The Safest Sites to Download APKs (2024)

Not all apps are available on the Google Play Store, whether it was banned or removed by the developers themselves. Finding these programs can be difficult, and downloading them can prove dangerous to your mobile device. Fortunately, there are websites available that offer safe APK downloads for everyone.

In this article, we’ll show you the safest sites to download APKs in case you can’t find them on the larger app platforms.

What Are APKs?

APK stands for Android Package Kit, and it is how mobile apps install their program files. Think of it as a zip file that automatically unpacks itself during installation. When you go to the Google Play Store and download an app, the installation happens automatically.

Why the Concern?

Because APKs are executable files, downloading them from an untrustworthy source leaves you open to viruses and malware. APK installation usually doesn’t show the user which files are being downloaded and what are being modified. Malicious software can do anything, from corrupting your OS to sending private data to hackers.

One of the foremost rules of the internet is to never download anything from sites that you don’t trust. For sites that you do trust, always go out of your way to make sure that the files you download are virus-free. A lot of mobile devices today are very expensive, so the last thing you want is something that will render it useless.

Apk Download Sites

Here are some of the community’s most trusted APK download sites.

APK Mirror

APK Mirror is arguably the most popular APK site on the internet today. They have a very large archive of mobile apps, and the list is updated every day. All the apps on the site have been guaranteed safe and are free to download.

The only real problem with APK Mirror is that with such a large library, the categories are full to the brim with apps. Unless you already know a specific app that you want, you’re going to spend a lot of time poring through the lists. There is a rating for each app, but you’ll need to click on each title to see it. You can use the “Popular” list on the front page to see which ones are good, but it only goes back up to 30 days.

XDA Labs

Unlike APK Mirror, XDA Labs is an app store, not a download site. Sure, there are free apps available, but a good deal of them require fees. It’s comparable to the Google Play store, which also offers a storefront for apps.

XDA is a great Google Play alternative that has its own payment tools and gives 100% of the revenue for each app to the developers. It also accepts payments through PayPal and Bitcoin. If for some reason you don’t like using the Google Play Store, then XDA Labs might be worth looking into.

APKPure

APKPure is a very handy website for those looking for a convenient way of downloading APKs. The site is updated every day and presents a lot of good information right on the home page. Unlike APK Mirror which floods you with so much content, APKPure makes discovering new apps easy.

APKPure removes region-locks from apps so users that are interested in programs only available overseas can find them here. There’s also a future installation feature that lets you highlight an upcoming app, then automatically downloads it once it becomes available.

F-Droid

Unlike others on this list that concentrate on popular app releases, F-Droid provides a catalog of apps that are considered open-source software. This is great for both users and app developers, as they can use these programs as a base for their work. The lack of licensing requirements also means that users can freely apply them to business functions without the fear of later fees.

The only downside with F-Droid is that because it only offers open-source programs, the selection isn’t as big as the others in this list. That said, this makes it easier to locate particular programs or test out new ones that catch your eye.

Android APK

Considered as the internet’s app archive, Android APK has a collection of apps that aren’t even in development anymore. It even has older versions of modern software, which is great if your mobile device can’t run the newly updated programs. If you can’t find it anywhere else, there’s a good chance there’s a copy of it in the Android APK archive.

Because of its size, however, don’t expect to browse the library easily. There are a lot of apps here, and it’s best to know what you’re looking for before heading here. There isn’t a category browser, so searching for related apps isn’t going to be easy either. The search function is your best friend, so make sure you know the name of the app that you want to download.

Best Mobile Antivirus Software

It’s always a good idea to scan any file you’re downloading, whether it is from trusted sites or not. Here are some of the best mobile antivirus software available:

Avast

One of the most popular antivirus programs for both PC and mobile, Avast provides both free and paid versions for PC, Android, and IOS users. The paid version offers extras like VPN, Wi-Fi verification, and anti-phishing features, but the free version will do the job.

The only downside is that Avast free has a lot of ads and can become annoying rather quickly. It’s a small price to pay to keep your device safe, and if you’re willing to pay for a subscription, they have a lot of ongoing deals available.

Kaspersky

Another popular choice when it comes to antivirus software, Kaspersky offers plenty of features, even for its free version. Free Kaspersky has virus, spyware, ransomware, and trojan scanning capabilities, along with an anti-theft tool. Surprisingly enough, the free version doesn’t have ads, which is always a plus.

The premium version has anti-phishing features, web filters, an app-lock tool, along with real-time threat detection. This function is great, as you’ll always be warned whenever you get a virus rather than having to do manual scanning.

Bitdefender

Bitdefender is a very effective antivirus tool but it comes with a big caveat: there’s no free version other than the 14-day trial. For those willing to pay, however, they’ll be using one of the best antivirus programs around. Bitdefender offers quality protection while having a very small impact on your device.

It doesn’t use much processing power or battery life. If you’re a gamer that likes playing for long periods, Bitdefender keeps you safe without cutting into your playtime.

AVG

If you have a background in computing, the name AVG will be very familiar, as it has been one of the bigger players in the antivirus market. What may surprise you, however, is that both AVG and Avast share the same engine, as Avast bought AVG back in 2016. There’s very little difference in the performance of both, though Avast’s free suite has a few more features than AVG.

The main difference is in the ads. AVG doesn’t have as many, while Avast can be quite intrusive. If ads aren’t your thing, AVG performs well even though it isn’t as extensive as its more ad-ridden counterpart.

Finding What You’re Looking For

If you’re trying to find a mobile app and can’t seem to locate it in the Google Play store, then you might want to try your luck on the sites we’ve provided. Rest assured that these are some of the safest sites to download APKs currently, and their app libraries are quite large. There’s a good chance that they have what you’re looking for.

Do you know of other good sites to download APKs? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.