Aurora Store
Free Our pickThe whole Play catalog, installed anonymously — no Google account. This is the workhorse of every degoogled phone.
App store: replace Play Store
6 private options, our pick first. Every download link goes straight to the source — F-Droid, the developer's GitHub releases (one tap into Obtainium), the Play listing you can install anonymously through Aurora Store, or the official site. None of these are affiliate links. Updated October 2026.
These Play Store alternatives let you install and update apps on Android without a Google account. Aurora Store reaches the full Play catalog anonymously, F-Droid hosts open-source apps built from source, Accrescent focuses on security, and Obtainium pulls updates straight from GitHub releases.
The trade-off is that some Play apps still expect Google services or a certified device, and paid apps stay tied to your Google purchases. A private setup in 2026 usually mixes two or three of these stores. Together they replace the Play Store for most people.
F-Droid
FreeOpen-source apps only; where half the apps on this page live.
Accrescent
FreeA small, security-focused store — GrapheneOS's preferred source.
Obtainium
FreeInstalls and updates apps straight from their GitHub releases.
Droid-ify
FreeA faster, nicer F-Droid client — same repos, better interface.
Neo Store
FreeAnother modern F-Droid client with repo management and update batching.
How to switch from Play Store
- Before you leave, list the apps you use and note which ones you paid for. Play purchases stay tied to your Google account, so you'll need that account to download them again.
- Install F-Droid or a client such as Droid-ify, and check it first for each app. Open-source builds there often come without the trackers and Google dependencies of the Play versions.
- Install Aurora Store for everything else and use its anonymous login. Sign in with a Google account only if you need to download apps you bought.
- Add apps that publish releases on GitHub to Obtainium, so updates come straight from the developer without waiting for a store to catch up.
- Turn on update checks in each store you use. With several sources, it's easy to leave one app on an old version for months without noticing.
- Open apps that depend on Google, such as banking or ride-hailing apps, to see what still works. Some need sandboxed Google Play, and a few won't run at all.
App store questions
Are apps from Aurora Store safe?
Aurora Store downloads apps from Google Play's own servers, so you get the same files, signed by the same developers, that the Play Store would deliver. The main difference is the account used to fetch them. Aurora itself is open source and available on F-Droid. As always, only install apps you would trust from Play.
What is the difference between F-Droid and Aurora Store?
F-Droid lists only open-source apps, builds them from source, and labels anti-features such as tracking or non-free dependencies. Aurora Store is a different front door to the Google Play catalog, closed-source apps included. Most degoogled phones use both: F-Droid for open-source tools, Aurora for everything that only exists on Play. Droid-ify and Neo Store are alternative F-Droid clients with nicer interfaces and the same repos.
Can I still update apps I originally installed from Play?
Yes, through Aurora Store, because it delivers the same signed files as Play. F-Droid usually can't update a Play-installed copy when its build is signed with a different key, so you would uninstall and reinstall from F-Droid. Obtainium has the same limit with GitHub builds. Back up app data before switching an app's source.