# altstoreio/AltStore

AltStore is an alternative app store for non-jailbroken iOS devices.

Repository: https://github.com/altstoreio/AltStore
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/altstore
Homepage: https://altstore.io
Language: Swift
License: AGPL-3.0
License Family: copyleft
Last push: 2026-07-14T19:06:27+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 74/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 92, release rhythm 35, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 2672, "days_push": 50, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 14233, forks 1407 (observed 2026-08-28T04:11:06.490834+00:00)

## What it is
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
- artifact type: application
- maturity: active
- function: security, developer-tools, gui
- domain: mobile-development, apple-ecosystem, self-hosted, developer-tools
- platform: windows
- tags: sideloading, app-store, altserver, ipa, apple-id, no-jailbreak, open-source, ios, macos, swift

## Member repositories
- altstoreio/AltStore (main) score 74

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:11:06.490834+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T17:12:42.776861+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/altstoreio/AltStore (fetched 2026-08-28T04:11:06.490834+00:00, sha 960568145a53)
  - homepage: https://altstore.io (fetched 2026-08-29T08:06:23.677873+00:00, sha d7b51def6ffd)
  - site_page: https://faq.altstore.io/getting-started/how-to-install-altstore-macos (fetched 2026-08-29T08:06:23.682847+00:00, sha b3b297649220)
  - site_page: http://faq.altstore.io (fetched 2026-08-29T08:06:23.681006+00:00, sha 04bfc3cde219)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.