At Uptodown, we have a unique perspective on this shift in how software is made as one of the largest alternative app marketplaces. Our Developers Console has 270,541 registered developers, and in September 2026 alone, they submitted more than 3,600 new apps for publication in our catalog. That’s one new app every 12 minutes! Naturally, this raises an obvious question: what’s our position on AI-made apps, and how do we decide whether to publish or reject them? The short answer is this: what matters isn’t how your app was built, but what it does.

The tool isn’t the problem

Every generation of software development has had its own shortcut. Visual editors, game engines, cross-platform frameworks, open source libraries… Each one was accused of filling the world with low-effort software, and each one also made possible apps that otherwise would never have existed. AI-assisted tools are among the most powerful of these shortcuts so far.

A solo developer who uses an AI coding assistant to ship a good app is exactly what we want on our platform. What we look at during review is the same as always: is the app useful, is it unique, and is it safe? A human-written app that fails those three tests is rejected. An AI-assisted app that passes them is published.

“We’re not against AI as a company. In fact, we encourage developers to use it smartly to optimize their development processes,” says Carlos Martínez, Content Team Lead at Uptodown. “What we reject is the indiscriminate use of AI-assisted tools with no review and nothing added on top. Every app we publish has to bring real value to the user. We don’t want our catalog flooded with generic content, because people come to Uptodown trusting that they’ll discover genuinely useful apps.”

But speed has a side effect. When it costs almost nothing to make an app, it costs barely more to make a hundred of them, and this is where our review process does most of its work.

What a month of app submissions looks like

Every month, we publish our numbers in our Transparency Center, along with a public archive of every previous monthly report. This is what September 2026 looked like for apps submitted by registered developers, counting both new apps and updates to existing ones:

The overall picture is good: for every rejection, between two and three submissions get through. But that average hides two very different groups. Updates from established developers whose apps are already in our catalog tend to go through without issue, but brand-new apps are a different story. When we look only at new app submissions received in the Developers Console in September, the picture changes dramatically:

Of the new apps that have already received a decision, about one in eleven was approved. The bar is high but not arbitrary: it’s the same for everyone, and the reasons for rejection show what’s really going on.

Why apps get rejected

More than half of the rejected apps didn’t meet our minimum quality standards. This is an internal standard that covers many factors not included in the other rejection reasons, such as serious usability problems, an overly confusing interface, excessive advertising, or any other point in our publishing guidelines, assessed by our specialized team of editors.

Beyond that, two of these categories deserve a closer look because AI has made them easier than ever to produce.

The empty webview. A webview app is a website wrapped in an app container. There’s nothing wrong with the technology itself, and plenty of good apps use webviews for parts of their interface. The problem arises when the app is nothing more than a website, with no offline mode, no notifications, no integration with the device, and nothing to justify installing it instead of opening a browser tab. Today, it takes a couple of minutes to turn any URL into an APK, and that’s why one in five rejections falls into this category.

The cloned template. Template apps are nothing new. For years, the mobile ecosystem has been full of apps built from the same template and released again and again with little more than a new icon, a new name, and a different color scheme, something we’ve already discussed before. AI didn’t create this problem, but it does make it easier: reskinning a template now takes minutes, and generated designs tend to look alike, so clones are quicker to produce and harder to tell apart at first glance. In September, new listings that still carried the default package identifiers of popular app builders and generators were rejected 99% of the time. We don’t reject these apps because a tool helped build them, but because nobody added anything of their own.

Why are there so many clones on Android?

Spotting a clone isn’t always easy, though. “Using AI-generated icons or screenshots is standard practice by now, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but it means the surface of an app often tells you very little,” explains Martínez. “What works for us is combining our team’s experience with automated systems that detect telltale references in the package data. That’s the formula that lets us filter fairly. And when we get it wrong, our support team is in direct contact with developers to fix any mistaken rejection or review an app again after resubmission. We’ve gotten better at this over the years.”

Security comes first

Before an app reaches our editors, it has to pass a stricter test. Every file we host is analyzed by VirusTotal, which checks it against more than 75 antivirus engines, including Kaspersky, Bitdefender, Avast, McAfee, and AVG. We also compare the file’s hashes, type, and package name with those of its previous versions to keep updates consistent.

In September, of the more than 10 million files analyzed, including new scans and rescans of existing files, 97.64% had no detections, 2.12% had between 1 and 3, and 0.24% had 4 or more. Detections aren’t automatically a verdict. Emulators, root tools, and customization apps often trigger false positives because of how deeply they interact with the system. That’s why our team has the final word on every publication. Even so, we link the full VirusTotal report next to each file so users can review the information themselves. On top of that, every detection comes with additional context that assesses the nature and real risk of each warning.

AI makes it easy to write code, including malicious code. Automated scanning plus human review is how we ensure we offer a clean, safe, and well-documented catalog.

What this means if you are building with AI

Here’s the short version: Use whatever tools make you faster and better. Then ask yourself what your app does that nothing else in the catalog already does, and why someone would install it instead of opening a website. AI has lowered the cost of building an app, but not the effort it takes for that app to be worth a user’s time. And that’s still what decides whether it gets published.

All figures refer to September 2026. Monthly and historical data are available in the Uptodown Transparency Center. Developers can start publishing through the Developers Console.

Where Winds Meet takes players to China’s Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, in 10th century, where they follow a young warrior rebuilding their identity while mastering classic wuxia martial arts across a vast, freely explorable open world. The game launched on PC and PS5 in November 2025, reaching 2 million players in its first 24 hours and 9 million within two weeks, before expanding to iOS and Android in December of that same year, with full cross-play and cross-progression across all available platforms.

To celebrate reaching 100 million players, NetEase and Everstone Studio have just released Hidden Mountain Chapter 3, the finale of the Hidden Mountain storyline, launching this week. The update brings players face to face with Qianye, the mastermind behind the tragedy that destroyed the protagonist’s home, closing out a chapter that follows earlier expansions such as Unseen Approach and Clouded Revelation released earlier this year, part of a steady stream of content that keeps the game growing.

Where Winds Meet is now officially available for download on Uptodown for both Android and Windows.

Every Uptodown feature, from your command line

Look up a program by name and get the reference in front of you in under a second, without opening a single browser tab. Install it with one command; no extra steps. Update every piece of software on your machine at once. It’s the same service, just seen through a different lens. This is still our catalog of more than 25,000 desktop programs, but now designed for users who previously had to rely on a browser or one of our official clients: sysadmins provisioning multiple machines, developers who regularly rebuild their environment, or simply people who think faster in commands than in menus.

For anyone who prefers a more visual experience without leaving the terminal, the CLI also includes a full TUI mode, which opens when you run it with no arguments. This interface features a search tab and another tab showing installed software, with icons indicating which items have pending updates. The complete command and flag reference (including advanced cases, such as excluding an app from bulk updates) is detailed in this guide.

All of this speaks to the human side of the experience, but it’s only the tip of the iceberg…

Agents: what wasn’t on the radar until now

There’s another reason we wanted to launch this client, and it has nothing to do with enthusiasts typing commands by hand. A CLI, by its very nature, is the easiest interface to operate without anyone watching the screen. There’s no button to interpret, no animation to wait for, no icon to recognize. What used to be “convenient for power users” has recently become the reason AI agents prefer command-line tools over other interfaces. An agent that needs to install software shouldn’t spend time figuring out where the install button is: it needs to run a command and read a structured response. That’s why CLIs have become the best bridge between models and real tools. The discipline known as Agent Experience (AX) focuses on exactly this: making sure agents understand what a tool does, can call it reliably, and know how to recover when something fails. Aligning with these standards is quickly becoming essential.

An agent can write code, edit files, or configure a system. But often, the best solution isn’t generating new software: it’s using software that already exists. If it needs to edit a video, compress a file, or convert a document, there are already thousands of tools for that. The problem shifts from “how do I build this” to “where is it, which version is correct, where does it come from, and how do I keep it updated”: exactly the space our catalog has operated in for twenty years, now for a new kind of user.

It’s no coincidence that Uptodown’s own CLI is already used this way internally: our desktop clients call it under the hood to manage installs without requiring human confirmation. The same path a human click takes can be followed by an automated process, and that’s exactly what an agent needs to act independently with as little friction as possible.

“Users, developers, scripts, automation… and now agents: a new class of user accessing the same software distribution layer. Uptodown already provides access to software published by hundreds of thousands of developers, millions of files and versions, structured metadata, and security analysis systems; designed until now primarily for someone sitting in front of a screen. With the CLI, we’re starting to open that same infrastructure to programmatic consumption as well.”

— Luis Hernández, CEO and co-founder of Uptodown

It’s worth being precise: we haven’t built a separate store or a special catalog for agents. It’s the same catalog everyone already uses; the difference is that programs and agents can now access it too, not just someone at a screen. Future updates will add more agent-focused functionality to return structured data useful for their workflows, whatever those may be.

This also changes how searching works. A person searches for “VLC”. An agent is more likely to start with something like “I need to play this video without uploading it to an external service,” and then decide which tool best fits the operating system, privacy needs, or license. That kind of intent-based search, rather than name-based search, is another area where a structured, verified catalog is becoming essential.

This isn’t just a matter of convenience. The more agents install software on their own (via MCP, plugins, skills, or similar systems), the more important it becomes to know where that software comes from and whether anyone has verified it. Some industry analysis already warns that AI is reopening, in a matter of months, supply-chain questions the software world spent years trying to solve. Uptodown Protect (our analysis and protection system that pulls reports from more than 70 antivirus engines via VirusTotal and already accompanies every listing) wasn’t designed with agents in mind, but it turns out to be exactly the kind of layer an automated ecosystem needs.

One more step in a plan that doesn’t end here

Our CLI is the first part of the Uptodown catalog designed from the start to be used by both people and autonomous systems acting on their behalf, but it doesn’t change our philosophy: we’re still the same open, secure, and permissive catalog. What’s different is who gets to knock on the door.

Web, Android, desktop, and now the terminal aren’t four separate products: they’re the same idea with four different modes of access, each built for a different type of user and need. If that logic holds, and everything suggests it does, the natural question isn’t whether there will be a fifth form, but what it will be and who it’s for. For now, what we can say is that we’re already laying the groundwork for new scenarios, with this CLI being one more step toward a larger vision: that Uptodown isn’t just a place where people find software, but the infrastructure both people and the systems acting on their behalf rely on.

You can get Uptodown CLI for Windows and Mac from the product’s landing page, either by downloading it manually or using a one-line install command. If you’d like a full reference guide before installing, you’ll find it in our Help Center.

• Uptodown Desktop is now available, a tool that gives users access to a catalog of more than 25,000 Windows and Mac programs that can be installed in one click without creating an account.
• The client automatically finds the software already installed on a computer and checks whether new versions are available.
• Uptodown Protect, the platform’s security layer, checks every download’s safety using VirusTotal reports before installation.

Uptodown, one of the world’s largest independent software distribution platforms with over 100 million users worldwide, has launched Uptodown Desktop, a new native tool for Windows and Mac. This new client brings Uptodown’s entire catalog of desktop software straight to the user’s computer, with an interface designed for each operating system, offering a dedicated way to discover, install, and update programs without opening a browser.

Expanding the family beyond the web

Uptodown Desktop joins Uptodown’s Android app as another native solution within the company’s product family, each tailored to a different kind of user with its own set of features. It aims to make getting software simpler and easier, in an industry increasingly constrained by the impositions of its biggest players.

“[…] More than 10 million people already use Uptodown’s Android app. Today, we’re adding native versions for Windows and macOS. Manage all the programs installed on your computer, including software from any source. Keep an eye on their security. And access the millions of files and versions available on Uptodown, directly from our new desktop client […]“, says Luis Hernández, CEO and co-founder of Uptodown. He also frames the launch as part of a wider response to how software is distributed today: “[…] Governments, operating systems, and device manufacturers keep moving in the same direction: building more walls and trying to control how software is distributed and accessed. Uptodown has other plans […]“.

How Uptodown Desktop works

Uptodown Desktop installs just like any other desktop program, giving users instant access to Uptodown’s vast library, organized by categories and featuring curated collections and editorial picks, alongside a dedicated section for managing updates to existing software.

• Automatic detection and updates: The client recognizes software already installed on a computer and flags new versions as they become available, letting users apply updates one by one or all at once.
• One-click install: Programs install silently in the background as soon as the user clicks Install. When a setup wizard is needed, it opens right away.
• Built-in search: Users can find any program in Uptodown’s catalog right from the client, without opening a browser tab.
• Uptodown Protect: Each program page includes a VirusTotal security report, drawing on more than 70 antivirus engines, so users can check what they are about to install.
• No account required: Like the rest of Uptodown, browsing, installing, and updating software do not require signing up or logging in.

Part of a bigger plan

For Uptodown, launching the desktop client is just the beginning. “[…] We’re building a common map of the software world, and Uptodown Desktop is one of the first steps toward this atlas […]“, Hernández explains. The CEO says Uptodown will continue to expand its network of native clients across platforms over the coming months, with solutions tailored to different communities and new ways to use the software.

Resources

• Uptodown Desktop https://en.uptodown.com/marketplace/desktop
• Download for Windows https://uptodown-desktop.en.uptodown.com/windows
• Download for Mac https://uptodown-desktop.en.uptodown.com/mac
• Press Release [PDF] [Press Release] Uptodown Desktop Launch
• YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLmF0upkWOE

Screenshots

About Uptodown

What is Uptodown Ads?

Uptodown Ads is an in-app monetization solution for Android developers, managed by Uptodown, that enables them to integrate premium, globally sourced advertising into their apps through a lightweight SDK compatible with existing setups. The goal isn’t to replace your current monetization strategy, but to complement it with advanced ad-serving infrastructure and a clear onboarding process from day one.

The service is powered by Google Ad Manager 360 and optimization systems based on artificial intelligence that help automatically maximize the performance of your ad inventory.

Monetization designed for real developer workflows

Most monetization strategies evolve gradually. An app starts with a simple integration and, as it grows, new demand sources, ongoing tests, and continuous adjustments appear to improve results. In that process, operational complexity often grows faster than revenue.

Uptodown Ads is designed to fit into that reality through a direct, guided integration and ongoing support to help you reach a stable monetization baseline as quickly as possible. We support clients both during the initial setup and throughout the ad-serving configuration, helping iterate on the strategy as app usage and monetization patterns evolve. The goal is to build a sustainable, scalable revenue foundation through clear planning:

• Lightweight integration compatible with existing stacks and mediation setups.
• Global premium demand with coverage in the US, Europe, LATAM, Asia, and other key markets.
• Transparent reporting and real-time data to understand performance without relying on opaque metrics.
• Control over configuration, including ad formats, ad units, and pricing floors.
• AI-driven optimization focused on continuously improving ad-serving efficiency.

Additionally, the direct connection to Google’s advertising ecosystem streamlines approval and inventory management, reducing common operational friction.

How to get started

The onboarding process follows a simple flow:

1. Contact our team through THIS FORM.
2. Integrate the SDK into your Android app.
3. The Uptodown team configures ad-serving through Google Ad Manager 360, including creating a dedicated account, defining ad units and formats, and setting initial pricing and floors.
4. The app begins monetizing globally through ads shown to users around the world.

Requirements

• Your app must be published on Uptodown and Google Play. App registration and publishing on Uptodown are free.
• Use the latest stable version of the SDK we provide and keep it updated.
• Pass a quick compatibility check.

Promote your app with Uptodown Advertising Services

Uptodown: tailored monetization and marketing solutions

Uptodown Ads is part of Uptodown’s suite of advertising solutions designed to support both monetization and growth for apps within the marketplace. Developers looking to complement revenue generation with visibility and user acquisition strategies can explore the full portfolio of services here.

In mid-2025, Google announced a major change to how apps will be distributed in the mobile ecosystem. As of 2026, any developer who would like their app to be installable on certified Android devices (whether via Google Play, alternative stores, or direct download from the creator’s website) will be required to complete a mandatory identity verification process managed by Google. While this change was introduced as a security measure aimed at reducing malware and preventing malicious actors from distributing apps anonymously, it has a significant impact on software distribution through alternative app stores.

The new system will require developers to provide verifiable personal or corporate data. They will also need to register all their apps on the platform, specifying the signing keys that identify them. All of this, regardless of the distribution channel used for their subsequent publication. This represents a major structural change in the Android ecosystem, which has historically allowed app installation from multiple sources without relying on a single central authority, unlike Apple’s iOS ecosystem.

The implementation will be progressive: the system began with early access in 2025, will be available to all developers in 2026, and will be applied to certified Android devices in certain countries this year, with global expansion planned for 2027.

The real impact of Google dependency when distributing apps

A key aspect of these new policies is that they create a direct dependency between Android app distribution and prior approval from Google, the verifying entity. In practical terms, this means that even developers who never intended to publish on Google Play will have to do so if they want their apps to be installed easily on Android devices.

To carry out the process, they have proposed a registration method parallel to the Play Console’s. In both cases, it will be necessary to provide personal data, such as legal name, address, email, and phone number. Organizations must also provide a DUNS number, verify their website, and submit an official government ID certifying operability.

Setting aside privacy-related issues, for alternative platforms like Uptodown, this means an additional layer of complexity that did not exist before. This is not a technical limitation of the operating system, but rather an administrative requirement imposed at the platform level that may negatively impact many creators. Therefore, we oppose its unilateral implementation and support those raising awareness of this issue, such as the Keep Android Open initiative, which summarizes and argues against the negative effects of the change and is backed by several organizations and software creators.

A change that affects users who trust Uptodown to publish their apps

Uptodown is a legal marketplace with more than 200,000 registered developers and publishers who use the store as an official channel to distribute their software. Furthermore, in many cases, creators actively decide to publish their apps exclusively on our platform. Their motives are diverse: independence, greater control over distribution, alternative business models, or simply the desire not to depend on Google.

This is key: Uptodown is not simply an alternative repository, but a consolidated app store where many software creators officially publish, update, and manage their apps.

For these developers, the new requirements would represent an additional obligation that does not address a real technical need of their distribution model. Having to register in a system managed by Google, even when they consciously choose not to, introduces a completely unnecessary structural dependency that can nip legitimate business models in the bud if they disobey the policies of a marketplace they did not even intend to use. Apps that do not go through the verification process will be blocked by Play Protect when they attempt to be installed.

As a palliative measure, Google has subsequently confirmed that there will be methods for so-called “advanced users” to bypass this limitation. Still, needing to access hidden system menus, along with deterrent messages displayed by the operating system, is not a realistic option for most people, as those of us who deal with the alarmist “unknown sources” warning received when downloading APKs from external sources know.

The risk of mistaking the platform owner for the regulatory body

At its core, the Android operating system is open source. However, most devices use a commercial version of Android managed by Google that integrates several of its services and closed apps by default. This meant there were two branches of development: the AOSP (Android Open Source Project) and the commercial version used by manufacturers with a Google Mobile Services license agreement, which requires them to pre-install several Google products.

Recently, Google decided to centralize the process for publishing new versions of the operating system. This means the process is now opaque, does not allow third-party contributions, and eliminates the possibility of consulting development branches until the company officially publishes each new release. Although the company claims that Android will remain open and that it will not affect end users in any way, every new change in the ecosystem seems aimed at unifying the operating system and the company both conceptually and functionally.

This trend has become increasingly evident in recent years, particularly amid regulatory efforts across regions worldwide. In fact, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) sought to prevent large platforms from acting as “gatekeepers”, restricting competition or imposing disproportionate conditions on developers and users in Europe.

Uptodown participated in the process, collaborating on initiatives and conversations aimed at ensuring that the digital ecosystem remains open, competitive, and accessible. This commitment is part of Uptodown’s mission to defend an environment where developers can share their apps without relying on a single intermediary, and where users are free to choose how and where they install their software.

Uptodown supports mobile video games preservation

A shared responsibility

Google claims that mandatory verification will help improve security and reduce fraud, a legitimate goal that, in theory, would benefit the entire ecosystem. However, it is essential that these measures do not erode the principles Android has defined since its origins, or disregard the protection services and publishing policies of other legitimate stores besides Uptodown, such as F-Droid or Aptoide.

Android was born as an open operating system. This openness has allowed the birth of millions of apps, companies, and independent distribution platforms that enrich the entire ecosystem. Preserving this model means ensuring that developers can continue to choose how to distribute their software. It implies protecting the existence of alternative marketplaces. It represents maintaining the diversity and competition that made Android the broadest and most dynamic ecosystem in the mobile world.

At Uptodown, we will continue standing up for these principles, just as we always have. We’ll keep working with regulatory bodies, supporting developers, and providing a genuine, legal way to distribute apps.

Because the future of Android depends not only on technology but also on preserving its open spirit.

Uptodown, one of the world’s largest independent app-distribution platforms, has launched its new Transparency Center, a public hub offering unprecedented visibility into its internal processes of security, quality control, community management, and governance. The initiative aims to challenge the dominant narrative that independent app stores operate with lower security standards, using open, regularly updated data to prove otherwise.

Challenging the “alternative store” myth

App stores not operated by major platforms have long been viewed as less secure or rigorous. Uptodown addresses this perception with verifiable data. “[…] There’s a persistent myth that app stores outside the major gatekeepers compromise security and quality control. The Transparency Center uses real data to prove this narrative false […]”, says Luis Hernández, CEO and co-founder of Uptodown.

The Center reveals that Uptodown processes more than 24,000 files per day and requests over 43,000 VirusTotal reports daily, an operational scale comparable to leading distribution platforms. In the most recent reporting period (from December 20, 2025, to January 10, 2026), more than 2 million files were analyzed in a single month.

Security is one of the core pillars of the Transparency Center. Every file published on Uptodown goes through a multi-layered review system:

• Universal VirusTotal scanning, integrating more than 75 antivirus engines.
  • 2,293,035 unique files analyzed in the most recent 30-day period.
  • 94.5% of files showed no detections.
  • Only 0.85% showed four or more detections and were subjected to an in-depth manual review.
• Human editorial review, essential for identifying false positives and assessing the real legitimacy of each app.

• Large-scale infrastructure, with over 1,600 TB of stored data and roughly 3 TB of new files processed daily, delivering more than 10 PB (1 PB = 1,024 TB) of bandwidth each month.

Quality control and protection of the developer ecosystem

The Transparency Center also details how Uptodown actively filters its catalog to protect both users and legitimate developers:

• 197,591 registered developers, with thousands of new sign-ups each month.
• In the last reviewed cycle, 1,407 out of 3,462 submitted apps were rejected.
• 60.84% of rejections were due to failing to meet minimum quality standards.

These figures show that the platform is not a passive repository but a curated and supervised ecosystem.

Public metrics across five key areas

The Transparency Center publishes monthly, accessible data on:

1. Threat control: file analysis, detections, and security criteria.
2. Quality and developers: sign-ups, submissions, rejections, and reasons.
3. Publishing and catalog:
   • 328,099 unique apps
   • More than 4.3 million published files
4. Legal and governance: content-removal requests and regulatory compliance.
5. Community:
   • 47.8 million registered users
   • Activity in ratings, comments, and moderation. Twenty-one percent of user interactions are not published because they fail to meet community guidelines.

This level of openness is uncommon even among the most established app stores.

Transparency as a strategic position

For Uptodown, transparency is not a one-off initiative but a product and policy stance. “[…] Closed ecosystems are often presented as the only path to security, but incidents on major platforms show that opacity is not the same as protection. Our approach proves that openness, security, and rigor can coexist […]”, Hernández explains. He also challenges the industry’s terminology: “[…] Continuing to call these platforms ‘alternative’ or ‘third-party’ reinforces the idea that only platform owners should act as software gatekeepers. A healthy ecosystem requires separating ownership from distribution […]”.

A long-term commitment

In addition to providing extensive, daily-reviewed data, the Transparency Center is fully updated monthly and maintains accessible historical reports, allowing users, developers, and journalists to track the platform’s evolution and verify its data over time.

Resources

• Transparency Center https://en.uptodown.com/about-us/stats
• Press Release (PDF) Press Release [English] – Uptodown Transparency Center
• Uptodown Website https://en.uptodown.com

Uptodown Turbo is our premium subscription that enhances your experience on the platform with exclusive features:

• Ad-free browsing: Enjoy a clean, uninterrupted experience on both the web version and our official Android app.
• Exclusive avatars: Customize your profile with unique designs for subscribers.
• Highlighted comments: Make your voice stand out in the community by having your messages featured above others.
• Special subscriber badge: Highlight your profile with an exclusive badge.
• Priority support: Receive preferential assistance whenever you need it.
• Exclusive discounts: Access special promotions, such as an 80% discount when using the NordVPN service.

In addition, your Turbo subscription helps support us directly, allowing us to remain a free, safe, and high-quality platform for millions of users around the world.

To activate your subscription, go to the Uptodown Turbo main page and click on the highlighted “Subscribe now” button. You’ll be taken to the billing page, where the BLACKFRIDAY discount code will already be applied automatically — no need to enter it manually. The promotion will remain active for future billing cycles, meaning that as long as you stay subscribed, you’ll continue enjoying the 50% discount permanently.

This offer will be available until December 8, 2025, so you have plenty of time to decide. For more information about the promotion and its terms, please visit our Help Center.

Why go social?

This wasn’t a random decision. For years, we’ve seen how users interact with the apps they download — leaving ratings, writing reviews, and sparking conversations in the comments. From the start, we’ve been proud of the vibrant community behind every download: people with shared interests who could benefit from connecting with one another.

In today’s fragmented digital world, we wanted to create a space where tech enthusiasts can not only find the best apps but also meet others who share their passions. So we asked ourselves: what if you could follow that user whose reviews you always find helpful? What if you could see what other users with similar tastes are downloading and testing? Welcome to the new social profile on Uptodown.

Main social features: A custom Uptodown

Follow users

Discover community members whose opinions and discoveries you value most. Whether they write detailed reviews, uncover hidden gems, or simply share your taste in apps, you can now follow them with a click. Just tap on any username in the comments to visit their profile and start building your network.

Custom feed

Your homepage becomes a dynamic space where you’ll see what the people you follow are testing, reviewing, and recommending. Think of it as your own personal app curator, tailored to your preferences. You’ll find it in the My Feed section.

Improved comment system

We’ve redesigned the comment section on every app page to make conversations smoother. Easily spot the most active and recent comments, reply directly, start discussion threads about specific features, and help build a more connected community around every app.

Wishlist and recommendations

Create lists of apps you want to try, organize your discoveries, and share them with others. It’s perfect for keeping track of what’s next on your radar or for recommending themed collections to the community. Soon, you’ll even be able to create multiple custom lists by topic — stay tuned!

Finding the right balance

We know not everyone wants a social experience when downloading apps. That’s why these features are completely optional and non-intrusive. You can engage as much or as little as you like — from simply browsing your feed to actively sharing reviews and curated lists.

Our goal is simple: to enrich your Uptodown experience without complicating it. We want to help you discover better apps, make smarter choices, and, if you choose, connect with a community that shares your passion for technology.

And this is just the beginning. This first phase of our social transformation is only on the start — we have plenty more ideas in the works, and as always, your feedback will help shape the future of Uptodown.

@uptodown_com

Introducing the new Uptodown social feed, where you can follow other users, share your reviews, and take a more active role in the community! #Uptodown #APK #Social #Community #AppStore

♬ Sleepmode – Official Sound Studio

Uptodown, the multi-platform app store specialized in Android with over 100 million unique users per month, publishes a report listing the most downloaded apps from its marketplace during the first weeks of 2025. Said report is based on its traffic statistics from a catalog of 260,000 apps between January 1 and February 12 of this year.

TikTok, WhatsApp Messenger and Capcut lead the global ranking

Users’ uncertainty about the potential US government blocking of apps from the Chinese giant ByteDance led to an over 300% increase (compared to previous months’ data) in the download volume of the well-known social media from Uptodown, which became the alternative source during the actual temporary blocking of the Google app store on January 19.

Another reason these apps were the most downloaded out of the entire Uptodown catalog is that the number of countries and institutions that ban TikTok is only increasing. Notably, India, which has one of the largest mobile user bases, has not had official access to the app since 2020. As a result, users are forced to look for other download sources without geographical restriction and resort to VPN services to avoid regional blocking.

WhatsApp Messenger, Instagram, and YouTube are also among the most downloaded apps. They are unbeatable in their field and permanently present in the annual rankings.

Battle Royale, leading the mobile video games category

Over the years, Uptodown’s top-most downloaded video games have been dominated by the different incarnations of the well-known PUBG Mobile, which has more than 700 million cumulative downloads between all its versions —although, during this report’s research period, it has been surpassed by its direct competitors, Fortnite and Free Fire Advance. The latter is an incarnation to test the most up-to-date features of Garena’s successful game, the flagship of the silent hits hegemony: titles with great resonance in Indonesia, India, Pakistan and Latin American countries that do not reverberate among the general public. Over one million downloads during the research’s period attest to its boom.

The other major protagonist of the most downloaded titles is soccer, thanks to the revisions of references such as EA Sports FC Mobile 25, eFootball PES 2025 and Dream League Soccer 2025. The top 10 is rounded out by timeless classics, such as Gacha Life, Subway Surfers and the first Five Nights at Freddy’s.

Meta dominates the social ecosystem

Apart from the aforementioned TikTok, Meta dominates everything related to social media apps and instant messaging. As the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads, virtually all the top downloads come from the various incarnations of those apps. A special mention goes to the boom of Lite versions for some of its services, which are getting almost as many downloads as their big sisters due to the demand for lightweight alternatives in countries with a medium-low range of mobile devices. Outside Mark Zuckerberg’s kingdom, Telegram is the other app that sneaks into the messaging ranking and does not stop gaining followers thanks to its constant new features.

Most downloaded in other categories

When it comes to web browsers, it is difficult to compete with Google Chrome, as it comes pre-installed on most commercially available devices. Still, Kiwi Browser (discontinued in January and not available in the Google store) and UC Browser (not available on Google Play since 2017) are close behind, followed by the increasingly recognized Opera mini and Brave Browser. The download volume of these four contenders almost equals that of Google’s browser, something unthinkable a few years ago.

VPN services are increasingly present among the most downloaded apps, with Secure VPN being the most downloaded so far this year.

Emulation is another major category with more downloads, as it does not fit with the distribution policies of many app stores. AetherSX2 emulator, which lets you run PlayStation 2 games on Android, or Winlator, which does the same with PC titles, are also among the 100 most downloaded apps.

In terms of multimedia tools, CapCut stands out above all others as a companion tool for editing videos alongside TikTok. Spotify and MX Player complete the podium.

Top 5 most downloaded apps by category

TOP 5 APPS (GLOBALLY)

1. CapCut
2. WhatsApp Messenger
3. TikTok
4. Instagram
5. YouTube

TOP 5 MESSAGING APPS

1. WhatsApp Messenger
2. Messenger (Meta)
3. Telegram
4. Messenger Lite
5. WhatsApp Business

TOP 5 SOCIAL APPS

1. TikTok
2. Instagram
3. YouTube
4. Facebook
5. Facebook Lite

TOP 5 WEB BROWSERS

1. Google Chrome
2. Kiwi Browser
3. UC Browser
4. Opera Mini
5. Brave Browser

TOP 5 VIDEO GAMES

1. Free Fire Advance
2. Fortnite
3. PUBG Mobile
4. Gacha Life
5. EA Sports FC Mobile 25

TOP 5 VIDEO/AUDIO APPS

1. Capcut
2. Spotify
3. MX Player
4. Netflix
5. YouTube Music

TOP 5 VPN APPS

1. Secure VPN
2. SuperVPN Fast VPN Client
3. Turbo VPN
4. Snap VPN
5. Thunder VPN

Links

English PDF version | Uptodown [English] – Most downloaded apps 2025
Spanish PDF version | Uptodown [Spanish] – Apps mas descargadas 2025
Italian PDF version | Uptodown [Italian] – App Android piu scaricate 2025
Russian PDF version | Uptodown [Russian] – Most downloaded apps 2025
Portuguese PDF version | Uptodown [Portuguese] – Apps Android mais baixadas 2025
Arabic PDF version | Uptodown [Arabic] – Most downloaded apps 2025

About Uptodown

Uptodown is an international platform for digital app distribution specializing in Android, established in 2002 and based in Malaga (Spain). This alternative and completely independent app store is based on the principle of respecting the user’s privacy, not requiring user registration and allowing users to download software both from our own official app and through our website. We offer a catalog of over 260,000 apps with more than 4 million files, divided into thematic categories and hosted on our own servers. Each app comes accompanied by an informational description prepared by our own team of editors and complemented by our users’ opinions. Available in seventeen languages, we currently have 100 million active users worldwide and facilitate more than 450 million downloads each month. More than 100,000 developers already rely on the platform to distribute their products.