Once you get the Amazon Appstore up and running on your phone, using it works a lot like Google Play; apps are broken up into categories and you can search for them just like in Google Play. The app selection isn't quite as robust, as there are only about a third of a million apps on Amazon — as opposed to the 1.4 million on Google Play. Among the apps missing are those from Apple and Google — the absence of YouTube in particular has lead to a multitude of client apps. There are some Amazon-only apps, but the biggest one you may care about is the Amazon Instant Video app. If you're a Prime member, then you need the Amazon Instant Video app (and thus the Amazon Appstore) in order to take advantage of the videos your subscription provides.
The design of the Amazon Appstore is a little lackluster compared to the material Play Store — though personally I'm a fan of the dark design — and while it's easy enough to find your way around, the layout leaves something to be desired, especially since the layout between the app and the website varies a fair bit. The UI and categorization of the store highlights how the Amazon Appstore is aimed more at leisure than work, with Games, Music, and Entertainment apps taking the top three Featured categories above the rest of the store. Navigating the store without the pull-out drawer is far more difficult, as you have to open the drawer to access any app category. This means that casual browsing situation is far from ideal, but when looking for a specific app, the Amazon Appstore will get you by.
Now, many a user has cheered the Amazon Appstore for one simple reason: the free App of the Day. And on the rare occasion that the App of the Day is something you want, that's great. However, beyond the semi-annual days when Amazon offers hundreds of dollars worth of apps for free, the App of the Day is usually lackluster. When there's something noteworthy, that's great, but when there is, you should probably go grab a lottery ticket.
When buying an app, you'll have two options: regular cash/credit or Amazon Coins. The value of an individual Amazon Coin varies by market/currency, but in America, one coin equals one cent. 500 coins is worth five bucks, but it cannot be spent in any other part of Amazon's store, such as digital music or Prime video, another contrast with Google Play, whose credit can be used on anything digital. If you're intending to buy someone credit for the Amazon Appstore, skip the confusing and constricted Coins and buy a regular Amazon gift card, which can be used site-wide.
Once you've built up a collection of apps, you'll be able to manage them from Your apps in the menu, and there will be three columns, Cloud (all apps) Device (installed apps), and Updates. From here, you can pick and choose what goes on your device and update apps as needed. Because your Amazon apps aren't tied to your Google Account — even if that's the email associated with your Amazon account — buying your apps through Amazon means that you could share them among your family members — like your children — without them getting access to your Google Drive, or your email. It also means that even if you have separate accounts for work and personal devices, through the Amazon Appstore you could use the same apps between them.
Because not all developers can push updates everywhere instantly, this means that developers sometimes prioritize one app store over another. So, if you bought a game from Amazon, it may get an update more quickly — or more slowly — than if you'd bought the game through Google Play. This isn't Amazon's fault, but it nonetheless is it a factor to consider when buying. Your app may not get new features, bug fixes, or security patches as quickly because of differences in updates.
There are benefits from the Amazon Appstore to be sure — from free apps to app libraries independent of your Google account — and while the store itself could use some work, at the end of the day, only you can decide if its worth your time, effort, and money/Amazon Coin. Being able to pick the best price across app stores is a win for consumers, but the hassles of sideloading a store and remembering which apps get downloaded/updated from on a new device can be a bit of a headache.
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