The experiment of wearing a an alternative app store to European iPhones It's coming to an end sooner than many expected. Setapp Mobile, MacPaw's platform that presented itself as one of the first app marketplaces for iOS outside of the App Store, has confirmed that it will shut down its servers in the European Union and that applications distributed through their service will stop working.
The decision is a blow to those who saw in the Digital Markets Law (DMA) The beginning of a genuine opening of the iOS ecosystem in Europe. On paper, European regulations required Apple to allow third-party app stores in the region; in practice, the Setapp Mobile case reveals a scenario full of tariffs, technical requirements and operational obstacles which have ultimately made the project unfeasible.
How Setapp Mobile was born and what it offered to European users
Setapp Mobile was the Ukrainian developer's gamble MacPaw To take advantage of the new European regulatory context. Following the entry into force of the DMA and Apple's obligation to open iOS to third-party stores starting in March 2024, the company decided to bring to the iPhone the model it was already successfully using on macOS through Setapp Desktop.
The service started in 2024 initially as Limited beta in spring and later, as an open beta around September, always with one key condition: only those users whose Apple ID was associated with an EU countryThe store was presented as an alternative specifically designed for the European market and for those who wanted to get out, at least in part, of the traditional App Store circuit.
His proposal focused on a single subscription model around $9,99 per month. In return, users could access a catalog of slightly more 50 Selected iOS AppsNo ads, no additional in-app purchases, and a clear focus on quality over quantity. The idea was to replicate on mobile the "software bundle" concept that Setapp already offered on Mac: a fixed fee that gave access to a set of paid apps, managed from a single location.
Far from wanting to compete in volume with the millions of titles on the App Store, Setapp Mobile positioned itself as one of the first real alternative iPhone stores in the EUAlongside offerings like the Epic Games Store, AltStore PAL, and Aptoide iOS, its goal was to serve as a curated showcase for developers and as an easy way for iOS users in Europe to try another way to access software.
The closing date and what will happen to the applications and data
MacPaw has set the date and time at the end of the experiment: Setapp Mobile will cease operations on Monday, February 16, 2026From that date, the store will no longer be accessible on European iPhones and the service will be completely deactivated. This is not simply a removal of the app, but a total shutdown of the infrastructure that managed licensing and distribution.
As the company has detailed on its support page and in statements collected by media outlets such as The Verge, TechCrunch, and MacRumors, when that date arrives Applications installed through Setapp Mobile will stop working and they will be removed from the platform. This leaves users needing to find alternative ways if they want to continue using their usual tools.
The official recommendation is clear: those who have data stored in apps obtained through Setapp Mobile should export or transfer that information in advanceeither by switching to versions distributed on the App Store, or by hiring individual subscriptions where they exist or by migrating to other equivalent solutions. Once the closure occurs, there will be no way to recover content through the MacPaw store.
The company also emphasizes that this measure affects exclusively to the alternative iOS store in the European Union. The service Setapp Desktop for macOS, which operates on a similar subscription catalog model, will continue to operate without changes, as will other product lines of the brand.
Apple's commercial terms, the main obstacle to viability
In his communications, MacPaw has not pointed to a single direct culprit for the closure, but he has made the context clear: the Apple's "complex and still evolving business conditions" For alternative stores in Europe, they have clashed head-on with the cost and margin structure that Setapp Mobile requires to be profitable.
In order to operate third-party app marketplaces in the EU, Apple requires developers to accept certain terms. updated trade termsThese introduce new tariffs and technical requirements. Among them, the already famous Central Technology Fee, a charge of 0,50 euros for each first annual installation of an app that exceeds one million downloads in a twelve-month period.
Apple redesigned this pricing system in 2024 with the intention of aligning its model with the DMA and avoiding additional penalties, but, according to many industry players, the result has been an environment even more complicated and difficult to predictMacPaw has referred to this framework as a “non-viable” structure for a service that, like Setapp Mobile, bases its business on a relatively tight monthly subscription per user.
Added to this are demanding technical requirements, complex approval processes, and a lack of regulatory stability which hinders medium- and long-term planning. The company acknowledges that the fact that the rules keep changing and remain opaque in many respects makes it difficult to build a solid business structure outside the App Store in Europe.
A market that just won't take off: user habits and limited adoption
Beyond the fine print of the contracts with Apple, the closure of Setapp Mobile also highlights the difficulty in modifying the behavior of iPhone usersAlthough the DMA opened the door to third-party app stores in the EU, the vast majority of iOS device owners still rely almost exclusively on the App Store.
Something similar has been observed in Android for years: although it is possible to install alternative stores to Google Play, inertia, the feeling of security, and comfort These factors weigh heavily when choosing where to download an app. In the iOS world, these ingrained habits are even stronger because the ecosystem has historically been more closed, and the processes for trusting a third-party distributor are less straightforward than simply pressing a button in the official store.
In this context, Setapp Mobile has had to deal with considerable adoption barriers: a smaller, albeit curated, catalog compared to the virtually infinite volume of the App Store; the need to explain to the user how to install and grant permissions to an alternative store; and the widespread perception that going off the beaten path can be more cumbersome or even risky.
As a result, the service has failed to consolidate a sufficiently large subscriber base in the European Union as well as offsetting the costs of operating under Apple's current rules. The combination of fees, technical requirements, and a lack of critical mass has ultimately stifled the platform's room for maneuver.
Impact on iPhone users in Spain and the rest of the EU
For those who used Setapp Mobile in Spain and other EU countries, the closure means the loss of one of the few real alternatives to the App Store These changes had materialized following the approval of the DMA. Users who had become accustomed to paying a single fee to access multiple applications will see that option disappear.
In practice, many will have to paying separately for apps that were previously part of a packageThis applies as long as those apps have versions available on the App Store or other official channels. In other cases, some titles might not be available outside of Setapp Mobile, which would require searching for similar tools in Apple's catalog or on other still-operational alternative platforms.
For developers, and especially for Small studios and European startupsThe disappearance of this store means the loss of a showcase where their work could stand out without competing with millions of other offerings. Setapp provided a different, more controlled environment with a certain promise of recurring revenue through a shared subscription.
The message this episode leaves is not optimistic: at least for now, The App Store remains the practically indispensable channel to reach the bulk of the iOS user base in the region. The fact that one of the first alternative marketplaces driven by the DMA has failed to sustain itself fuels doubts about whether the current operating framework truly facilitates channel diversity.
Apple's position and the regulatory debate in Europe
From Apple's point of view, the closure of Setapp Mobile can be seen as a confirmation of the strength of its centralized store modelEven while complying with the legal obligation to allow other markets in the European Union, the majority of users and developers still prefer the App Store.
However, the case also provides arguments for those who maintain that the Apple's new rules in Europe continue to be too restrictive and unfriendly to competition. Voices like that of Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, have long described the Core Technology Fee as "ruinous" or "unsustainable" for any competitor aspiring to create a sizable store on iOS.
While Epic has decided for now assume those costs to keep their store running in European territoryMacPaw has reached the opposite conclusion: the financial and operational effort required to maintain Setapp Mobile is not worthwhile. This difference in strategies illustrates how delicate it is to find a balance between Apple's demands and the viability of alternative models.
MacPaw's move could reignite the Pressure from EU regulators on AppleThe closure of one of the first stores authorized under the DMA raises questions about whether the US company's interpretation of the regulations truly aligns with the spirit of fostering competition, or whether, in practice, it has erected a new barrier to entry disguised as an opening.
What does this closure mean for founders, startups, and the future of alternative stores?
For entrepreneurs and founders working on digital products in the EUThe Setapp Mobile demise serves almost as a case study. Experience shows that the existence of a regulation that allows competition is not enough on its own: it is necessary to prepare business models that consider scenarios of changing rates, high costs, and demanding technical requirements.
Those planning to launch new platforms or services on iOS in Europe will have to carefully measure regulatory and commercial risksNegotiating with large platforms, adapting quickly to unilateral changes in their policies, and maintaining sufficient financial buffers to weather unforeseen changes become almost mandatory requirements.
In parallel, this case reinforces the need to Diversify distribution channels and do not depend on a single gatekeeperFor many European startups, it may be more realistic to focus on multi-platform strategies, build a community around their products, and combine a presence in official stores with direct channels or cloud services, rather than trying to sustain their own marketplace under the current rules.
Although other stores like Epic Games Store, AltStore PAL or Aptoide iOS They continue to operate in the European Union, sharing many of the challenges that led MacPaw to throw in the towel: dealing with Apple's pricing structure, meeting increasingly technical requirements, and above all, convincing a user base very accustomed to not leaving the App Store.
MacPaw's new direction after leaving Setapp Mobile behind
Despite the setback in the mobile market, MacPaw is not withdrawing from the sector. The company has already announced that will redirect resources towards projects it considers more sustainablewith a special focus on the desktop environment and on artificial intelligence solutions integrated into macOS.
The company's CEO, Oleksandr Kosovan, has indicated that they will continue to strengthen Setapp Desktop and developing new tools, including a native AI assistant for Mac known internally as EneyThe priority is to consolidate the business areas where MacPaw has demonstrated traction and where it does not depend so directly on the decisions of third parties.
In its statements, the company has expressed some pride in what it has achieved with Setapp Mobile during approximately two years in which it has been available in the EUAlthough the service has not reached the scale necessary to be self-sufficient, MacPaw insists that the experience has helped to better understand the current limitations of the mobile app market in Europe.
The gap that Setapp Mobile leaves in the already limited market of alternative iPhone stores in Europe This gap will have to be filled, if at all, by other players willing to take greater risks or with deeper financial backing. Meanwhile, European iOS users will remain almost entirely dependent on the App Store, and regulators will have to decide whether the current framework is sufficient to ensure effective competition or whether further intervention is needed.
The closure of Setapp Mobile thus crystallizes the tension between regulations that attempt to open up the market and an ecosystem dominated by Apple in which the economic, technical and adoption conditions This makes it very difficult for a viable alternative to thrive. For users, developers, and authorities in Europe, the case serves as a reminder that changing the rules of the game is only the first step; ensuring that genuine alternatives emerge and are sustained outside the official channels remains an ongoing challenge.
