To Challenge Google's Dominance, Paytm Launches Own Mini App Store

Paytm has launched its Andriod Mini App Store to support Indian developers. The company will provide listing and distribution of these mini-apps from within the app, without any charge.

Developers listing their apps will be given a choice of Paytm Wallet, Paytm Payments Bank, UPI, net banking, and card payments to offer their customers.

The company said that more than 300 apps which include Decathlon, Ola, Rapido, Netmeds, 1MG, Domino's Pizza, FreshMenu and NoBroker, have joined the Paytm app store.

The launch of the store comes after Paytm was temporarily removed from Google's Play Store on 18 September for violating the technology giant's guidelines on real-money gaming. The move is said to have also been triggered after Google mandate developers listed on the Play Store to pay 30 percent commission on any transaction made for a digital product or service through its in-app billing system.

Media reports suggest thatIndian start-up founders have joined hands to create an alternative indigenous app store.

Paytm has created a digital infrastructure to help small developers and businesses set up low-cost and quick-to-build mini-apps to be built using HTML and javascript tech. The Android Mini App Store by the company offers direct access to discover, browse, and pay without downloading or installing separate apps.

"It comes with a developer dashboard for analytics and payment collection, along with various marketing tools to engage with users. This app store has been running in beta with select users and has witnessed over 12 million visits in September," the company said in a statement on Sunday.