Your apps,
your way.
Catalyst is an on-device app store for iPhone and iPad. Install, refresh and customize sideloaded apps right on your device, no computer needed.
New apps are signed with Acme Labs. No 7-day refresh and no 3-app limit.
Sign With…
Everything you need to sideload, on the device.
Catalyst keeps everything SideStore does and adds its own tools for signing, customizing and managing your apps.
Signing & refreshing
Apple ID signing
Sign in with any Apple ID, free or paid, and install apps straight from your sources.
Enterprise signing
Import your own .p12 and .mobileprovision and sign apps without an Apple ID.
No 7-day refresh
Enterprise-signed apps show SIGNED instead of a countdown and last until the profile expires.
No 3-app limit
Install as many Enterprise-signed apps as you like. Apple ID apps keep the usual limit.
Background refresh
Apple ID apps refresh themselves before they expire, with optional Cellular Refresh through Shortcuts.
Choose per install
Pick a signing method once, or have Catalyst ask each time you install an app.
Customize
Customizable entitlements
Review, add or remove an app's entitlements before it's signed.
Custom bundle identifiers
Change an app's bundle ID, for example to install a second copy next to the first.
Edit Info.plist
Add or change Info.plist keys for any app you install.
Custom app icons
Give an app a different Home Screen icon when you install it.
App Groups
Create App Groups on your team and assign them to your apps.
Themes
Black with a touch of purple by default, with a Theme Manager to make it yours.
Manage & tools
On-device pairing
Create this device's pairing file inside Catalyst. No computer, on iOS 27 or later.
Sources & News
Add any AltStore-format source to browse apps, get updates and read news.
Developer portal
See and manage the App IDs, devices, certificates and profiles on your team.
JIT
Enable JIT for apps that need it, such as emulators, through SideJITServer.
Backup & Restore
Back up an app's data before you remove or reinstall it, and restore it later.
Works without an App Group
Catalyst still starts when a signer strips its App Group. Only widgets are unavailable then.
From download to your first install.
Whichever certificate you use, installing apps needs a pairing file for your device and LocalDevVPN.
Install Catalyst
Download the IPA and install it with the sideloading tool you already use, or with your Enterprise certificate.
Pair this device
In Settings › Pairing & Signing › Generate Pairing File, tap Start Pairing. Then open Developer Mode in iOS Settings, tap Pair with Catalyst and enter the code.
Turn on LocalDevVPN
Connect LocalDevVPN, choose a signing method and install apps from Browse or from an IPA file.
Get Catalyst.
Every push to master publishes a fresh nightly build and updates the source, so Catalyst can update itself.
Nightly builds can have rough edges. The IPA is unsigned, so sign it when you install it.
Download IPA Or see all release assets.Add the source
Catalyst's built-in source. Add it to SideStore or AltStore to install Catalyst and get updates.
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mirazbakis/Catalyst/master/source.json
To build it yourself you need macOS with Xcode 26: clone with --recurse-submodules, then run make build fakesign ipa.
Questions
Is Catalyst free?
Yes. Catalyst is free and open source under the GNU AGPLv3.
Do I need a computer?
No. Catalyst pairs with your device and installs apps on the device itself. On iOS 27 or later it can create the pairing file too; it needs Developer Mode on and LocalDevVPN connected.
Where do I get an Enterprise certificate?
From the organization you belong to. Catalyst doesn't provide certificates and never will. Using someone else's certificate breaks Apple's terms and gets it revoked.
Can I change an app's entitlements or bundle ID?
Yes. Before an app is signed, Catalyst lets you change its bundle identifier, entitlements, Info.plist keys and icon. That's handy for installing two copies of the same app or turning off a feature you don't need.
Why do Apple ID apps need refreshing?
With a free Apple ID, apps are signed for 7 days and you can have 3 active at once. Catalyst refreshes them in the background, the same way SideStore does. Enterprise-signed apps don't have this limit.
How is Catalyst related to SideStore?
Catalyst is a fork of SideStore, which is based on AltStore. It keeps their features and adds Enterprise signing, on-device pairing and its own look. It isn't affiliated with SideStore, AltStore or Apple.