For those who do not want to use a computer every week, third-party "App Stores" have sprung up. These services host modded and cracked apps on their servers.
While Apple won't sue you for sideloading, developers do pursue legal action. In 2021, the developers of KeePass and several game companies sent DMCA takedowns to third-party stores. Downloading cracked apps violates the DMCA's anti-circumvention provisions.
Apple issues special certificates to large companies (like Google, Uber, or Facebook) to distribute internal apps without the App Store. Hackers buy or steal these certificates, sign cracked apps with them, and host them on third-party stores (like TutuApp, PandaHelper, or AppValley).
Cracked apps do not update through the App Store. When iOS 18 drops, your cracked app from 2023 will crash constantly. You have to manually hunt for a new cracked IPA every time.
