Skip to main content

Amazon launches the Mac Download Store

amazon logoFive months after Apple launched its own Mac App Store selling Mac-only software, Amazon has followed suit with the unveiling of its own similar store.

The opening of Amazon’s Mac Download Store, which happened with little fanfare but was picked up on by The Loop, is the first time that the company has brought all of its Mac software titles together under the same roof. And it’s wasting no time in getting down to business, offering many titles at a better price than found on Apple’s own Mac App Store.

Recommended Videos

To further entice customers, the e-commerce giant is offering the Airport Mania game for free through June 1 (usual price $6.99), as well as a $5 discount on any Mac game or software purchase, also through June 1. Interestingly, some big titles, such as Microsoft Office, are available in Amazon’s Mac Download Store but not in Apple’s Mac App Store. Amazon claims to have around 250 of the biggest software and games titles for the Mac in its new store.

According to The Loop, Amazon says the “Mac Download store features an install-less download process where the customer gets just the product without any unwanted extras, making for faster and easier purchases.”

Also, if a user finds that they need to reload an application for whatever reason, they can do so from Amazon servers for free, as they already own the software. Users of Apple’s Mac App Store can also do the same.

The word “app” is not mentioned on Amazon’s new store as the company no doubt wants to avoid provoking a response from Apple’s lawyers. The two companies are currently embroiled in a legal battle over Amazon’s use of the term “app store” for its Android Appstore. Apple is claiming “improper use” of the term whereas Amazon says it’s generic and so anyone can use it to describe a store selling apps.

Exactly how (or even if) Apple responds to Amazon’s latest offering, only time will tell.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
These two macOS 26 features would transform the way I use my Mac
Writing tools in Apple Notes.

Apple’s execution with note-taking on macOS leaves a lot of room for improvement. There are so many areas where it feels like an abandoned project, instead of the future-proof experience that native iOS apps often deliver. In fact, the disparity across its own platforms is troubling. 

Take, for example, iPadOS and iOS. You can quickly launch a notes page straight from the control, without having to close the existing app and launch the Notes app. On macOS, you don’t get any such facility. 

Read more
I’m using this powerful macOS feature that many ignore, and you should too 
Background apps on M4 MacBook Air.

MacOS is preferred for its fluidity and seamlessness. Of course, solid hardware and fire-breathing silicon add to its appeal, but the software experience developed by Apple focuses on convenience and security more than anything. 

In its quest to do so, however, Apple has often ignored glaring functional holes in the OS. The lack of a native clipboard is one such as miss, one that is addressed by excellent third-party apps such as Maccy. The Menu Bar is another similar tale of missed opportunities. 

Read more
Our pick for the best MacBook is already on sale with a $119 discount
Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 front view showing display and keyboard.

It's very rare for the latest MacBook models to get Apple deals, even at major retailers like Amazon, so you shouldn't miss this chance to buy the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air M4 at 12% off. This configuration of the laptop with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD is down to $880 from $999 for savings of $119, but you need to act fast because we're not sure how much time is remaining before this offer expires. If you want to take advantage of this bargain, you should push forward with your transaction right now.

Why you should buy the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air M4

Read more