Obtainium
An Android updater that installs apps directly from developer release pages such as GitHub and GitLab.
These buttons open the developer's own site, repository or store listing in a new tab. wares.gg does not host downloads.
About Obtainium
Obtainium keeps Android apps up to date straight from the source. You add an app by pasting the URL of its GitHub, GitLab, Codeberg or F-Droid page, or a supported developer site, and Obtainium watches for new releases and installs them. There is no store, no account and no middleman between you and the developer.
It is free and open source (GPL-3.0). It only works for apps whose developers publish release files on a supported site, and you take on the job of judging whether a source is trustworthy.
Strengths
- Supports many sources including GitHub, GitLab, Forgejo/Codeberg, F-Droid, IzzyOnDroid, SourceHut and direct APK links
- Crowdsourced app configurations available at apps.obtainium.imranr.dev
- F-Droid build is reproducible and bit-for-bit identical to the developer's release
Limitations
- Some sources rely on web scraping that can break when a website's design changes
- Requires Android 8.0 or newer
Details
- Pricing
- FreeFree and open source
- License
- GPL-3.0
- Developer
- Imran R. (ImranR98)
- Platforms
- Android
- How it runs
- Downloadable app
- Works offline
- No
- Best suited for
- Tracking and updating Android apps straight from developer release pages
- Categories
- Android stores
- Last verified
- Added
- Provenance
- Selected from the TechWalrus Resource Hub (Alternative App Stores); facts checked against the developer's own pages, 13 sources on file.
Alternatives to Obtainium
Compare allSoftware that can replace Obtainium for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.
F-Droid
An app store and client for free and open-source Android apps that works without a Google account.
F-Droid builds every app from source and reviews it before listing; Obtainium installs whatever the developer publishes.
Aurora Store
An open-source client for the Google Play catalog that installs and updates apps without a Google account.
Aurora Store is for apps that exist only on Google Play, which Obtainium cannot reach.
Similar software
Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.
GrapheneOS
A privacy- and security-hardened Android operating system for supported Google Pixel phones.
CalyxOS
A privacy-focused Android operating system from the Calyx Institute with microG and a built-in firewall.
