[valuearb]

Unlimited free downloads is not an inconsequential benefit. Imagine if Spotify tried to host their downloads on a SquareSpace account, how many microseconds would it be before that account was banned. Even a 10 Mb APK isn’t cheap to host when you have millions of monthly downloads.

And then you can just ignore all the ancillary services that add value to being on an App Store, such as app review, marketing promotion, international market access, etc, etc.

It’s as if you somehow think all those services appear out of the air instead of requiring thousands of expensive employees to design, build, test, and maintain.