Fundementally this is the benefit of Linux. Google provides a nice fortune 500 solution to everything, but you could layer up and delete most of Google's packages.
It has nothing to do with Linux. Google voluntarily provides a simple UI toggle to disable Play Store restrictions on any Android device when they could easily not have one. Tinder wouldn't even try this if the only way to sideload their app was to "layer up" and deal with rooting or flashing or anything that requires technical knowledge of Linux.