Key Takeaways
1. Sideloading on iOS is possible without jailbreaking, but risks remain, especially outside the EU.
2. Alternative app stores in the EU, such as Altstore PAL and Epic Game Store, still require apps to be notarized by Apple.
3. Altstore Classic allows users to sideload apps without developer certificates and prevents app expiration.
4. Sideloading can lead to access to both legitimate and pirated applications, raising trust issues with many services.
5. Users should exercise caution with sideloading, especially when exploring third-party sources that may contain harmful content.
Getting iOS applications from sources outside of Apple can seem like a good idea, but the situation is quite intricate. Sideloading on Apple devices has been possible for years without jailbreaking, regardless of whether you’re in the EU or not. Although sideloading is now “officially” available for EU users, it doesn’t significantly alter the overall sideloading environment for iOS. Many of the same risks persist, and in contrast to Android, there aren’t many reliable brands that guarantee a sense of safety, even if that’s just a perception.
Alternate App Stores in the EU
For users in the EU, there’s the chance to access various alternative app stores. The current options include Altstore PAL, Epic Game Store, and more recently, Aptoide and the productivity suite Setapp. The common issue across all these platforms is that apps still need to be notarized by Apple. Notarization isn’t a quick process and isn’t as strict as Apple’s app review. Some content can slip through to third-party stores that wouldn’t even qualify for the official App Store. This essentially means that the content available on these third-party stores closely resembles what Apple officially offers.
Installing Altstore and Its Features
If you decide to go with Altstore PAL, you can proceed to install Altstore Classic. Altstore PAL restricts installations to notarized apps, but once Altstore Classic is on your device, you can add your own sources. This will be discussed more in the next section, but the key difference is that apps installed through Altstore Classic won’t expire.
In general, the most noteworthy change for EU users is the removal of the need to deal with developer certificates to install unverified or third-party apps. However, the other issues remain unchanged for users around the globe.
Sideloading for Users Outside the EU
For everyone else, sideloading remains a possibility. Whether you’re using Altstore Classic or a service like AppDB, you will need to have either your own developer certificate or one provided by the site you’re using. Since developer accounts can be revoked, having your own certificate is generally a better option, although AppDB claims to offer some protections against this. With Altstore Classic, you must use your personal developer account. Free developer accounts can install up to 10 apps for a week without needing to refresh. A paid developer account ($99 annually), however, allows for unlimited app installations for a full year.
Altstore has a useful feature for free developer accounts that lets you refresh your certificates automatically. Yet, you must connect to a PC or Mac via Wi-Fi or cable every seven days to keep your sideloaded apps running.
Reasons Behind Sideloading
There are valid reasons for sideloading apps on your iOS device, such as emulation, downloading Linux ISOs, or setting up Kodi. However, the practice is often dominated by pirated applications. Sites like AppDB, iOSRocket, Signum, and Signulous provide access to paid apps without charge. For instance, AppDB offers multiple copies of Resident Evil Village for download without any payment required.
While Altstore Classic allows sideloading through additional sources, some of these sources provide access to legitimate developers while others offer modified apps meant to bypass paid features.
Trust Issues with Sideloading Services
Besides Altstore and Aptoide in the EU, almost every sideloading service mixes questionable content with legitimate options, making them inherently untrustworthy. If these services are willing to share developer certificates and pirated software, how can users be sure they’re safe from malware, identity theft, fraud, and other risks associated with compromised devices?
Altstore PAL and Altstore Classic provide the most legitimate avenues for sideloading. Their trusted sources list, while limited, offers users a degree of security. However, once you start exploring third-party sources, users again find themselves relying on developers who provide hacked and cracked apps.
As a former Pixel 9 Pro (available on Amazon) user who recently switched to iOS, I hope Altstore can eventually gain a reputation similar to F-Droid. If you’re in the EU (and only in the EU), Aptoide might be a viable option. For now, using Altstore for sideloading should be approached with caution, while sideloading from other sources should definitely be avoided.
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