Setapp's third-party EU app store to launch on May 14

After first announcing in August 2023 that it would launch an alternative App Store in the EU once laws allowed it, Setapp then launched a beta iOS store for developers and a wait list for users in February 2024. The company now says that the beta test will conclude shortly, and that its Setapp Marketplace will be live from May 14, 2024.

The announcement was made solely through social media, with just the words, "It's coming. May 14. Stay tuned." The words were accompanied by an trio of app icons for Apple's Calendar and Safari apps, and Setapp's own app.

In its fuller announcement about the beta and wait list, Setapp said that the new store would include a "carefully selected assortment of apps, including fan favorites from the Setapp catalog." It did not, though, list any specific apps.

"With Setapp our promise is simple: to offer software and tools that streamline your workflow, ignite your creativity, and amplify your impact," Oleksandr Kosovan, CEO and Founder of MacPaw at the time. "We carefully curate our collection, ensuring that every app, every feature, and every update aligns with our philosophy of meaningful efficiency."

Setapp originally planned to launch in April and there has been no detail about the delay. There have also been no details about pricing.

At present, Setapp is a monthly subscription starting at $9.99, for which users get full use of over 200 Mac apps. There are iOS ones included already, but not many, and they tend to be companion apps to Mac ones.

It's also currently more fiddly installing iOS apps through Setapp, as it involves steps across Apple's App Store, Setapp's app, and the iOS app concerned. The move to a Setapp-controlled third-party app store should simply this, at least for users in the EU.