There are times when we need to search for apps that can’t be found on the Play Store or in our country, or if you’re having problems downloading them from there, it may mean you need an older version of that app. That’s where Uptodown comes in handy! But, before I go over what they offer and how they work, let me give you some background information.
- Is it safe to download apps from Uptodown?
- Does it contain viruses?
- Is it legal?
As someone who has been using Uptodown for many years, I will answer all of your questions about the safety and security of my favorite app.
Is Uptodown Safe?
Uptodown is the safest place to download apps without getting any viruses that could damage your phone or invade your privacy. All files on their app store are scanned for malware by an average of about seventy different antiviruses using VirusTotal, and they provide a full report if you want one.
Virustotal is the most trustworthy and user-friendly service that analyzes files for viruses, malware, trojans, and other sorts of malicious content with more than seventy antivirus scanners and URL-blocking tools. Before publishing an app on their site, Uptodown will use Virustotal to determine if there are any bugs or exploits in it which might cause harm to users.
If there are any issues detected they will be reported back to potential victims so they can take necessary precautions against these harmful threats. Most of the files hosted on this platform do not contain any sort of bug or malware at all – but sometimes there might be one hidden deep inside one file so keep your eyes peeled when checking through Virustotal’s security reports!
As such, if you’re ever looking to download something from the Uptodown app store or website then make sure to always first check for any potential risks present. This includes everything from checking the security report for hosting malicious apps, to knowing that no app stores are completely safe against this kind of threat, including Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Still though despite this both these options are generally considered as being safer than other third-party sources – which does not necessarily mean they aren’t without risk at all. And when it comes to Uptodown itself some files will be considered ‘clean’ while others may contain malware or viruses – which is why it’s still better than most other alternative sources.
- Only the developer can publish their app on Uptodown.
- It doesn’t offer the cracked version of paid apps for android.
- I am personally using it for years without facing any issues to date.
First of all, users who are not logged-in cannot publish apps on Uptodown pretending to be the creator or publisher of those apps. Only the creator can publish an app; and it’s free.
To publish apps on Uptodown, developers are asked to create an account first. Then they are required to upload the necessary information such as screenshots and a description before submitting it for manual verification from their content team.
On uptodown, the majority of apps -especially those from well-known developers- are published by their creators. But every now and then they will post other app developers’ work without permission.
Why do they do that?
Before posting an app online, Uptodown’s team attempts to reach out to the developer- but if they don’t get a response, they will post it anyway. Besides trying to contact the developer, they also use many automated systems which help them find new apps and suggest other options for those who are interested in them.
Developers can send DMCA requests to remove their app or claim ownership over it so that they can update it themselves and view statistics about its downloads- including how often people are accessing support services for different types of problems with the app.
Secondly, unlike other third party app stores (Uptodown) which don’t publish the cracked versions of paid apps because those normally contain viruses and malware – on top of all that, I’ve been using it on my phone for years and haven’t encountered any viruses or malware after installing apps from their app store or website. However, I always download popular applications because they’re usually published by the official creators. Furthermore, before downloading anything from Uptodown I check the security report analyzed by VirusTotal.
Even though Uptodown provides a complete security report of the file you are going to download, here are 2 extra precautions to make sure the downloaded files are safe to install.
Extra Precautions To Ensure The Downloaded Files Are Safe
Although Uptodown has a comprehensive report about the safety of any file you are about to download, there are still two additional safeguards that can be taken in order to ensure that it’s safe enough for installation.
Number 1: Analyze files with Kaspersky
- Go to Kaspersky Threat Intelligence Portal.
- Upload the downloaded file and click on Analyze.
- Once the file is analyzed, check the report to ensure the file is safe.
Number 2: Analyze files with MetaDefender Cloud.
- Visit MetaDefender Cloud.
- Upload the file and once uploaded, check the report.
In addition to VirusTotal, Kaspersky and MetaDefender Cloud are two of the best free online services for analyzing files or URLs for any malicious content.
Should You Download From Uptodown Instead of Play Store?
Despite the presence of dangerous programs on Google Play, Uptodown poses an even greater threat. Sure, Uptodown has some safeguards; they’re the 2nd most visited software catalog which professionals manually go through each file before adding it to their database – but this doesn’t change the fact that there is a higher chance of coming across something malicious when using this service as opposed to with Play Store.
The Play Store already provides sufficient protection and its restrictions are so high because they make it safer than any third party app store. Basically, downloading apps from the Play Store is always safer and more convenient since it offers better security measures then sites like UptoDown – unless that’s all you have for options:
- The app isn’t available in the Play Store or in our country.
- Having issues downloading apps from the Play store.
- The new version isn’t working properly on your phone and you need an older version.
Nevertheless, you should always check the security report of the app before downloading anything from Uptodown and take the extra precautions I shared with you when looking at what could be dangerous downloads isn’t necessary but is still recommended just in case you find something wrong.
Is Uptodown a Virus?
Although Uptodown might not be a virus, some of the files stored there could be corrupted with malware. To avoid downloading an infected app, always check its security report first. In order to make sure that they site and store are free from malicious software, let’s perform an analysis. First off, let’s analyze the Uptodown App Store for any signs of risk – just type uptodown into VirusTotal or Kaspersky or MetaDefender and none will show up as being dangerous or harmful in any way.
Now, let’s check up on Uptodown’s website for any possible security issues or bugs. Using Securi, a free scanner for malware, hacks, and blacklist status – I have had no luck finding anything suspicious about the App Store or their website.
Is Uptodown Legal?
It is important to note that Uptodown is 100% legal and provides authentic apps for people to download. The legality of downloading an app is dependent on how it will be used by the individual person. For example, using an app for medical purposes may not be considered illegal in some states but doing so to steal money from someone else may be considered as such.
On the other hand, just because somebody downloads a legitimate app from Uptodown doesn’t make it legit- there are still possibilities where malware could slip through if one wasn’t careful enough when choosing what they wanted for download. Ultimately, it comes down to the responsibility of each individual user who needs to determine whether or not the software they want falls under its legal requirements or whether they need it outside those parameters before proceeding with installation.
Is Uptodown a Chinese app?
The best answer to this question is, no. Uptodown is not a Chinese app. It’s based in Spain. This app was first founded by Jose Dominguez and Luis Hernandez-Hernendez in 2002. Its headquarters are located in Malaga, Spain. Uptodown is available around the world and has been reviewed by several countries that speak different languages – one of them being Chinese. Hence, Uptodown can be translated into Chinese but it still isn’t a Chinese App despite its availability there:
Is Uptodown Only Available For Android?
Uptodown is not only available for Android devices, but it also provides applications for both Windows and Macs. This app was created specifically with Android users in mind – mainly consisting of several different Android apps.
Since their main purpose is to promote Android applications, it’s largely known among Android users. Actually, 80% of all the traffic on Uptodown comes from the mobile device that runs on Android – only 20% come from Desktop and Tablets.
As far as iOS devices are concerned, Uptodown is not available on iOS because of restrictions by Apple. Therefor, the answer to the question Is Uptodown only for Android? is in some ways yes. This comes from how it was originally built for Android and how it can also be found on PCs but this last option has been proven less popular among users than its presence on android phones.
How Uptodown Makes Money?
A common misconception about Uptodown is the freedom to download anything without a cost. It sounds too good to be true, but remember – nothing comes without sacrifice or potential downsides. How are they making money if everything can be downloaded for free? They use advertising as their main income producer by using Google Adsense and other advertisers as well. If you’ve ever browsed on Uptodown and looked at the advertisements next to many of the apps available, then you’re likely aware that there are ads; even though they will never interfere with your downloading process.
To generate enough revenue from this type of business model, they need a huge number of active users and there are achieving it after years of hard work. They have published over 2.5 million applications and get over 130 million monthly active users and 450 million monthly downloads on the Play Store alone which makes them the world’s second-largest provider of mobile application software (2nd to Apple).
Uptodown became immensely popular because it didn’t impose any country-specific or regional restrictions, and there were no sign-ups required. You could also use their services without downloading anything – just by going through their website. The only downside is that you couldn’t access everything on the site unless you downloaded an app for it which was kind of a bummer when considering how great Uptodown App Store was.
Because these apps do not restrict you and can provide you with applications in an easy way, they are able to meet their own missions while also generating revenue. This would effectively summarize why the app is free and generally safe while explaining how it generates money.
FAQs About Is Uptodown Safe
Does uptodown have viruses?
The up-to-date web browser always offers a large selection of popular apps at good prices, which are constantly changing. Some iphone enthusiasts say this app store has many hidden treasures such as free app reviews, but beware of the infamous spyware virus when downloading updates for your phone or computer.
Is it safe to download from uptodown?
No worries! This website is totally legit and has zero threats of viruses or anything along those lines. There are just the original and perfectly functioning files provided here for free download
Is Uptodown safe for Android or iOS?
UpToDown is also safe for both Android and iOS users; they can download any file from UpToDown.
Conclusion
Before downloading any app, you can check its reputation to see if it has been reported as being unsafe. They are completely transparent about the results of scans performed on the apps by Virus Total for every single one. I’ve been using Uptodown now for many years without encountering any safety problems whatsoever. This is because I make use of the safety measures that I have given advice about in this article.
The fact that they utilise VirusTotal to carry out an intensive scan for viruses and malware means it’s safe – but just remember that no app store is 100% secure from hosting malicious software whether knowingly or not, including Google Play Store. But as long as you take all necessary precautions then there isn’t anything to worry about unless you’re storing highly sensitive data on your mobile device (eg passwords).