Third-party stores outside the US can now apply to Google's Registered App Stores program, which launches December 1, costs $10,000 a year and requires the latest Android 17 builds.
Google has opened applications for its Registered App Stores program, which lets eligible third-party Android app stores outside the United States apply for preferential treatment on the platform, according to an Ars Technica report published on October 27, 2026. Approved stores will let users install apps with a single click, similar to the Google Play experience, and will be allowed to update apps silently in the background. A Google spokesperson said the program, announced in March, gives third-party stores a more streamlined way to reach users while maintaining Android's safety and security, and that the simplified installation experience will roll out to users later this year.
The program goes live on December 1 and is planned for dozens of countries, covering most of the world outside the United States and Europe. In the US, Ars Technica reports, alternative stores are instead distributed through Google Play under a court order following Google's loss in the Epic Games antitrust case, where Aptoide is so far the only one listed. Registered App Stores were originally Google's backup plan, and the company and Epic withdrew a settlement that would have relied on them after the court signalled it would not approve it. Applicants must protect intellectual property, remove illegal content, publish a privacy policy, maintain ongoing security measures, supply English documentation and upload copies of their apps, and must pay a $10,000 annual fee before review, with possible extra fees if malware problems are found.
The practical reach of the program may be limited. Support will only work on devices running the latest Android 17 builds, starting with Android 17 QPR2, which Ars Technica says is expected on Pixel phones in the coming weeks. Google does not sell Pixel devices in most of the supported regions, and phones in those markets often receive updates slowly, so a substantial number may never get a compatible update. These details come from a single trade-press report and a Google spokesperson's statement, and the rollout timetable may change as the programme begins.
