Amazon's App Store On Android Is Closing: When And What You Need To Know
Amazon announced it is shutting down its 'Amazon Appstore for Android' this summer as part of a broader effort to streamline and improve its services and programs. The app store was never nearly as popular as Google's own Play Store anyway, but it does mean one less officially vetted (and generally safe, though not always) place to download apps to Android devices.
It's also the end of an era, of sorts, The Amazon Appstore made its debut nearly a decade and a half ago (2011), shortly before Amazon unveiled its first Fire tablet. The timing can also be considered the early days of Android, with the first commercial Android phone—HTC Dream, otherwise known as the T-Mobile G1—debuting in late 2008.
When Amazon's App Store On Android Is Closing For Good
Amazon said it will stop supporting its app store on Android devices on August 20, 2025. Up until then, developers can still push out updates to their existing Android apps that are hosted on the platform. However, effectively immediately, developers are no longer allowed to submit new apps targeting Android devices.
As for what this means for your existing apps on Android devices, those will all continue to be available until August 20. After that date, it will be hit or miss as to how they function. Amazon doesn't provide a whole of clarity here (most likely because it will vary by app, saying only apps downloaded from its app store "will not be guaranteed to operate on Android devices" once August 20 rolls around. That said, they will continue to be available on Fire TVs and Fire tablets.
In the meantime, Android users can still access and download new apps on Amazon's app store. Our suggestion is to look elsewhere, though, and specifically at Google's Play Store, since those same apps might not work after Amazon shuts things down.
What About The Amazon Coins Program?
Amazon is also discontinuing its Coins virtual currency program (used to buy games, in-app items, and so forth) on the same day (August 20, 2025). If you possess any Amazon Coins, you have until then to use them before they disappear. However, Amazon will refund customers for any Coins that they're still holding onto. Effectively immediately, customers can no longer purchase Amazon Coins.
To view your Amazon Coins balance (if you have one), log into the Amazon Appstore on your device. Your balance should be displayed on the home page.
Do I Need To Do Anything?
Amazon plainly states in its FAQ that no action is required on the part of developers. If you're an Android user, however, you should probably look to replace your apps on the Play Store, or find an alternative if one exists. You should also check the status of any Amazon Appstore subscriptions you might have, which you can do by open the Appstore app, tapping My Apps, and then tapping Subscriptions.
