Have you heard of the Orion Store? A store for apps that are often disapproved by Google

If we used to be limited to one or two central stores that dictated the rules of the game, today certain users are looking for something more – more privacy, more control and, above all, more transparency. The Google store has been inaccessible to me for a few years now, as I am one of the few who has stayed on a Huawei phone. As an alternative, I use the Aurora Store (and also Huawei's own AppGallery store), which makes me not even miss Google. Given that it will be How to install Android apps changed significantly in September, it's good to know alternatives or how to get more specific applications that aren't in the Google store.

I recently came across Orion Store. At first I thought it was just another digital store trying to imitate the bigger platforms, but luckily that's not true. I don't want another primary store, I have enough of those. Orion Store promises something different.

What is Orion Store? More than just another store

I was expecting a complicated interface aimed exclusively at more experienced users. That wouldn't bother me, but I'm still glad that the review is very friendly. Orion Store is an open source client for Android that acts as a bridge to public software repositories.

Unlike Google's Play Store or even Aurora, Orion is not based on Google's servers. At its core, it is a serverless architecture. This means that the Orion Store does not have its own database or central server to track your downloads. Instead, it relies on publicly available resources like GitHub, GitLab, and Codeberg.

Orion Store is a tool that scours the web (more specifically, development platforms) for you, checks for the latest versions of the apps you want, and safely installs them on your device. It does all this with direct access to the source code and without the need for any user account.

Uncle Google has no access to your data.

Our data is a gold mine for Google (and other advertisers). It goes without saying that we have to agree to big brothers' terms if we want to use their services. Which means we have practically no privacy. Orion Store is blowing the whistle on this.

Their motto could be “store as code.” The entire catalog of apps you see in the tool is written in public JSON files. This means that anyone with even a little technical knowledge can check which packages are included in the store and where exactly they come from.

When you download the app via Orion, you see the exact path:

• The application can be found on GitHub.
• Orion checks the metadata.
• The installation file (APK) is downloaded directly from the developer's website.

There is no middleman here injecting ads or trackers into the code.

Who is Orion Store for?

If you're an average user who only uses YouTube, Facebook, and your banking app, you might not immediately feel the need for Orion. However, there are specific groups of people for whom this store is practically the holy grail:

• Privacy advocates: For those using devices without Google services (so-called “de-Googled” phones with LineageOS or GrapheneOS), the Orion Store is an ideal solution. It allows you to install tools without the need to log in to a Google account.
• Open Source (FOSS) Enthusiasts: If you swear by open source applications, Orion will have all your favorite projects in one place, with automated updates.
• Modded app users: The Orion Store has become extremely popular among communities that use modded versions of apps (e.g. Morphe). The store provides easy access to these versions that are not otherwise available in the official stores.
• Advanced users and developers: Allows testing multiple versions (builds) of the same application, switching between versions, and precise control over when an application is updated.

Features you won't find anywhere else

Orion Store is not just a simple APK file finder. It has several features that put it far ahead of the competition.

One of the most annoying things about alternative stores is having to manually approve every installation and update. Orion Store solves this by integrating the Shizuku protocol. Shizuku leverages Android system services (via ADB), allowing Orion to install apps in the background, silently and without you constantly clicking “Install.” The best part is that it doesn’t require unlocked “root” access, which preserves the security integrity of your phone.

The Orion Store allows you to add your own sources. If you have a favorite developer on GitHub who doesn't have their app in any store, you can simply import their repository into Orion. From that point on, Orion will track updates for that app for you.

It often happens that alternative applications require additional libraries to function. Orion Store has built-in intelligence that checks whether your device meets all the requirements before downloading and warns you if additional components are required.

It also has some useful tools, such as APK Surgeon, which allows you to “extract” the installation file (apk) of any app that is already on your phone. This can be useful if you want to share the app with others or need a backup. Another tool is Orion Sentinel, which is like a security shield that checks the metadata of every download. If it sees a discrepancy in the developer’s signature, it immediately stops the download and warns you about it.

What can you get at Orion Store?

Orion's content is diverse, but it leans heavily toward tools that improve the Android user experience.

• System Tools: Various launchers (launchers) like Nova or Lawnchair, battery optimization tools, and file managers.
• Multimedia: Excellent open source music players, ad-free YouTube clients, and specialized photo editing tools.
• Security tools: VPN clients, privacy-focused browsers (like Mull or Tor), and password managers.
• Modifications: This is what really sets Orion apart. Here you’ll find proven versions of popular tools that have been “patched” by developers to offer more features or better privacy.

How to install Orion Store?

Installation is very simple. Since you won't find Orion on the Google Play Store, you need to visit their official website or GitHub project page. Download the latest APK file. During the first installation, your phone will ask you for permission to install applications from unknown sources. Confirm this in your browser settings.

For the best experience, download the Shizuku app from the Play Store. Follow the instructions to launch via Wireless Debugging. Once Shizuku is running, select “Shizuku” as the installation method in Orion’s settings.

When you first launch it, you'll see a clean home screen. Use the search engine or browse categories. Orion will regularly check for new versions of your installed apps. You'll receive a notification when an update is available (or, in the case of Shizuku, everything will update itself).

Orion Store compared to other stores

To better understand the Orion Store, I tried to put the store next to three very different platforms: Google Play, F-Droid, and the Aurora Store. Each of them has its own philosophy, which makes it pretty clear where the Orion Store fits in.

Google Play is the largest and most widespread Android store. Its main advantage is its size. It has practically everything, from large applications to small projects. The user feels like they can find almost anything in one place. The disadvantage of such an approach is the amount of noise. A lot of content also means a lot of opacity, more ads and often more privacy issues.

F-Droid is the opposite of Google's store. It is a platform focused on open source applications. Its biggest advantage is transparency. The user knows what they are installing and has more control over what the applications do. However, the offer is significantly more limited and often less commercially interesting. F-Droid is not intended for a general audience, but for users who value openness and control.

Aurora Store is a kind of bridge between these two worlds. It allows access to applications from Google Play, but without direct connection to a Google account. This is an interesting solution for users who want more privacy, but at the same time do not want to lose access to a wide range of applications. However, Aurora Store does not represent an independent ecosystem, but depends on the Google Play infrastructure.

Orion Store presents itself quite differently in this comparison. It does not compete in the quantity of applications, like Google Play, it does not build on open source, like F-Droid, and it does not act as an intermediary, like Aurora Store. Its role is more specific. It acts as an integrated part of a certain system, where the connection between the service and the user is important.

So which store should you choose?

Orion Store will not be your primary store. Its role is more complementary. The best way is a hybrid. Google Play (Huawei App Gallery in my case) for banking apps, F-Droid for certain private tools, and Orion Store is the source for all other, more specific apps (Metrolist, Morphe…).