The Top 5 Alternatives to the Android
Market<http://www.howtogeek.com/106175/the-top-5-alternatives-to-the-android...>

 Google’s Android Market isn’t the only place you can get Android apps.
Whether you’re looking for free paid apps, social recommendations or an app
store to replace a missing Android Market, you have a lot of choice.

Each app store is completely legit — the ones that offer free apps pay the
developer for the privilege. You may even have an alternative app store on
your device already if you’re an Opera user.
Allowing Non-Market Apps

By default, Android blocks you from installing apps from anywhere that
isn’t the Android Market. To use any of these alternative app stores,
you’ll have to enable the “*Unknown Sources*” option in the Applications
settings screen. Check out our article on installing non-Market
apps<http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/41082/install-non-market-apps-on-your-...>
for
more detailed information.

 Amazon Appstore<http://www.amazon.com/mobile-apps/b?ie=UTF8&node=2350149011>

Amazon’s app store is probably the most well-known alternative to the
Android Market. It’s included by default on the Kindle
Fire<http://www.howtogeek.com/100959/8-things-to-do-once-you-fire-up-your-...>
.
The big drawback to this app store is that it’s only available in the US.

 If you are in the USA, the Amazon App Store is a great alternative to the
Android Market. Not only is it chock-full of paid apps and free apps, it
gives away a new paid app every day. Visit it each day to check out the new
free app — these apps are only free for a 24-hour period.

 GetJar <http://getjar.com/>

GetJar isn’t as well-known, but it’s available everywhere. GetJar also
gives away paid apps for free.

 Unlike Amazon’s app giveaways, GetJar’s paid app giveaways don’t expire.
GetJar adds new paid apps to its free “*Gold Apps*” section every week.

 AppBrain<http://www.appbrain.com/app/appbrain-app-market/com.appspot.swisscode...>

AppBrain takes a different, more social approach to an app store. It sells
itself as an app recommendation system. With its social features, you can
friend people and view your friends’ favorite apps. You can also see the
apps that are currently hot, site-wide.

 AppBrain’s recommendation engine scans your device and, based on what you
currently have installed, gives you personalized app recommendations.

 SlideME <http://slideme.org/sam>

You may not have heard of SlideME, but it claims to be the top alternative
app store worldwide. It’s preloaded on a variety of devices, particularly
in regions where the Android Market isn’t available.

 SlideME provides a large collection of both paid and free apps. When you
buy an app on SlideME, SlideME gives a higher percentage of the revenue to
the developer than Google does for the Android Market.

 Opera App Store <http://apps.opera.com/>

If you’re a fan of the Opera web browser, you may be surprised to know that
you already have Opera’s app store on your device. You’ll find a link to it
on Opera Mobile’s default speed dial page.

 Opera acquired its app store though a purchase of Handster in 2011. The
store contains Android apps, in addition to apps for other platforms. You
can access it through a browser on your device, or use a browser on your PC
and download app APK files to your computer.

 ------------------------------

There are many other app stores that aren’t included here. With so many
alternatives, access to the Android Market is becoming less important with
each passing day.
http://www.howtogeek.com/106175/the-top-5-alternatives-to-the-android...

take care,
Muthu Ramadoss.
http://linkedin.com/in/tellibitz