If you are on Android, F-Droid is the gold standard. It contains zero proprietary software. Every app is open source. Want a YouTube client with no ads (NewPipe)? A keyboard that doesn't spy on you? A firewall that blocks trackers? F-Droid is where freedom lives. It isn't pretty, but it is powerful.
Originally a workaround to sideload apps without jailbreaking, AltStore has exploded in popularity. Using a desktop app to "refresh" the apps on your iPhone, it allows you to install emulators (like Delta), torrent clients, and tweaked apps. With the EU's Digital Markets Act forcing Apple to allow third-party stores, AltStore is pivoting to become a legitimate marketplace.
Why sideloading is no longer just for developers, and how to do it safely. alt app installer
We’ve all been there. You open the official App Store, search for a specific tool, an old game, or an emulator, and see the dreaded gray text: "App not available in your region." Or worse, "This app requires a feature your device doesn't support."
Alternative installers flip the script. They give the power back to the user. Depending on your operating system, the landscape looks different. Here are the three most interesting right now: If you are on Android, F-Droid is the gold standard
Official stores aren't perfect (malware has snuck into Google Play many times), but they have automated scanners. Alt installers often rely on "community trust."
If you are tired of being told what software you can and cannot run, take the plunge. Start with on iOS or F-Droid on Android. It takes ten minutes to set up, and it opens a door to a world of software that the billionaires in Silicon Valley don't want you to see. Want a YouTube client with no ads (NewPipe)
Breaking Free from the Walled Garden: A Practical Guide to Alternative App Installers