Getting back to the Android Alternate Market Review series, this time I am covering Handster. This Android app market is independent from major carriers, and is multi-platform. Is it right for you though?
Update: Handster is no more, it’s now handled by Opera.
Also check out some of my other recent Android app market reviews:
Features
This review is rather short, and you’ll see why in just a bit. I’m going to jump right into the features:
- Handster sent me an email and offered to add my apps directly to their store
- They found me through my app on the main Android Market
- Download counts are available for free apps
- Distribution channels are localized to 10 languages
- English, Russian, Deutsch, Italian, French, Spanish, Dutch, Turkey, Swedish, Danish, Chinese, Greek (their spellings)
- Supports free, purchase, and try-before-buy models
Drawbacks
- Download rates are low (even for top apps)
- Updating apps is a little confusing at first – you have to update your build
Recommendations
Having my account created for me with my apps added was completely painless and effortless. They pulled all of the information from the main Android Market. I suggest you allow them to do this, as it allows you some additional exposure with almost no effort.
However, I would limit your effort after that. I wouldn’t recommend releasing paid Android apps into this app store until the download rates showed more promise. I do, however, update my apps with new releases here as I update them everywhere else.
The low download rates really are a deal-killer. There is possibly a more successful niche (perhaps even just another language that performs). However, I don’t have any information right now that leads me to think I’ll get great return on further time invested in this market with my Android apps.