The short answer: An app store is a middleman between developers and you. The developer submits an app, the store reviews it for safety and quality, signs it digitally, then lists it and handles downloads, updates and payments – taking a cut. Flathub does the same job for Linux apps using the Flatpak format, the Mac App Store does it for macOS under Apple’s strict review, and sideloading means skipping the store and installing the app yourself: faster and freer, but with no safety net. In this guide, we break down app stores work flathub in plain English — what it is, how it works, and how to use it.
App Stores Work Flathub: What is an app store, really?
Strip away the branding and every app store does the same five jobs:
- Collects apps through a developer account and upload portal (App Store Connect for Apple, Google Play Console for Google).
- Reviews each submission for malware, crashes, misleading claims and policy violations.
- Signs approved apps digitally so your device can verify they haven’t been tampered with.
- Distributes the app: hosting the listing, the download and automatic updates.
- Handles money: processing payments and keeping a commission – typically 30%, or 15% for small businesses and long-term subscriptions (Pravaah Consulting).
Users pay nothing extra for this. Developers pay for access: Apple’s Developer Program costs $99 per year, while Google Play charges a $25 one-time registration fee.
How does an app get into a store?
Apple and Google take opposite approaches. Apple uses human reviewers plus automated checks – review usually takes one to three days, and a large share of first submissions are rejected (one analysis puts it near 40%: Pravaah Consulting). Google leans on automated review with spot human checks, approving most apps within hours (TalkAndroid).
The result: Apple’s store feels more curated but slower to publish to; Google Play ships apps faster with more variable quality. Both reject the same usual suspects – crashy builds, fake “apps” that are just repackaged websites, and screenshots that don’t match reality (Dotsquares). After launch, developers monitor crash reports and reviews – the discipline behind What Is Observability? Logs, Metrics, Traces Explained – and polish listings with preview videos, the kind of job Remotion: Make Videos with React Code (2026 Guide) exists for.
How is the Mac App Store different?
The Mac App Store uses the same $99/year program and human review as the iPhone store. But here’s the surprise: you don’t need it to install Mac software. Macs have always allowed installing apps from anywhere – developers distribute disk images (DMG files) straight from their websites.
Apple still keeps a safety layer for direct downloads: Gatekeeper. Opening an app from outside the store triggers a check that it comes from an identified developer and has been notarized – Apple’s automated malware scan. Note that notarization is not App Review: a quick automated scan, not full human review. Since macOS Sequoia, Apple also removed the old Control-click override – un-notarized apps must now be approved in System Settings > Privacy & Security (The Hacker News).
What is Flathub and how does it work?
Flathub is the closest thing Linux has to a universal app store. It distributes apps in the Flatpak format – one package that runs on virtually any Linux distribution because each app bundles its own dependencies and runs in an isolated sandbox with explicit permissions (9to5Linux).
For users it works like any store: search, click install, get automatic updates independent of OS upgrades. Flathub’s operators announced passing one million active users in early 2024, boosted by being the default app source in Steam Deck’s desktop mode and on distros like Fedora and Linux Mint (9to5Linux). Developers submit a build manifest for community review, and verification badges mark apps published by their original developers (How-To Geek) – the same distribution path indie game makers use, per What Is a Game Engine? Bevy 0.20 and How Games Are Made.
Why is Flathub in the news? The AI-app policy, explained
In 2026 Flathub became a flashpoint over AI-written software. Swamped by low-quality AI-generated submissions, its maintainers banned AI-generated or AI-assisted app submissions outright in May 2026 (Open Source For You; LinuxStans).
The current rule in Flathub’s official requirements is a disclosure regime: developers must disclose any AI-generated code, documentation or packaging material, naming the affected parts and extent. Two lines stay absolute: Flathub manifests must not contain AI-generated content, and AI must not open or automate the submission pull request or write its messages. Reviewers can still reject on the extent of AI material alone, and repeat violations risk a permanent ban. Even an open, community-run store has gatekeepers – and they’re picky about how software gets made.
App stores compared at a glance
| Store / method | Developer cost | Review style | Who can publish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple App Store | $99/year | Human + automated, ~1-3 days | Enrolled developers |
| Google Play | $25 one-time | Mostly automated, hours | Registered developers |
| Mac App Store | $99/year | Human + automated | Enrolled developers |
| Flathub (Linux) | Free | Community reviewers, sandbox checks | Anyone meeting guidelines |
| Sideloading | Free | None – you are the reviewer | Anyone |
What is sideloading, and how do you do it?
Sideloading means installing an app from somewhere other than the official app store – a website, a file someone sent you, a third-party store. The app skips the store’s review entirely (Security Scientist).
On Android
Android treats it as a normal workflow: allow “Install unknown apps” for your browser, download an APK file, tap to install. Developers use this daily for testing.
On iPhone
Apple long blocked sideloading outside jailbreaking or abused enterprise certificates. In the EU, regulation now forces Apple to allow approved alternative marketplaces and direct downloads from authorized developers (Corrata). Outside the EU, iPhones remain effectively store-only.
On Mac and Linux
The relaxed end of the spectrum. Downloading a DMG from a developer’s site is sideloading – it just feels normal, because Gatekeeper still checks the signature and notarization. Installing a Flatpak from a non-Flathub repository is the Linux equivalent.
Is sideloading safe?
Riskier than an official store, measurably so. Store screening catches most mass-distributed malware before it reaches you; sideloaded apps bypass all of it. Google reported that Play Protect identified more than 27 million malicious apps from outside Google Play in a single year (Corrata, citing Google’s 2025 safety report). Sideloaded apps can also miss automatic security updates.
Do it deliberately, not casually:
- Download only from the developer’s official site – never a link in a random message.
- Check permissions. A flashlight app wanting your contacts is a red flag anywhere.
- Prefer signed, notarized builds on macOS so Gatekeeper can verify them.
- Update sideloaded apps yourself – no store will push patches to you.
- On Android, leave Play Protect on – it still scans sideloaded apps on certified devices.
Which method should you use?
For most people, most of the time: the official store – the best mix of convenience, updates and screening. Sideload for a specific reason (a beta, a region-blocked app, an open-source tool the store rejected) and treat each sideloaded app as guilty until proven innocent. On Linux, Flathub is a sweet spot: store-like convenience with open, inspectable packaging. On a Mac, downloading from a developer’s site is normal – just let Gatekeeper do its job before overriding it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an app store and sideloading?
An app store reviews, signs, hosts and updates apps, and handles payments. Sideloading installs the app from another source, skipping review – more freedom, but no malware screening and no automatic updates.
Is Flathub safe to use?
Generally yes: apps run sandboxed with declared permissions, and verification badges mark apps from their original developers. It’s largely volunteer-reviewed though, so prefer well-known verified apps and check each app’s permissions.
Can I sideload apps on an iPhone?
In the EU, yes – Apple must allow approved alternative marketplaces and direct downloads from authorized developers. Elsewhere, iPhones are effectively App Store-only (plus TestFlight betas); Android has sideloading built in.
Why do app stores take a cut of payments?
The typical 30% (15% for small businesses and long-term subscriptions) pays for review labor, hosting, payment processing, fraud prevention and buyer trust. Direct distributors keep 100% but handle all of that themselves.
What happened with Flathub’s AI app policy?
In May 2026 Flathub banned AI-generated submissions after a flood of low-quality AI-made apps. The current policy requires disclosing AI-generated material, still bans AI content in Flathub manifests and AI-automated submission pull requests, and lets reviewers reject – with repeat violations risking a permanent ban.
Do I need the Mac App Store to install apps on a Mac?
No. Macs allow direct downloads from developers (usually DMG files). Gatekeeper still verifies the developer’s identity and Apple’s automated notarization scan – lighter than full App Store review, but a real safety layer.
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