The Setapp Mobile iOS store is shutting down on February 16th
is the Verge’s weekend editor. He has over 18 years of experience, including 10 years as managing editor at Engadget.
Setapp Mobile seemed like one of the many alternative app markets with promise that launched in the wake of the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). While the law may have forced Apple to allow third-party app stores on its devices, it couldn’t make users actually embrace them. MacPaw, the Ukrainian developer behind the subscription-based Setapp, posted on a support page that it would be sunsetting the service next month and users would lose access to any apps:
Important: Setapp Mobile sunset notice
Setapp Mobile is scheduled to sunset on February 16, 2026, due to still-evolving and complex business terms that don’t fit Setapp’s current business model.
All Setapp Mobile apps will be removed from the platform on this date. If you’ve used apps via Setapp Mobile, please make sure to transfer your data in advance, as it will no longer be accessible after the sunset.
There are still a few alternative app stores operating in the EU, including AltStore PAL and Epic Games Store. Though, they face a challenging environment where Apple still makes it difficult to install apps via third-party sources. MacPaw CEO, Oleksandr Kosovan told The Verge that:
Setapp Mobile was a bold, breakthrough project that aimed to provide EU iOS users with access to alternative app marketplaces – creating a new app ecosystem where both developers and users could thrive. We are proud of what we have accomplished with it over the past two years and still believe passionately in this vision.
As a result of still-evolving commercial conditions, we have determined that it is not viable to continue development or support for Setapp Mobile within Setapp’s current business model.
While we are disappointed to discontinue Setapp Mobile, we are looking forward to pursuing the development of other innovations. We are excited to focus efforts on various projects that will launch later this year. This includes Eney, a first-of-its-kind AI assistant native to macOS, and new enhancements to Setapp Desktop.
Update January 17th: Added comment from MacPaw’s CEO.
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