SetApp Mobile, an alternative iOS app store on the iPhone in the European Union (EU), is now available as an open beta with more apps than before.
MacPaw, the Ukrainian company behind Setapp Mobile, recommends that folks who were on the invite-only beta upgrade to the latest open beta to avoid losing access on September 17. Setapp Mobile currently provides about 50 iPhone apps from third-party developers covering categories such as productivity, lifestyle, photography, etc. Unlike Apple’s 30% cut, developers offering their apps on Setapp Mobile are compensated based on engagement. Some apps on Setapp Mobile are available on Apple’s App Store, but many are not.
The same prerequisites still apply. You’ll need an iPhone physically located in one of the 27 EU member states to download and install apps from the Setapp Mobile marketplace. Setting your device region and Apple ID country to an EU state like Germany or Italy won’t do the trick. Your iPhone must also be running iOS 17.4 software or later.
Setapp Mobile arrived as a closed beta in May shortly after Apple announced major changes to the App Store business model in response to the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which aims to make the digital economy fairer. Setapp Mobile was born out of the desktop Setapp subscription, offering a selection of more than 250 paid Mac apps and utilities available for a flat monthly fee of $10. Although alternative app marketplaces in the EU are now allowed to carry s as well, Setapp Mobile is iPhone-only for the time being.
Visit the Setapp Mobile page on your iPhone using Safari (don’t use another browser for this) and hit the Get Setapp Mobile button to get started. You’ll need to tap through a few scare screens, then open the Settings app and hit “Allow Marketplace From MacPaw Way Ltd” at the top, then choose “Allow.” After this convoluted process, you should see a Setapp icon on your Home Screen. MacPaw has a helpful support page should you get stuck.
Setapp Mobile comes with a free 7-day trial. After that, you’ll need to sign up for one of the three supported plans for Setapp Mobile: iOS Advanced (€9.49/month or €102.48/year), Power User (€14.24/month or €153.72/year), or AI Expert (€22.79/month or €246.12/year). The most affordable iOS Advanced plan covers downloading iPhone apps using the mobile app, the desktop client, or the web interface.
I live in Europe and have tried Setapp Mobile earlier on my iPhone. I definitely hope US laws catch up so that alternative app stores are available to all iPhone owners, and it seems like that might happen soon.
Source: Setapp on Twitter/X
