Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Altstore VS Cydia

Compare Altstore VS Cydia and see what are their differences

Altstore logo Altstore

A home for apps that push the boundaries on iOS

Cydia logo Cydia

An alternative app store for jailbroken devices.
  • Altstore Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-03
  • Cydia Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-12-11

Altstore features and specs

  • No Jailbreak Required
    AltStore lets users sideload apps without needing to jailbreak their iOS device, preserving device security and warranty.
  • Free
    AltStore offers a free tier that allows users to sideload up to three apps.
  • Delta Emulator
    AltStore facilitates the installation of the Delta Emulator, allowing users to play classic games on their iOS device.
  • Regular Updates
    The app receives regular updates, adding new features and improving stability.
  • Open Source
    AltStore is open-source, making it transparent and allowing developers to contribute to its improvements.

Possible disadvantages of Altstore

  • Limited Apps on Free Tier
    The free version only allows the installation and regular updating of up to three apps, which could be limiting for power users.
  • Mac or Windows PC Required
    To install AltStore, a Mac or Windows PC is required, which might be inconvenient for some users.
  • Requires Wi-Fi Syncing
    AltStore needs periodic re-signing of apps via Wi-Fi syncing with a computer, which could be cumbersome.
  • Apple ID Requirement
    Using AltStore requires an Apple ID, raising potential privacy concerns for users wary of sharing their credentials.
  • Technically Complex
    The initial setup process can be complex and challenging for users who are not tech-savvy.

Cydia features and specs

  • Customization
    Cydia allows users to install third-party apps, tweaks, and themes that are not available in the official Apple App Store, offering extensive customization options.
  • Access to Restricted Features
    Users can utilize features that Apple typically restricts, such as system file access, enhanced multitasking, and more.
  • Extended Device Lifespan
    With Cydia, older devices can receive performance tweaks and updated features that help in extending their usable life.
  • Community Support
    Cydia has a strong user community that provides a wealth of tutorials, guides, and support for extending device functionality.
  • Freedom of Choice
    Users are not confined to the App Store’s ecosystem and can explore and install a variety of software from different repositories.

Possible disadvantages of Cydia

  • Security Risks
    Installing software from unknown or unauthorized sources can introduce malware, viruses, and other security vulnerabilities.
  • System Stability
    Custom tweaks and unauthorized apps may cause system instability, leading to frequent crashes or malfunctions.
  • Potential for Bricking
    Incorrect modifications or installations can render the device unusable, often referred to as 'bricking' the device.
  • Voided Warranty
    Jailbreaking a device to install Cydia voids the manufacturer’s warranty, potentially leaving users without official support.
  • Limited Updates
    Jailbroken devices often have issues receiving official iOS updates, requiring manual workarounds that can be cumbersome.

Altstore videos

How to install the AltStore and NEVER get Revoked again!

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How To Install AltStore On iOS 13! (iPhone, iPad, iPod)

Cydia videos

How to Use Cydia: The Beginner's Guide to Jailbreaking iOS!

More videos:

  • Tutorial - What is Cydia? How to Use Cydia After Jailbreaking

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Altstore and Cydia)
Online Services
100 100%
0% 0
Software Marketplace
64 64%
36% 36
Tool
100 100%
0% 0
App Store
48 48%
52% 52

User comments

Share your experience with using Altstore and Cydia. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Altstore seems to be a lot more popular than Cydia. While we know about 476 links to Altstore, we've tracked only 5 mentions of Cydia. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Altstore mentions (476)

  • Y Combinator Urges the White House to Support Europe's Digital Markets Act
    That is listed under "unofficial sideloading methods". A more accurate title would've been "Does iOS support sideloading?" but I wanted to keep the domain name as short as possible :) The Apple Developer program is not intended as an option for end users to enable sideloading on their device, even if that is a side effect of joining it. It is only intended to allow developers to briefly test their apps in a... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • Apple must open iPadOS to sideloading within 6 months, EU says
    AltStore (https://altstore.io/) is available, but only has two apps last time I checked. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • A first look at Europe's alternative iPhone app stores
    AltServer from the AltStore folks allows you to automate the renewal of sideloaded apps. It’s not perfect, but it’s an excellent workaround. http://altstore.io/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • More options for apps distributed in the European Union
    That's probably to prevent the most obvious workaround of creating a new shell company for every million users. (Which would be not so ridiculous as it sounds, there is plenty of software you cannot buy directly but only through a reseller. Epic could become a pure b2b shop on paper and sell Fortnite clients to regional distributors, or something like that.) Some time ago somebody made an alternative App Store for... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: Is it possible to build React Native for iOS without a Mac?
    See: https://altstore.io/ 2 apps, re-sign weekly maximum. 3 if you do it without AltStore. Unlimited with a $99/yr developer account. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
View more

Cydia mentions (5)

  • [News] "XinaA15 is no longer supported by Sileo, as recent changes make it impossible for Sileo to support XinaA15 in a functional manner. Please remove XinaA15 and switch to Fugu15 Max."
    Functionally it is not perfect, it is entirely dependent on cydia.saurik.com being alive. Once that goes down, cydia is dead. Source: about 2 years ago
  • [Help] Cydia 7.1.2 Network Error
    Hi, I have just re-installed Cydia on my iPhone 4 running 7.1.2 for the first time in about a year and it's saying "Unable to Load (The certificate for this server is invalid. You might be connecting to a server that is pretending to be cydia.saurik.com which could put your confidential information at risk.". Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Free IOS apps
    Https://cydia.saurik.com/ is the only official cydia website. Source: over 3 years ago
  • YouTube ads in Safari: you see them now, will you see them in the future?
    The site you linked to (hxxps://cydia-app.com/) is unofficial, links to piracy and spyware sites, and should not be trusted. The official Cydia site is http://cydia.saurik.com/ but it doesn't include much information about Cydia and jailbreaks. To find out what jailbreaks are available for your device, check the r/Jailbreak wiki. (https://www.reddit.com/r/jailbreak/wiki/ios/canijailbreak). - Source: Hacker News / almost 4 years ago
  • Apple Tries Hard to Get Epic to Admit There's Porn on Its Store
    If Apple provided a blessed way to install Cydia[1] without jailbreaking, I would be a customer again in no time. [1]: https://cydia.saurik.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Altstore and Cydia, you can also consider the following products

GETMODSAPK.COM - Get Mods APK offers a big collection of new and top-rated Android Mod Games, Mod Games, Premium Tools that you can download without signing up.

AppRecs - AppRecs sorts through reviews in the App Store and automatically helps you filter out inauthentic results.

iOSGODS! - iOSGODS!

Fnd - Browse Apple App Store and iTunes on the Web

5play.ru - 5play.ru enables you to download highly-rated Apps and Games for Android devices.

JazzMyApp - Let JazzMyApp surprise you with amazing apps everyday. Try it out yourself.