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AltStore Pal Now Free Thanks to 'MegaGrant' From Epic Games

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AltStore PAL, the open-source app that is designed to distribute apps in the EU from independent developers, is now free thanks to a grant provided by Fortnite developer Epic Games.

altstore pal eu
The alternative iOS app store had charged a €1.50 plus tax annual subscription, in order to cover Apple's Core Technology Fee (CTF). Apple's terms for alternative app marketplaces requires developers to pay the CTF for each annual app installation.

However, AltStore Pal will no longer pass on the cost of this fee after the third-party store received a "MegaGrant" from ‌Epic Games‌. AltStore said that existing subscribers won't be charged upon their renewal date, and that the AltStore team plans to "show our appreciation for our existing subscribers in a future update," but didn't go into details.

Developer Riley Testut has been working on AltStore PAL since Apple announced plans to support alternative app marketplaces in iOS 17.4. It is open to all apps, but Testut says that it makes the most sense for "smaller, indie apps that otherwise couldn't exist due to ‌App Store‌ rules."

AltStore PAL is equipped with Patreon integration to allow developers to monetize their apps. Developers can offer their apps to just their patrons, and this method of distribution also allows for a sub-1 million cap on those who can subscribe to use an app.


iPhone users in the European Union can download AltStore PAL from the AltStore website. Alternative app marketplaces are not available outside of the European Union.

As for Epic, it has submitted the ‌Epic Games‌ Store to Apple for notarization under Apple's alternative app marketplace policy in the European Union. The ‌‌Epic Games‌‌ Store will include Fortnite, which means ‌iPhone‌ users in the EU will be able to install and play the title without having to use a cloud gaming service. An ‌iPad‌ version of Fortnite is expected to follow this year.

Tag: Epic Games

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Top Rated Comments

vertsix Avatar
vertsix
25 months ago
Still absolutely preposterous Apple feels 'entitled' to a fee for software to run on hardware customers PAY for. Imagine having to pay a royalty to Microsoft for every executable you run or distribute on Windows. It's crazy!
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
G
goodcow
25 months ago
So if we install this, and do nothing with it, we're making Epic pass along €1.50 a year to Apple?
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Amazing Iceman Avatar
Amazing Iceman
25 months ago
A nice piece of delicious cheese... in the center of a concealed mousetrap.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
klasma
25 months ago

Welcome to your security nightmare.
Any security issue would be a bug in iOS. Apple has full control over that.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
G
gnipgnop
25 months ago

Still absolutely preposterous Apple feels 'entitled' to a fee for software to run on hardware customers PAY for. Imagine having to pay a royalty to Microsoft for every executable you run on Windows. It's crazy!
If developing a commercially viable mobile operating system is no big deal, why are there only two in the EU?
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
contacos
25 months ago

Welcome to your security nightmare.

Ps I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that AltStore is owned by Epic Games interests.
Its really no different than using the App Store. It's not like Apple allows them system access or to operate outside of their own Sandbox. It's really just "Apps" and i don't see how i can trust Apple more with my payment than other vendors. Apple is just another online vendor at the end of the day, just like the page I buy concert tickets on or the items I buy on Amazon. If you enter your credit card information on a page called phishmenow dot com, that's a whole different kind of issue
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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