altstoreio/AltStore
AltStore is an alternative app store for non-jailbroken iOS devices. observed · 2026-10-07
Health v2 · maintenance only
86/100
- Activity 97
- Release rhythm 65
- Longevity 100
How is this computed?
round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10) — computed 2026-10-21. Adoption (stars, forks) is never an input.
- gap_med: n/a
- age_days: 2720
- days_rel: 20
- days_push: 20
- n_releases_24m: 1
Adoption not part of the score
14501 stars · 1566 forks observed · 2026-10-07
What it is AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, 2026-08-29, confidence not recorded
AltStore is an open-source alternative app store for non-jailbroken iOS devices that lets users sideload .ipa apps with just their Apple ID. It works alongside AltServer, a companion desktop app for macOS and Windows that resigns and installs apps over WiFi and periodically refreshes them so they don't expire.
Use cases
- sideload ipa files onto iphone without jailbreak
- install third-party apps on ios with just my apple id
- keep sideloaded apps from expiring after 7 days
- distribute my own ios apps outside the app store
- browse and install apps from custom altstore sources
- emulator apps like delta on iphone without jailbreak
When to choose
- you want to sideload apps on a non-jailbroken iPhone or iPad using only your Apple ID
- you need automatic background refreshing so sideloaded apps don't expire
- you're a developer wanting to distribute iOS apps via your own AltStore source or AltStore PAL
- you want an open-source, security-conscious alternative app store with permission alerts
When to avoid
- your device is jailbroken and you can use a full package manager like Cydia or Sileo
- you need to install apps without any computer or network setup and aren't in a region with AltStore PAL
- you want a polished commercial app store with paid app purchases and official developer support
- you're not comfortable signing apps with a personal development certificate and its app limits
Facets
application · maturity active
security developer-tools gui mobile-development apple-ecosystem self-hosted developer-tools windows sideloading app-store altserver ipa apple-id no-jailbreak open-source ios macos swift
4 sources
- readme: https://github.com/altstoreio/AltStore · fetched 2026-10-07 · 960568145a53
- homepage: https://altstore.io · fetched 2026-10-19 · 06cd927c72ac
- site_page: https://faq.altstore.io/getting-started/how-to-install-altstore-macos · fetched 2026-10-19 · 98010daed1c6
- site_page: http://faq.altstore.io · fetched 2026-10-19 · c21e12ab66e6
Member repositories
| Repository | Role | Health v2 |
|---|---|---|
| altstoreio/AltStore | main | 86 |
For agents
markdown · JSON · MCP: product_card(name="altstoreio/AltStore")
Data as of 2026-10-19T08:05:51.212177+00:00 · Report a problem