Are you looking for safe APK sites to download APK files on your Android smartphone? If yes, then you have landed on the right page. In today’s article, we are going to share a list of the best safe APK sites with you.
So, without any further ado, let’s get started-
The 12 Best Safe APK sites to download APK files
There is no doubt that the Google Play Store has the most extensive library of Android apps and games. But a significant majority of apps on the Google Play Store are either paid or offer very restricted access to free users.
Plus, due to the rigidly designed policies of the Google Play Store, many apps, especially modified ones, cannot make a place on Play Store’s library. Therefore, to download such apps, you have to visit third-party websites.
But since all third-party APK download websites cannot be trusted, we have created a list of safe APK download sites –
1. APKMirror
Website: https://www.apkmirror.com
If you are looking for a Google Play Store alternative but don’t want to download unverified apps, in that scenario, APKMirror can be a safe place to download APK for you. APKMirror only hosts genuine, verified Android applications on their servers, very similar to Google Play Store.
We don’t exactly know how APKMirror aggregates APK files, but it would be safe to say that APKMirror has a very similar, even more extensive APK library than Google Play Store. It boasts over two million Android applications in its closet.
That said, unfortunately, you cannot find many third-party applications developed by individual developers on APKMirror. It has a similarly strict policy that many developers fail to adhere to. Due to privacy and security concerns, APKMirror restricts such third-party apps.
However, the best thing about APKMirror is that it lets you download all recently released versions of an Android application. For example, the recently released version of WhatsApp Messenger is v2.21.13.27, released on the 2nd of July, 2021, but you can also download WhatsApp Messenger v2.11.1, released in October 2014.
It is the best thing about APKMirror, and it is also the main reason behind its popularity. Overall, APKMirror is a safe, secure, and reliable APK marketplace where you can find and download millions of Android applications for free. Plus, it is very easy to use.
2. Aptoide
Website: https://en.aptoide.com/
Aptoide ranks amongst the trusted and best APK sites on the internet. It has an extensive collection of over a million apps that have been downloaded over 7 billion times. Further, the website boasts a user base of over 300 million users worldwide.
The best thing about Aptoide is that it lets you download apps with no-geo restrictions. You can easily download and use apps that are not officially available in your location. Further, Aptoide features one of the best malware detection algorithms on the internet.
Another great thing about the website is that it focuses not only on end-users but also on individual developers and OEMs and allows them to create their own app store. Thus, you can find a good collection of applications not available on the Google Play Store.
Aptoide joined the app distribution industry in 2011 with a single motive of making open-source Android apps discovery easier. Therefore, the platforms boast a good number of open-source applications in their closet.
However, Aptoide doesn’t support or promote piracy. Because of that, you cannot find modified applications such as WhatsApp and Insta mods and apps that encourage piracy, such as Thop TV, PikaShow, etc.
3. APKBucket
Website: https://apkbucket.net/
Next on our list, we have APKBucket. APKBucket is a great website where you can find and download different types of apps and games very quickly. Further, it is a blog, and you will have multiple guides to install ROMs and make other modifications on Android smartphones.
APKBucket is quite popular as a platform where you can find multiple open-source applications that are not readily available elsewhere. APKBucket can be the best Android APK download site for people who want to download utility tools such as Instagram Video Downloader, AndroRat, FaceNiff, etc.
However, the app library of APKBucket is not as extensive as others. It has a very limited number of apps, and that too can be easily categorized into five categories that include entertainment, productivity, utility tools, action games, and racing games.
Since the app library of APKBucket is quite tiny, it could not be a suitable replacement for the Play Store. Instead, you can use APKBucket as one of the safe APK websites to find modded, cracked, patched, and apps that can be used to stream pirated content.
The website lacks proper categorization, and therefore, sometimes, it becomes very difficult to find the app you are looking for. You can use the categories option, but that will bring a massive list of apps. There is no filter option either.
4. APK4Fun
Website: https://www.apk4fun.com/
APK4Fun is another free APK download site where you can get a massive collection of Android apps and games. The APK library of APK4Fun is considerably great – it is not as big as Google Play Store or APKMirror, but still, it is worth considering.
It has over a million applications and games on its repository, which are available to download for free. The main reason it is in the second position of our list of safe APK websites is because of the trust it has gained over these years.
This APK download website was founded back in 2013, and since then, it is continuously providing services to download safe Android applications for free. Plus, the content library of APK4Fun is constantly growing.
Unfortunately, very similar to APKMirror and Google Play Store, you cannot find modded applications on the APK4Fun platform. You will only get access to apps that are genuine, reliable, and come from trusted developers.
We also tried finding non-modded apps developed by individual developers, but unfortunately, such apps were also missing. Therefore, if you want a Google Play Store replacement, APK4Fun can be a good choice, but if you are looking for modded apps, you have to choose any other option from this list.
5. Mobilism
Website: https://forum.mobilism.org
Mobilism is not exclusively an app discovery platform or website. Rather, it is an online forum where you can find and download plenty of stuff related to books, apps, and games. It features apps and games for Android, iPad, and iOS platforms.
The best thing about this website is that since it is primarily a forum, you can see what other developers and forum users have to say about the uploaded files. It helps to determine the quality, reliability, and possible issues available in the app.
It is a freemium platform, but you don’t need to opt for a membership to access essential features. All the important features are available for free. The premium membership only removes advertisements and lets you download files directly from the Mobilism app and website.
You can visit the forum, find APK files, and download them without even registering on the forum. But you will not be allowed to access the search function. That can only be accessed after registering on the website, so that’s a downside, in my opinion. But that is not a deal-breaker, to be honest.
Mobilism allows users to upload all types of cracked, patched, open-source, mods, and other types of Android and iOS applications. Plus, the community is highly active, and I don’t think you will get a better, safe, and free APK download site than Mobilism. So, I would suggest you give it a shot.
6. APKPure
Website: https://apkpure.com/
APKPure has been in the industry for a very long period. It was founded in 2014, and since then, it has grown very well, and it has transformed itself from a regular app discovery website to one of the leading names in the smartphone app industry.
This website primarily aims to provide a safer, better and faster app download experience and, therefore, use it to replace Google Play Store. It even has a more significant collection of Android apps and games than the Google Play Store.
Even though APKPure features open-source applications on their app library, you will never find any apps that may compromise your privacy or security. Each app gets tested individually for its safety. Further, APKPure doesn’t host any modded and patched applications.
It also hosts different released versions of Android applications. Therefore, it is among the safe APK websites for those who want to try out different app versions, but for people with a question like where to download APK that is modified or patched, APKPure is not a good choice.
Overall, APKPure can be a great Google Play Store replacement. It has many good things, such as its extensive collection of apps, ability to let you download apps without geo-restriction, and one of the safest virus-checking algorithms.
7. XDA-Developers
Website: https://www.xda-developers.com/category/developments/
XDA-Developers is not primarily an app discovery platform. But if you love Android development or want to download patched or modified applications, then, in that case, it can be an excellent choice for you. That is because it is one of the most active communities of Android developers.
You can find all different types of app, custom ROM, Kernels, and other development tools, guides, and other stuff on the XDA-Developers website. Further, it is a great place for Android enthusiasts to get the latest information and news about Android.
XDA-Developers is primarily famous amongst rooted Android users who want to get custom apps, ROMs, and development stuff for their smartphones. But it has a decent collection of apps for non-rooted Android users as well.
Plus, the best thing about the website is its highly active user base. Whenever someone uploads an app or anything else, it instantly gets reviews from other fellow users and developers. They test apps and give their honest feedback about it.
It makes it a safe place to download APK because you will always have sufficient feedbacks from professionals. However, the major drawback of XDA-Developers is its app collection. It is not as extensive as others.
8. Softpedia
Website: https://mobile.softpedia.com/apk/
Softpedia is probably one of the oldest software and tech-news websites on the internet. It came into existence in 2001 that makes it even older than Google Play Store. However, when it was initially launched, it appeared as a tech-news sharing website where you can find software reviews.
But later, the website started indexing and hosting downloadable Windows and Linux software along with reviews. Right now, Softpedia has dedicated sections for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, games, drivers, web scripts, news, and reports on technology and science.
The best thing about Android users is that Softpedia has millions of Android apps on its app library. Softpedia includes many open-source applications that make its library even bigger than Google Play Store’s library.
However, like other safe APK download sites, Softpedia also does not host any patched or cracked software. They do this so that they can adhere to privacy policies and keep their library safe from apps that can cause security or privacy threats.
The only thing that might not go in favor of Softpedia is its user interface. The UI isn’t bad, but it just looks a bit messy and a bit confusing to the first-time user. Also, there is no proper categorization that makes it challenging to find the apps that you want. In that scenario, the search option can be a lifesaver for you.
9. Android APK
Website: https://android-apk.org
As the name suggests, this website is exclusively dedicated to Android applications. The best thing about Android APK is that it has a dedicated section for the apps that are hard to get elsewhere. For example, apps like Vidmate, Pokemon TV, or ROM ToolBox Lite can be easily downloaded from this site.
Along with that, this website features a decent collection of popular apps such as WhatsApp Messenger, Facebook, and others that you can find on the Google Play Store. So, irrespective of what you want, Android APK can be a good choice for you.
The user interface of the website is very simple and clean. It is also very functional. You can find three different sections on the homepage that include trending apps, hard-to-get apps, and top downloaded apps. On the right sidebar, you get an additional section where you can find the recently updated APK.
The search function is decent. It uses the Google Custom Search algorithm that does a pretty decent job, but it also aggregates content from Android APK’s sister site, aapks.com. However, that is not a big deal as it actually makes it easier for you to find the app you want.
The major downside of Android APK is that the app library is not categorized very well. Oftentimes, it appears cluttered that could make it hard for you to get the app you want. But you can use the search function in that scenario.
10. APKDLMod
Website: https://www.apkdlmod.com/
If you primarily need a website that hosts different types of modified apps and games, APKDLMod is going to be the best bet for you. Arguably, it has one of the most extensive libraries of modified and patched Android applications and games.
The website initially came into existence in 2015, and since its early days, it has been focusing on modified, patched, and cracked Android applications and games. Even though the website has a decent collection of Android apps, it mainly focuses on Android games.
The games are very cleanly categorized into different categories that include Action, Arcade, Sports, Casual, Strategy, Racing, Role Playing, Puzzle, and Simulation. You can also use the search function to find specific mods of any apps or games.
The website has a blog type of user interface. With each app, you get a description of the app, screenshots, download links, and an installation guide. You can also see the comments made by other users where they share bugs, their feedback, and additional information about the game.
All in all, APKDLMod is an excellent choice for people who enjoy gaming on their Android smartphones. But it is certainly not a good choice for people who want to download patched and cracked Android applications and tools.
11. AllFreeAPK
Website: https://www.allfreeapk.com/
Next, on our list, we have AllFreeAPK. It is another great website where you can get a good amount of Android apps and games. Its app library consists of popular apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook, PUBG, and others, along with apps that are not available on Google Play Store such as ShowBox, Android Toolkit, and others.
It also features a good collection of apps that are exclusively designed for rooted Android users. For example, you can download apps like Aircrack-ng for Android, Color Changer Pro, CheatDroid, dSploit, call and message bombers, and others very easily.
Along with apps, it houses a good collection of popular games that includes PUBG, COC, COD, Free Fire, etc. It lets you download geo-restricted games very easily, which is a major plus point of this best Android APK download site.
Even though AllFreeAPK features open-source applications, you cannot find patched, cracked, or modded applications on this website. You will only get apps created by individual developers and apps that are not the clone of any other application.
The major drawback of the website is undoubtedly the app categorization. The user interface is clean and easy to use, but the apps appear disorganized. But the website allows you to search for the app using the name or package name that somehow compensates that shortcoming.
12. Happy Mod
Website: https://www.happymoddownload.com/
Lastly, we have Happy Mod on our list. Happy Mod is a sister site of AllFreeAPK, but it is mainly dedicated to modded and patched Android applications. This website features an extensive collection of modded apps and games.
From the Happy Mod website, you can download the modded versions of popular apps such as Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, and even Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. You can also download mods of geo-restricted apps such as TikTok, PUBG, and Spotify.
However, the most popular category of Happy Mod is its games section. This website makes it easy for you to download mods of popular games such as Minecraft, Subway Surfers, Free Fire, 8 Ball Pool, and others.
The website also has a good collection of simulator games. However, the sections that attracted me the most are its Paid for free and app removed from the Google section. If you want to download paid apps for free, Happy Mod is going to be the right solution for you.
However, Happy Mod has the same drawback as its sibling AllFreeAPK. The app categorization is really bad, and that makes the apps very disorganized. As a result, it becomes very annoying to explore new apps on the Happy Mod website.
Closing Comments
There you have a list of the 12 best safe APK sites to download APK files.
Finding a reliable solution to download applications can be really a challenging task, especially when app download websites come and disappear overnight. But after testing multiple websites, we found these 12 as the most reliable app downloading sites on the internet.
Do note that each free APK download site from this list has its own pros and cons. None of the sites mentioned in this list is perfect nor completely a waste of time. It all depends on what you are looking for, and then pick a site that fulfills your needs.
With that said, here I am wrapping up this article. I hope it was a helpful article for you.
