China Android app stores — channels for foreign app publishers in 2026

Why China requires a multi-store Android strategy

In most international markets, Android distribution starts with Google Play. In Mainland China, Google Play is generally not available to ordinary users, and a parallel Android app distribution ecosystem has developed.

This ecosystem includes:

• Smartphone manufacturer stores, such as Huawei, OPPO, vivo, Xiaomi, and Honor
• Internet company app stores, such as Tencent MyApp, Baidu Mobile Assistant, and 360 Mobile Assistant
• Legacy independent stores, such as Wandoujia and Anzhi
• Game-focused or community-driven platforms, such as TapTap
• Smaller device, carrier, and smart TV app stores

For foreign companies, a useful planning question is not “Which single app store should we use?” but:

Which combination of app stores matches our category, audience, compliance burden, and launch budget?

Shift from third-party stores to OEM stores

China’s Android market was once led by third-party distribution platforms. In 2016, Newzoo data cited by PocketGamer ranked Tencent MyApp, 360 Mobile Assistant, and Baidu Mobile Assistant among the leading Chinese Android app stores.

Since then, industry reports describe a shift toward OEM-controlled app stores. Huawei, OPPO, vivo, Xiaomi, and Honor distribute through device-level integration, pre-installation, system notifications, default app update flows, and brand-associated store apps.

A Statista chart cited by Mind Studios for October 2021 listed Huawei AppGallery, OPPO Software Store, Tencent MyApp, vivo App Store, and MIUI App Store among leading Android app-store channels in China. Huawei AppGallery was shown with the highest coverage figure in that dataset, followed by OPPO, Tencent, vivo, and Xiaomi.

OEM stores are now standard submission targets for Android apps in China; third-party stores supplement reach rather than replace OEM channels in most launch plans.

First-wave stores (reference notes)

1. Huawei AppGallery

Huawei AppGallery frequently appears on first-wave lists. Huawei’s ecosystem expanded after accelerated development of Huawei Mobile Services and HarmonyOS.

Public sources have reported hundreds of millions of monthly active users globally for AppGallery; HarmonyOS device share in China is tracked in industry shipment data. Productivity, lifestyle, finance, education, travel, utilities, enterprise, and general consumer apps are commonly submitted here.

2. OPPO Software Store

OPPO is a major smartphone OEM in China by reported shipments. OPPO Software Store is pre-installed on OPPO devices.

Consumer apps targeting lifestyle, entertainment, shopping, tools, and general audiences are often included in the same launch batch as other OEM stores.

3. vivo App Store

vivo holds a reported share of China’s consumer smartphone market. Its app store uses device-level integration similar to other OEM channels.

Launch plans aimed at broad Android consumer reach typically include vivo alongside other first-wave OEM stores.

4. Xiaomi App Store / MIUI App Store

Xiaomi reports a large user base across smartphones, tablets, IoT devices, and HyperOS / MIUI. App discovery often runs through device-native store surfaces.

Consumer apps, utilities, smart-home-related apps, developer tools, and productivity apps are frequently listed for Xiaomi submission in industry templates.

5. Tencent MyApp / Tencent Appstore

Tencent MyApp is widely cited as the largest third-party Android app store in historical market rankings. Android distribution is no longer centered on a single third-party store, but MyApp remains a common submission because of Tencent’s ecosystem (WeChat, QQ, games, digital content, payments, and entertainment).

Social, content, entertainment, gaming-adjacent, utility, and consumer service categories often include Tencent MyApp in first-wave plans.

Expansion channels (reference notes)

6. Honor App Market

Honor operates as an independent smartphone brand separate from Huawei. Its app market grows with Honor device shipments.

Launch plans targeting broad OEM coverage often add Honor after or alongside the other first-wave OEM stores.

7. 360 Mobile Assistant

360 Mobile Assistant has lower reported share than in the early Android distribution era but still appears on expansion lists for long-tail reach, utility apps, and security-adjacent categories.

Teams often schedule it in a second wave unless the app category aligns with tools, security, or device management.

8. Baidu Mobile Assistant

Baidu Mobile Assistant connects to Baidu’s search ecosystem. Reported app-store influence has declined compared with the early 2010s; it may still support search-driven discovery for utility apps.

Apps where Baidu search traffic matters may include this channel in testing or second-wave submission.

9. Samsung Galaxy Store China

Samsung’s smartphone share in China is smaller than in many other markets, per shipment reports. Samsung Galaxy Store can still reach Samsung device owners and some premium Android users in China.

It is often a second-wave or expansion listing when operational cost is acceptable.

10. TapTap, Wandoujia, or a category-specific store

The tenth slot is usually chosen by category:

• TapTap: games, beta testing, game communities, premium mobile games, and indie games
• Wandoujia: some legacy long-tail discovery use cases
• Anzhi / Coolapk / other stores: technical, enthusiast, or niche audiences in some categories
• Dangbei Market: smart TV and large-screen apps

Selection depends on product category and store policies, not store size alone.

Special case: mobile games

Games follow a different channel pattern than general apps.

China’s game distribution involves:

• Game publishing approval requirements
• Revenue-share negotiations
• OEM game centers
• Tencent channels
• TapTap community distribution
• Bilibili and other game communities
• Pre-registration campaigns
• User-review dynamics
• Local publisher relationships

Chinese Android channels have historically reported higher revenue-sharing fees on in-app purchases than Apple App Store or Google Play in some cases. MarketWatch reported in 2024 that Chinese Android channels can charge revenue-sharing fees of up to around 50% for in-app purchases.

Game launch channel lists are typically built separately from general app-store lists.

Apple App Store in China

Apple is a separate distribution path from Android.

Unlike Android, iOS distribution in China is not fragmented across many local app stores. For iPhone users, the Apple China App Store is the official iOS channel.

The China App Store has China-specific compliance steps. Apps may need mobile app filing; games require game publishing approvals. Certain categories face additional review or regulatory requirements documented in public rules and Apple transparency materials.

Cross-platform China launch plans often include:

• Apple China App Store for iOS users
• A separate Android multi-store plan for Huawei, OPPO, vivo, Xiaomi, Tencent, and others

Apple App Store performance is not a proxy for Android reach in China; the two ecosystems use different store structures and user bases.

Phased publishing pattern

Foreign companies entering China often publish Android builds in phases.

Phase 1: Core Android reach

Common first submissions:

1. Huawei AppGallery
2. OPPO Software Store
3. vivo App Store
4. Xiaomi App Store
5. Tencent MyApp
6. Honor App Market

This phase covers major OEM stores and Tencent MyApp in most reference launch templates.

Phase 2: Incremental reach

Additional submissions often include:

7. 360 Mobile Assistant
8. Baidu Mobile Assistant
9. Samsung Galaxy Store China
10. Category-specific store such as TapTap, Wandoujia, or Dangbei

This phase adds long-tail and category-specific surfaces.

Phase 3: Optimization

After launch, teams often track:

• Store approval time
• Install volume
• Activation rate
• Cost per install
• User retention
• Review quality
• Update approval speed
• Crash and compatibility issues by device brand
• Store-specific conversion from impressions to downloads

Measured performance by store may differ from theoretical reach figures in market reports.

Decision framework for choosing stores

A scoring model used in launch planning:

Factor	Why it matters
Device ecosystem reach	OEM stores are pre-installed on manufacturer devices
MAU / DAU	Reported active user bases indicate distribution surface size
App category fit	Games, finance, education, enterprise, and utilities follow different store policies
Compliance burden	Stores vary in documentation and filing requirements
Review speed	Approval timelines affect launch scheduling
Update workflow	Relevant for apps with frequent releases
Payment integration	Relevant for subscriptions and in-app purchases
User acquisition options	Some stores offer paid promotion or featuring
Analytics and developer tools	Affects post-launch measurement
Local partner requirements	Some categories require local entities or licenses

Summary reference lists

First-wave five (common industry reference): Huawei, OPPO, vivo, Xiaomi, and Tencent MyApp.

Expansion five (often added second): Honor, 360 Mobile Assistant, Baidu Mobile Assistant, Samsung Galaxy Store China, and one category-specific store.

Games (separate evaluation): TapTap, Huawei Game Center, OPPO Game Center, vivo Game Center, Xiaomi Game Center, Tencent channels, and potentially Bilibili — subject to game license and publisher requirements.

Mainland China Android distribution is not a single store. It is a multi-channel network tied to device OEMs, third-party platforms, and category-specific rules. Launch plans that map store lists to compliance steps before submission reduce rework in review and filing.

FAQ

Is Google Play available in China?

Google Play is not a mainstream app distribution channel in Mainland China. Apps targeting Chinese Android users typically rely on domestic OEM and third-party stores for local reach.

Is there one primary Android app store in China?

There is no single store that covers all Android users. Huawei AppGallery, OPPO Software Store, vivo App Store, Xiaomi App Store, and Tencent MyApp appear frequently on first-wave lists in industry reports; the right set depends on category and measurement data after launch.

Should foreign companies publish to every Chinese Android app store?

Publishing to every store increases operational overhead. Many teams start with a first-wave list (often five to six stores), then expand based on category fit and measured performance.

Where does Tencent MyApp fit today?

Tencent MyApp remains a common third-party submission in industry rankings and launch templates, particularly for consumer apps, entertainment, utilities, and gaming-adjacent products.

Is TapTap only for games?

TapTap is primarily used for games. Non-game apps usually omit TapTap unless a specific community or campaign use case applies.

Do Android apps in China need regulatory filing?

Many mobile apps distributed in China must comply with app filing and other regulatory requirements documented in public rules. Games require additional publishing approvals.

Sources

• PocketGamer / Newzoo, Here are the top 20 Chinese Android app stores
• Mind Studios, citing Statista, How to Launch an App in China
• Beyond Google Play: A Large-Scale Comparative Study of Chinese Android App Markets, IMC 2018 / arXiv
• Huawei AppGallery ecosystem overview
• Huawei Mobile Services overview
• Tencent Appstore overview and Statista MAU reference
• Apple App Store Transparency Report
• MarketWatch on Chinese Android game-channel revenue share
• IDC China smartphone market Q1 2024 coverage via WSJ