Aptoide, an alternative app marketplace, has initiated an antitrust lawsuit against Google, accusing the tech giant of maintaining an "anticompetitive chokehold."

The alternative app store Aptoide has initiated legal action against Google, accusing the tech giant of exerting a "monopolistic control" over third-party app distribution. According to Reuters, the lawsuit was submitted this week to a federal court in San Francisco. Aptoide, headquartered in Lisbon, is seeking both an injunction to halt the alleged anticompetitive activities and unspecified compensatory damages.

Previously, Aptoide brought forward a similar grievance to the EU antitrust regulators back in 2014.

February 2025 marked Aptoide's official rollout on the iOS platform, following a beta phase launched in June 2024 that gathered a waitlist of 20,000 potential users.

The company offers an alternative in-app payment system for iOS and works alongside Apple by providing IAP software development kits.

In a related development, Google recently settled its long-standing disagreement with Epic Games, another company that had accused Google of monopolistic practices.

The tech company responded by revising its Play Store framework, lowering the commission on in-app purchases to 20%. Furthermore, Google announced a new optional program aimed at aiding developers interested in deploying authorized third-party app marketplaces.

Sameer Samat, who presides over Google's Android operations, stated, "These modifications are designed to bolster the Android ecosystem, ensuring greater success for developers and improved access to high-quality applications and games across diverse platforms for all users."

He added, "We eagerly anticipate ongoing collaboration with the developer community to create the next wave of digital innovation."