How we test every Android app on APKUK

Trust is the whole point of a download site. If you cannot believe the review or the download link, nothing else matters. So this is exactly how we test every Android app and game that appears on APKUK, including the boring parts.

The hardware we use

We test on a current Pixel running the latest Android release, a two-year-old mid-range phone and an older budget device. If an app only works well on flagship hardware, we say so in the review. A recommendation that only holds on a new phone is not much of a recommendation.

How long we test for

Short-listed apps get at least a fortnight of daily use. That is long enough to notice battery drain, notification bugs and the moment a free app starts pushing a subscription. Games get at least five hours, and we try to finish or meaningfully progress before we write.

File size, version and checksum

Every download page lists the version we tested, the file size and, where the developer publishes it, the SHA-256 checksum and signing certificate. When you download a file, you can compare those numbers yourself. That is the point: you should not have to take our word for it.

Corrections

If we get something wrong we fix it and note the change. If a developer changes an app after we reviewed it - say by adding adverts to a previously clean app - we revisit the review rather than leaving stale praise on the page.

The bottom line

We publish our method because it should be judged. If a download page hides its file size, or a review never admits a flaw, you are right to be suspicious.