The Apple App Store already has a serious competitor: Setapp for iOS

The app store is app store on your iPhone. The only way to install applications and games. Or it was like that until The EU forced Apple to open the door to other app stores. Or for the developers themselves to make their applications available to the user via the Internet. And the first store to be announced was Setapp, known on macOS for offering directory of native and third-party applications for subscription. The company behind this is MacPaw, the company that develops software for Mac, iPad and iPhone and that it continues to work on its own iPhone app store, Setapp for iOS.

Announced in February, Closed beta. At that time, anyone could sign up for the waiting list. I hope it was worth it. Because the iOS 17.4 and iOS 17.5 updates open up a future where you can choose which stores to have on your iPhone and where to install your applications and favorite games. For its part, MacPaw wants Setapp to be one of those options.

To use Setapp for iOS or with the permission of the persons responsible, Install the application for mobile devicesthis is necessary at the moment reside in a country of the European Union. This alternative app store will be available through a single subscription model that works quite well on macOS. On Mac you can install over 240 apps for €11.48 per month. Additional requirements for Setapp Mobile: have iOS 17.4 or later and your Apple ID from an EU member state.

How to install Setapp Mobile on your iPhone

Although Setapp Mobile is currently available in closed beta, the installation process will be similar. As we saw in the previous article, you must access the official Setapp Mobile page from the web browser you use on your iPhone. To avoid problems, it is better to use Safari. Or that’s what MacPaw recommends.

Click on the button Get Setapp Mobile to start the process. The first step is to create an account to manage your subscription. Instead of creating a new account, you can use your Apple ID or Google ID. Or do it manually. You must then provide a means of payment, which may be Apple Pay or PayPal. You can try Setapp Mobile free for 30 days. From there, the subscription costs 9.49 euros per month with the ability to install applications. on two iOS devices. By the way, it is advisable not to confuse the Setapp Mobile directory with the one that Setapp offers under Mac+iOS subscription. They work separately.

When you are finished registering, MacPaw send download link to the email address you provided. If you haven’t received it and are in a hurry, you can access your account online from McPaw. There you will see the Setapp Mobile option in the drop-down menu. And you will get an explanation how to install this app store on your iPhone.

Install App Stores, Step by Step

Apple doesn’t make it easy for us to set up external stores. It has a reason to exist – security. If these types of apps were easy to install, it would also be easy to install something by accident, like a fake app store. After pressing the button Install Setapp Mobile, iOS warns us that we cannot install MacPaw app stores. We will have to give you permission from iOS settings.

So let’s go to settings and we will see a new message under your Apple ID: Authorizing MacPaw Applications. Click and then do the same with the button Authorize. Ready. We return to Safari, where we have the installation site open, and click Install Setapp Mobile. Now you can proceed with the installation. Press Install the app store. Return to the iOS desktop and you will see Install app among installed applications.

What we find in Setapp Mobile

Now that we have Setapp installed, let’s take a look at it. It’s up to you to make the most of your 30 day trial. And, who knows, maybe we will sign again. As of this writing, Setapp Mobile has 17 apps. to whom The rest will be added in the coming days. As I said, macOS has over 240 apps. There is still a long way to go before both stores can be compared.

AND compare Setapp with App Store This is also somewhat unfair. The first one is more than ten years old. Setapp has just arrived on iOS. And it doesn’t pretend to be the same either. If we look at Setapp for Mac, it’s a store Selected applications for very specific tasks. If you need a variety of apps and games, you already have the App Store for that. This does not mean that Setapp Mobile’s subscription is currently high compared to what it offers. Although if we focus on your VPNThe cost of this app alone is worth it.

In the list of applications for iOS, the MacPaw VPN service stands out, ClearVPN. And also your cleaning tool, ClearMyiPhone. The rest of the apps are mainly for productivity like notes, reminders, task management, etc. But it also includes a video downloading app. down jacket and another one for moving music lists between applications, FreeYourMusic.

The appearance of Setapp Mobile is similar to the App Store. For now, the alternative App Store is pretty basic. Shows available and installed applications, seeker and a section to manage your subscription. Each card shows application screenshots reviewed, a detailed description that is summarized by default, data of interest such as the author of the application and the size it occupies in memory, etc. And the installation is also simple.

How to install applications via Setapp

To install one of the available applications, simply click on the download icon in the list of applications. Although you can also enter their file and click on Install. A floating download confirmation window will appear. Click again on Install. Another message will appear on the screen stating that “Setapp” wants to install the application. Press Install the application. That’s all. An icon for the installed application will appear on the iOS desktop.

The process could be simpler, but we come back to what I mentioned when installing the app store. Apple is jealous of its devices and you don’t want to sacrifice safety for comfort. If in the official App Store installing something involves a couple of steps, then in alternative stores like Setapp the process You will need one or two more steps.. To this we must add facial recognition to confirm our decisions, which takes only a few milliseconds and for which we only need to look at the front camera.