Help How safe are Uptodown and ApkPure?

[RhinoCan]

An older app that I need is not available in Playstore but *is* available on Uptodown and ApkPure. Is it safe to download from Uptodown and ApkPure? I really don't want to brick a phone by downloading something full of malware!

I am under the impression - correct me if I'm wrong! - that Playstore checks every app for malware before accepting it so that you can sure it has no malware when you download it. Do Uptodown and ApkPure do the same? If not, how can I inspect a given app to be sure it is safe before I actually install it? On a laptop, I would download the file(s) to my Downloads folder and then run a program like Malwarebytes to make sure it is clean before installing it. In Android, at least when using Playstore, installation immediately follows downloading with no pause between to verify that the app is clean of malware.

 

[Dannydet]

Both sites are safe, along with apkmirror.com
Alot of forum members use them with no issues.
However, even the almighty Play Store has pulled apps after the fact that had malware, so just because it's in there doesn't mean much these days.

 

[puppykickr]

The Google Play Store is the largest source of malicious apps and apps with mal-ware and adware.

 

[Hadron]

No "these days" about it: there has always been some malware make it into the Play Store, so some sense when installing apps has always been needed.

Unfortunately Google keep making that harder! Once upon a time you couldn't install an app without it showing you the list of permissions it would have (so if you tried to install a flashlight that wanted the ability to install other apps, access your contacts etc then you had to actively not look at the fact that it wanted all sorts of things it didn't need). Then they stopped showing you that information, but it was still there if you looked for it. Now they have what they call "data safety" information you can look at if you choose to, but you can't see the permissions at all until you've installed the app. I'm sure that they've a prepared line for those who question this, but there are 2 problems with it: firstly the "data safety" is a mix of technical information (what data the app can access) and the developer's claims (e.g. if the Play Store listing claims "no data is shared with third parties" they are just repeating what they were told as if it is a fact: nothing in the code will tell them whether it's true or not). Secondly there are other red flags that you can spot from the permissions that you can't from this stuff, e.g. my example of a flashlight that wants the ability to install other apps. So in reality they have once again reduced the information you have available to assess whether an app is safe to install or not...

 

[Hadron]

The Google Play Store is the largest source of malicious apps and apps with mal-ware and adware.

To be fair, only because it's the largest source of apps per se. There are sketchy download sites with a far larger fraction of outright malicious apps on them, just many fewer people use them.

 

[puppykickr]

To be fair, only because it's the largest source of apps per se. There are sketchy download sites with a far larger fraction of outright malicious apps on them, just many fewer people use them.

This is true, but facts are facts.

Google claims about safety might just as well be an owner of a vicious dog claiming that 'he's never shown any signs of aggression'.

Every single scam ad and redirect I see across the web links directly to some turd of an app on Google Play.

Thousands of scam apps- like cleaners, boosters, battery savers, and all the rest.
All claimed to be just fine by Google.

I feel that any app that has Google Analytics in it should be called spyware/malware.

 

[svim]

I don't consider the Play Store to be a major problem at all. It's not perfect of course but I'll keep relying upon it as a primary source for apps and such. Yeah, it's a big source of malware but statistically it's also larger than any of those independent APK sites by a massive ratio. Also, those much smaller APK sites can pick and choose which apps they host. In comparison, Google's Play Store, from a world-wide perspective, receives tens of thousands of submissions each day (new submissions and updates to existing apps, both of which can essentially be potential malware).

It's not possible to thoroughly examine and verify each submission individually for what may or may not be some kind of covert compromise, at best Google uses AI and other algorithmic scanning to filter out the more obvious exploits. But a lot of those problematic submissions are done by professional-level developers using very advanced, intentionally deceptive tricks. Bottom line is Google does actively purge a lot of crapware on a regular basis it's just the news media tends to focus only on the negative aspects.

 

[nickdalzell]

Since I don't use Play Store at all those two sites are my go-to's (also apkmirror until CloudFlare screwed me over) for apps. I keep 99% of the apps I use (since 2009) on an SD Card so I don't do a lot of downloading other than when I update the four apps I actually bother updating at all, although that's gotten more difficult since everything's an 'XAPK' now and I can't install them.

One benefit of direct download aside ditching Google is having whatever version you prefer available, such as a version with a UI you liked before updates changed it, or a previous version that had no ads, or had less bugs than an updated version, etc.

Google Play Store has something nasty called Play Protect sadly which works outside the store app and can up and uninstall apps on your device without your permission and oftentimes without notifying you about it. The amount of false positives was too much to handle so I disabled everything to do with it. I mean, it uninstalled the older version of Bubble Mania (Team Lava Games) assuming it was a virus. Goofy! Sorry, but I can take risks and am responsible, Google please don't assume everyone's an idiot who can't accept the consequences of their actions!

I don't believe in app stores myself, but another alternative is Aptoide, which also offers multiple versions of apps. It works like an app store but basically downloads the APK and prompts you to install them.

I never forgave Google after killing the Android Market so will NEVER use the Play Store in protest. I used to go out of my way to make Android Market APKs run on modern Androids (the last was on my Nexus 6 in 2015). Android Market was perfect and didn't need replacing. Play Store is still a stupid name, and Play Services, required by it, is a virus.

 

[Davdi]

I'm not a fan of the App Store either, F-Droid is my go to Source for Open Source apps.

 

[nickdalzell]

I tried F-Droid but it refused to load anything. I don't think I'm smart enough to manually add repos to it. I just sideload everything. Been doing so since they killed Market.

 

[Windroid]

[...] that's gotten more difficult since everything's an 'XAPK' now and I can't install them.

Doesn't ApkMirror have an app that lets you sideload XAPKs?

 

[puppykickr]

Doesn't ApkMirror have an app that lets you sideload XAPKs?

ApkPure does, called XAPK Installer.
It is from the devs at ApkPure.

I use it becuse it works with xapks from anywhere.

The Uptodown app has one built it for their apps.

 

[Windroid]

@nickdalzell I hope puppykickr's post fixes your problem.

 

[nickdalzell]

I just avoid XAPKs. Couldn't get them to work, and their stupid installer only works on modern android versions. It was more of an issue when I used shopping apps like Walmart and Kroger before giving them up (those were the only two offenders and later versions only available as XAPKs (another solution in search of a problem) and whenever they said 'you must update to keep using this app' I just uninstalled them and went back to cash)

Any app today that so much as tries forcing me to update it gets promptly uninstalled. If it worked last week it should keep working.

 

[tendoboy1984]

I just avoid XAPKs. Couldn't get them to work, and their stupid installer only works on modern android versions. It was more of an issue when I used shopping apps like Walmart and Kroger before giving them up (those were the only two offenders and later versions only available as XAPKs (another solution in search of a problem) and whenever they said 'you must update to keep using this app' I just uninstalled them and went back to cash)

Any app today that so much as tries forcing me to update it gets promptly uninstalled. If it worked last week it should keep working.

You sound very elitist. Lots of software, video games, and operating systems require updates to fix issues or add features. Do you avoid those things as well?

 

[ocnbrze]

You sound very elitist. Lots of software, video games, and operating systems require updates to fix issues or add features. Do you avoid those things as well?

nah he is just a "if it ain't broken, why fix it" kind of person....which is why he likes old tech vs new tech. its his opinion and i respect it, though i do not agree with his views.

 

[puppykickr]

You sound very elitist. Lots of software, video games, and operating systems require updates to fix issues or add features. Do you avoid those things as well?

Personally, I agree with his views.

There is nothing new.
Virtually everything that is considered 'new' has been done before.
Some 'kid' comes along and thinks he has made something better by making it out of plastic instead of steel, or overcomplicates something simple and thinks that is an improvement.

We have people working on vehicles that are completely lost if they cant connect a computer up to it to tell them what is wrong with it.
Then they have to watch Youtube videos to see how to replace/install something.
This is what passes as a modrrn day 'mechanic'.