Top Installous Alternatives For iPhone, iPod Touch & iPad

Installous was the first ever app from the jailbreak community that allowed us to download free iOS AppStore apps. Since those hazy days, a lot has changed. There are alternative applications, software, methods and websites. In this article I’ll highlight my favourite three.

1. vShare (previously App VV)

My favourite alternative. This app looks much sleeker than Installous 5, but it doesn’t stop there. It also features direct-link downloading so no waiting around on file host sites or stumbling across broken links and removed uploads.

Pros: Direct download links, categories, user/admin created collections, clean UI, fast download speeds, auto-install, shows when updates are available, only 5MB in size.

Cons: Primarily made in Chinese and not all translations have yet been made, loading images does sometimes take a while.

vShare

To install vShare you will need Installous and Cydia. Follow this tutorial on instructions on how to download vShare. (click here)

[TUTORIAL: INSTALL VSHARE]

2. AppCake

More popular than vShare, AppCake has been around for longer too. Weighing in at just over 3MB AppCake works on all devices running iOS 4 or above. I personally have nothing against AppCake; the devs seems to be very devoted and have brought several updates over the last few months. It seems to run a very similar UI to vShare, but all in English!

Pros: Primarily made for English-speaking users, categories, auto-install configuration, built-in browser so you can download and install .ipa files from your own links.

Cons: All downloads are file host mirrors, ad-supported

AppCake

AppCake requires a jailbroken device running iOS 4 or above with Cydia. Follow this guide for instructions on how to install AppCake to your iDevice. (click here)

[TUTORIAL: INSTALL APPCAKE]

3. HiP Store

Hipstore is run by Vietnamese developers and offers very intuitive ways of installing apps. After downloading the application from Cydia using this tutorial, you can head over to Safari and download apps seamlessly from direct download links as well as use their browser-based application UI. Although it may not be as popular as the other alternatives, it works just as well!

[TUTORIAL: INSTALL HIP STORE]

4. Kuaiyong

Kuaiyong

Kuaiyong is run by Chinese developers, but do not let this put you off. At the time of writing (Feb 2013), they are making huge changes to bring full international language support to their platform. Essentially, this alternative allows you to download and install AppStore IPA files without jailbreak! Users are required to download an application to their PC/Laptop (currently Windows only) which is then used to manage IPA files downloaded from several sources on the internet and install them to your iDevice using a USB cable. Click the link below to follow a full step-by-step tutorial on how to install Kuaiyong.

[TUTORIAL: INSTALL KUAIYONG]

5. AppAddict

This would have been higher if I had found it earlier. AppAddict is branded by it’s developers as the best Installous alternative – and they’re not far off. It features the best UI of all alternatives I have come across and can be installed in two very easy steps straight from your iDevice. However, it doesn’t have a local sharing option, download through browser option or direct download links.

[TUTORIAL: INSTALL APPADDICT]

6. iFunBox

iFunBox replaces the need for iTunes. It makes adding apps, ringtones and syncing music from more than one iTunes account a breeze. It is incredibly user friendly and is ideal for those who download apps to their desktop computer and then sync to their device.

[TUTORIAL: INSTALL iFUNBOX]

7. 25pp

Although this alternative is 100% Chinese it does have direct download link and support for all devices running iOS 3.1 and above. For those who are confident with using apps in foreign languages this is a goldmine as it also features highspeed direct download links too!

[TUTORIAL: INSTALL 25PP]

Unfortunately, those are the only very best alternatives to Installous for now. This post will be updated as more alternatives are released.

Subscribe to Email Updates