users will be able to access Setapp apps without having to download them through the App Store. Setapp will give developers a trusted alternative to ‌App Store‌ distribution with none of the standard fees, though it is worth noting that all apps that exceed 1 million first installs per year must pay the 0.50 euro Core Technology Fee to Apple.

Apps distributed through alternative app marketplaces are required to submit to a notarization process to ensure they are free from malware, but Apple does not have restrictions on content so apps that might not have been eligible for the ‌App Store‌ can be distributed through alternative means.

Tag: Setapp

Popular Stories

apple launch feb 2025 alt

Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring. There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category. M4...
prioritize notifications ios 18 4

Everything New in iOS 18.4 Beta 1

Friday February 21, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Apple finally released the first beta of iOS 18.4 to developers for testing purposes, and while the beta is lacking some of the Apple Intelligence features we were hoping for, there are some notable new additions. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Priority Notifications - Apple Intelligence There is a new Priority Notifications feature that can show you your most...
Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
ios 18 4 ambient music

iOS 18.4 Adds New Ambient Music Feature

Friday February 21, 2025 11:06 am PST by
In iOS 18.4, there's a new Ambient Music option that can be added to Control Center. There are four different sound categories, including Sleep, Chill, Productivity, and Wellbeing. Each category can be added to Control Center separately, and tapping one plays a random selection of sounds or music from that particular category. You can't choose what's playing from Control Center, but if...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Denies Speculation Surrounding iPhone 16e's Lack of MagSafe

Friday February 21, 2025 8:01 am PST by
Apple has confirmed that its custom-designed C1 modem in the iPhone 16e has nothing to do with the device's lack of MagSafe support, according to Macworld. Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, there was some speculation online about how MagSafe magnets might have interfered with the C1 modem's cellular connectivity performance, and this was considered to be a potential reason for the...
Generic iOS 18

Here's When Apple Will Release iOS 18.4

Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch. All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
oppo find n5 fingers

World's Thinnest Foldable Phone Launches in Europe and Asia

Thursday February 20, 2025 8:55 am PST by
Oppo has launched the Find N5, the world's thinnest foldable phone yet. When closed, the book-style foldable measures 8.93mm. That's less than a millimeter thicker than an iPhone 16 Pro, and thinner than the Honor Magic V3, which was the previous record holder. The device is barely thicker than its USB-C port. Indeed, Oppo has suggested that the obstacle to making it any thinner is now "the...

Top Rated Comments

mike2q Avatar
10 months ago

Use at your own risk.
Give your burner account a break Mr Cook. You lost the fight. ?
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
erikkfi Avatar
10 months ago

all apps that exceed 1 million first installs per year must pay the 0.50 euro Core Technology Fee to Apple.
Until the EU properly strikes down this absurd and anticompetitive requirement.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hagar Avatar
10 months ago

It’s about trust. I won’t trust some 3rd party App Store ever nor will I use my CC’s with one.
And that’s fine. It’s all about choice.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
johannnn Avatar
10 months ago
Fragmented App Stores here we come.

I will never forgive Epic and Spotify for starting this crap.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hagar Avatar
10 months ago

Use at your own risk.
What risks? The exacte same apps you get from this store are also available in the regular App Store. But as individual purchases/subscriptions and therefore likely more expensive.


Cool, although this may backfire for MacPaw. Are they removing their apps from Apple’s App Store in the EU?
Unlikely they will remove their own apps or demand to remove the third party apps from the App Store.

That’s the beauty of this evolution: want to purchase the apps from the App Store? you can. Want to rent them through the subscription model of Setapp? You can as well. Everyone crying this EU-law would be the end of civilisation is simply flat out wrong.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
frenchcamp49er Avatar
10 months ago

That (fictional but probably not far from the truth) percentage will quickly change when apps offering Apple censured content or functionalities are launched.
It’s about trust. I won’t trust some 3rd party App Store ever nor will I use my CC’s with one.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)