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Is Snapchat on the Play Store?

Is Snapchat on the Play Store?

Snapchat is a popular social media app that allows users to share photos, videos, and messages that disappear after being viewed. It was originally released in 2011 for iOS devices and later became available on Android in 2012 through the Google Play Store. However, in recent years Snapchat has been unavailable for download directly through the Play Store due to a dispute between Snap Inc. and Google. This has led many Android users to ask: Is Snapchat on the Play Store?

Background on Snapchat’s Availability on Android

When Snapchat first launched on Android in 2012, it was available for download directly through the Google Play Store, just like any other Android app. However, in 2014, Snap Inc. decided to distribute the Android version of Snapchat through its own website instead of Play Store. This was primarily done to avoid paying Google’s 30% cut of in-app revenue from the Android version.

Snapchat continued to be available for sideloading through its website for several years. But in 2018, when Snap Inc. released a major redesign of the app, the update was not made available on devices running older Android versions below 5.0 Lollipop. As a result, many users with older devices lost access to Snapchat entirely. This caused a lot of backlash among Android users who felt Snapchat was neglecting them.

Snapchat’s Brief Return to the Play Store

In response to user complaints, Snap Inc. briefly made Snapchat available again on the Play Store for all Android devices in April 2019. However, it was soon removed again within a week. The company stated this was just a test to see if Android growth and engagement would increase by being in the Play Store but they ultimately decided against it.

Since then, Snapchat has remained unavailable for download directly through the official Google Play Store. The only way to get Snapchat on Android devices is to sideload it through the Snapchat website or other third-party app stores.

Why Snapchat isn’t on the Play Store

There are a few reasons why Snapchat ultimately decided not to distribute their app through the Play Store:

  • Avoiding Google’s 30% cut – By not being on the Play Store, Snap Inc. doesn’t have to share any revenue from Android users with Google.
  • Control over updates – Snapchat can push updates instantly rather than waiting for Play Store approval.
  • Focus on iOS – Some sources have reported that Snapchat wants to incentivize iOS over Android.

By distributing the app outside the Play Store on Android, Snap Inc. maintains full control and avoids paying fees. However, it means Android users have to go through extra steps to download Snapchat and may miss out on updates.

How to Get Snapchat on Android

Despite not being in the Play Store, there are still a few options for Android users to download and install Snapchat:

Sideloading from Snapchat’s Website

The official way to get Snapchat on Android is to sideload the app from Snapchat’s website. You can download the APK file and then install it on your Android device. Here are the steps:

  1. On your Android device, go to Settings > Security and enable “Install Unknown Apps”.
  2. Go to snapchat.com/download on your device’s browser.
  3. Download the Android APK file.
  4. Once downloaded, open the file to trigger the installation.
  5. Accept any necessary permissions to complete the sideload.

Using a Third-Party App Store

You can also get Snapchat through third-party app stores like Aptoide or Samsung’s Galaxy Store. However, the app may not be updated as frequently.

APK Mirror

APK Mirror is a site for downloading Android app APK files outside of the Play Store. You can sideload Snapchat from APK Mirror using the same sideloading steps above.

The Future of Snapchat on Android

There is still demand from Android users for Snapchat to return to the Play Store. Being in the Play Store would make the app easier to find and update for millions of Android users.

Recently, Snap Inc. has taken some steps to improve the Android experience such as rebuilding the camera for better performance. So there is still hope that Snapchat may return to the Play Store someday.

For now, Android users will have to continue sideloading Snapchat from external sources instead of installing it directly through the Google Play Store. But the app remains popular on both iOS and Android, with over 100 million monthly active users.

Conclusion

Snapchat is currently not available for download on the Google Play Store. This is due to Snap Inc.’s desire to control the app distribution and avoid Google’s revenue cut. Android users can still install Snapchat through sideloading the APK from Snapchat’s website or using third-party app stores. While the Play Store makes apps more accessible, Snapchat is still thriving on Android through sideloading. The company may reconsider Play Store distribution in the future to improve the Android experience. But for now, direct Play Store downloads aren’t an option for the popular ephemeral messaging app.