MacPaw, a Ukraine-based company that develops Mac and iOS apps, is launching its new app store called Setapp. The company has been testing the store in a closed beta with a small group of users for a few months. Now, it’s opening the store up to all users in an open beta.
Setapp has more than 50 apps in various categories, such as productivity, finance, video, photo, and creativity. Some of the apps include CleanMyPhone, a cleaning tool, and Riveo, a video editor. Users can try all these apps for a $9.99 monthly subscription, with a seven-day trial. To use Setapp, you need an iPhone or iPad running iOS 17.4 or later, and an Apple ID associated with an EU member state.
MacPaw was one of the first companies to agree to Apple’s new rules for distributing apps through non-App Store mediums. The company is still working on the business model and user experience, so it’s releasing this initial version as an open beta. MacPaw wants to hear feedback from users and will adjust the store based on their feedback.
The company is taking a careful approach to avoid overwhelming users with too many apps and too many options. Instead, it’s focusing on offering a small number of high-quality apps that are easy to discover. With Setapp, MacPaw is trying to address millions of iPhone users in the EU and duplicate its success in the desktop space.
It’s worth noting that the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) has also introduced a new fee for developers distributing their apps through alternative app marketplaces. MacPaw hasn’t said yet if it will have to pay these fees for distributing its own apps through Setapp.
