When we talk about the best search engines for mobile apps, we instantly think of Playstore or App store. But did you know there are various other search engines for apps available out there?

When it comes to Android and Apple devices, most users don’t realize they have a choice of getting their apps. Irrespective of which store users are browsing and downloading apps, developers ensure that users can find their apps. 

However, the searchability of Google’s play store and the App Store is far from compelling. It doesn’t let you find alternatives to the apps you usually get. 

There are plenty of search engines for mobile apps that you can try.

Here we have 22 better and more enjoyable search engines for mobile apps to help you find gems that don’t usually make the front page.

Meet the Top 22 Search Engines for Mobile Apps in 2023

  1. Appgravity
  2. GetJar
  3. Apptism
  4. Amazon App store
  5. Aptoide
  6. Appland
  7. SlideMe
  8. AppBrain
  9. 1Mobile
  10. AppValley
  11. App Annie
  12. AppPicker
  13. Mobile9
  14. Appcrawlr
  15. Appszoom
  16. Google Play
  17. Microsoft Windows Store
  18. F-Droid
  19. Mobango
  20. Uptodown App Store
  21. Slide ME
  22. MoboMarket

Check out this alternative mobile app search engines list, containing some app search engines other than the play store or app store that you may have heard of and some that may be new to you:

1. Appgravity

Appgravity has taken that idea of app search and is turning it into a service with much potential. Appgravity allows its users to search for apps by name or keywords. Results can be filtered by category and listed in order of relevance, age, rating, and several downloads. After finding the app you want, a button allows you to send a link to the Download or Purchase page on the Market.

2. GetJar

GetJar was started in 2004 by developers as an app beta testing platform and then became app distribution, becoming the first and biggest free open app marketplace.

This is a mobile app where you can download all apps to your mobile phone or tablet for free. So we can say that GetJar is a leader in mobile search engines for apps.

It’s available on Android and iOS, with a large selection of apps, including some of the most popular ones in the world.

GetJar also has an app store where you can find many free or paid apps that are not available on Google Play Store, such as YouTube Go (a video streaming service), Facebook Messenger (messaging app), Spotify Music Premium, WhatsApp Web for Desktop and more!

3. Apptism

If you’ve been searching for a search engine where you can easily find the newest and coolest apps on the market for your mobile phone, then Apptism would be the best choice for you.

4. Amazon App store

The Amazon Appstore is an amazing place to find apps. It’s available on iOS, Android and Fire devices (iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch).

The app store has over 100 million monthly users who are looking for quality apps at competitive prices.

The Amazon App Store is accessible on all Amazon Fire devices like Kindle Fire and the Fire Stick. The Amazon Appstore lets you download games and mobile apps to your supported devices.

To get apps, you must be signed into an Amazon account. The developer can confirm that the app was successfully added to your account by signing in. The app is also added to your cloud for easy access.

5. Aptoide

Aptoide is an alternative marketplace for mobile apps which runs on the Android OS. Unlike Google Play Store, Users by themselves manage their store.

To access Aptoide, one must download and install the application, which can be found on the store’s official page. Then, User is required to sign-up/log in with their credentials and modify the user settings according to their preferences.

Once it is done, the User’s purpose is to meet, download apps, or upload applications or games to Aptoide.

On Aptoide, you would find apps uploaded by someone who already has bought the original app or accessed it from elsewhere but not the owner or the company themselves.

6. Appland

It is the perfect iPhone search engine app if you’re trying to target end-users in international markets. Appland lags a little with conceptual clarity regarding distribution, but the app store support is highly responsive, making it worthy of your consideration. 

7. SlideMe

SlideMe is a search engine app that first debuted in 2008 as a marketplace catering to different audience preferences. It is considered the second-best app store alternative to the Google Play Store. SlideMe also prioritizes app security as all applications are scanned for viruses before their editors approve them.

8. AppBrain

AppBrain is a popular search engine for mobile apps in all categories. It offers an extensive library of apps, with more than 700,000 apps on its platform.

AppBrain was Founded in 2009 and is one of the most reliable Android app search engines for users. AppBrain has over 100 million monthly active users and 2 million daily downloads. 

It adopts a very transparent app promotion model, offering Cost per install pricing, non-incentivized user traffic, and user targeting by varying your CPI bid for maximum conversion. 

AppBrain’s main advantage over other search engines is its ability to recommend relevant content based on your interests or needs (e.g., if you’re looking for an app that lets you watch videos offline). You can also search within categories such as games or productivity tools—or even find an app by name!

Apart from this, app users of this app search engine are also offered the option to use filters to find the particular apps they are looking for. 

9. 1Mobile

1Mobile makes app search for end users elementary by hosting a free marketplace of multiple mobile games, web apps, and even videos. The site has over 5 million apps in its catalog, and it’s updated daily.

It provides users with access to the best apps in their categories, as well as new releases that are coming soon.

Once developers pass the security criteria, they can launch their apps on this search engine app. 1Mobile has an in-built recommendation system that can attract users after it hits the marketplace.

10. AppValley

AppValley provides its users with the most popular cell phone apps for iOS devices like iPhones and iPad. No app can compete with AppValley to offer a range of iOS apps and games as this app store. From famous apps to newly released ones, the range of published apps is enormous on this iPhone search engine app.

11. App Annie

App Annie is the most reliable mobile data and analytics platform. It aims to help users provide incredible mobile experiences and achieve excellence. It was Founded in 2010 and launched the first mobile market data solution. People prefer App Annie for several reasons, including its rankings index, which shows which apps are downloaded the most from the iOS App Store.

12. AppPicker

AppPicker offers a curated marketplace that enables you to discover and buy products based on the recommendations of influencers, friends, or the wider AppPicker community. They provide reviews of all the top apps on iPhones and iPads and help users discover exciting apps they might not otherwise find. We cover staff reviews, reader reviews, app lists, and developer announcements.

13. Mobile9

Mobile9 is an Indian company with a wide selection of apps, games, music and videos. The search engine also has a large collection of books and wallpapers.

Mobile9 is an application that lets you download basically anything you could need, from applications to wallpapers and ringtones and audiobooks.

This mobile app search engine also offers many different types of content for users to view on their smartphones or tablets, such as games, movies, TV shows and more!

Categories perfectly organize all the material you can download. So from one single tab, you can download videos; and from another, music; and another, ringtones, etc.

14. Appcrawlr

AppCrawlr is an app search and discovery platform offering features to help users find the iPhone, iPad, Android, and Windows mobile apps. AppCrawlr summarizes features, which app is missing, what people say in positive reviews, minor annoyances about the app, and critical issues. It also tells users if there are competitors that score better and what competitors. The User might consider why and where an app ranks in different categories.

AppCrawlr offers a feature called ‘Uber Grid’, which outlines the strengths and weaknesses of all app’s competitors. 

15. Appszoom

Appszoom is an app-finding platform that enables mobile users to find new applications. It offers up-to-date reviews and recommendations, allowing individuals to find applications that suit them.

16. Google Play

Google Play is a digital distribution platform developed by Google that allows users to download apps, music and movies. There are over 1 million apps available on the platform, and you can use it to discover new apps or browse through your favorite ones.

The pros of using Google Play include its user-friendly interface, which makes it easy for anyone to navigate through the store. You will also love how fast your downloads are as well as the fact that you do not need an internet connection while downloading any content from this app marketplace.

17. Microsoft Windows Store

Microsoft Windows Store is the official app store for Windows 10, and it has over 1.5 million apps and games. The store has a variety of categories to choose from, such as productivity, business and education apps. There are also sections dedicated to gaming, music and movies that can help you find what you want or need in each category.

Microsoft Windows Store also offers a variety of children’s applications with fun characters like Thomas & Friends locomotives or Hello Kitty stickers for your photos on social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram!

If your child loves cartoons, then check out their collection of kid-friendly shows like Adventure Time TV show episodes where Finn – hero boy from Ooo – travels into other dimensions through portals and wormholes.

At the same time, he tries not to fall into their trap by using his sword, which shoots lasers at anything nearby (like enemies) but also friends too!

18. F-Droid

F-Droid is an app store for Android devices. It offers a catalog of over 6,000 apps and games in the Play Store, as well as thousands more available directly from the F-Droid website.

The organization also collaborates with other companies to bring this content to users worldwide.

19. Mobango

Mobango is a free app store that offers Android, iOS and Windows phones access to thousands of apps. It also has a rating system so you can see which apps are safe for kids or not.

Mobango also has a large selection of games on its platform, which is great if you’re looking for something fun to do whilst waiting in line at the grocery store!

20. Uptodown App Store

Uptodown is a free app store that offers a large selection of apps. The site has been operating since 2009, and it boasts over 10 million apps available for download.

The site also offers paid-for content, including games, themes and other software that can be purchased through its service or through third-party vendors such as Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

21. Slide ME

Slide ME is an app store that provides a large collection of apps. It has a good rating and number of downloads, as well as good reviews from its users.

Its layout is simple, but it does have some nice features like the ability to add new apps directly from within the main page or by clicking on “Add App.”

22. MoboMarket

MoboMarket is a mobile app store and app download platform for Android and iOS. It provides users with access to the best apps in their categories, as well as new releases that are coming soon.

They offer more than 1 million products on their website—and they’re constantly adding new ones! You can search through all those options by category or keyword (e.g., “kids games”), which makes finding what you’re looking for easy as pie.

If you’re looking for something specific but don’t know where to start your search (or if there’s an item missing from their database), just type in some keywords into the Google Search bar like “kids game.” Then select “View All” underneath any results that pop up!

Related article:- Best App Store Optimization Tools

Final Words: Which app search engine do you choose?

There is no doubt that the Play Store and App Store are the best app search engines out there. These app search engines use powerful and intelligent algorithms and AI implementations that offer customers an incredible and personalized experience.

That is why using other app search engines might seem weird for many users at first, but it’s not that horrible, I swear.

So keep going and check out these Play Store and App store alternatives to escape. Also, don’t forget to tell us which app search engine you liked the most. If you feel there are some other options out there, do let us know in the comment section below. 

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About Ritika

Ritika is an avid content curator who loves chatting about all things Industry and Technology. She writes about Web App Development, Designing, Marketing, even Machine Learning, and AI.