Welcome to the latest release of appstoresoftheworld.com. Originally launched in 2022, this website was commissioned by the UK Government and developed by Copper Horse to provide information on the wide variety of app stores available around the world for different devices and platforms. This updated edition, launched in 2026, reflects the continuing evolution of the app store ecosystem through refreshed research and new findings. The website has been designed as an open resource that can be updated periodically, enabling the findings to evolve alongside the rapidly changing app store ecosystem.
So far we have discovered and researched 155 app stores which are designed for the following platforms:
- 65 for mobile,
- 28 gaming,
- 26 closed stores,
- 10 desktop,
- 8 smart TV,
- 7 package managers,
- 6 wearable,
- 5 smart speaker store
We have classified four categories of app stores during the research. Among the 155 stores reviewed:
- 30 are Operating System (OS)-provided
Stores which are integrated directly into the device by the Operating System - 3 are State-sanctioned and Government Backed
State sponsored app stores are included in this category - 12 Native stores
App stores which are not provided by the Operating System developer but instead pre-installed by the manufacturer - 110 are classified as Third party stores
This category is for apps stores which are optionally installed by the user onto the device
The 2023 data identified 116 app stores, covering the same categories as highlighted above (excluding AI integrated app stores). Since the previous research we have identified an additional 38 stores. We have also highlighted those which have closed down since 2023.
AI integrated app stores have been included to show the potential direction that apps can take with the expansion of AI, as this is something that may impact the app store ecosystem. They have been given the classification of AI Apps to show where the platforms have been headquartered. This makes up a further 6 stores bringing the total number of identified stores to 161.
Archive
To see how the app store landscape is changing Copper Horse has maintained previous versions of the map and data which can be found here: