Microsoft Store
The built-in store on every modern Windows PC — the cleanest way to distribute desktop and PWA apps to a billion machines.
What it is, and why we use it.
The Microsoft Store is the official app store bundled with Windows. It now accepts almost anything — packaged Win32 desktop apps, .NET apps, and installable PWAs — with managed updates and a favourable revenue split (Microsoft takes 0% on your own commerce for non-gaming apps). For desktop and web-app reach, it's the path of least friction on Windows.
When a product needs a desktop presence, we package our PWAs and desktop builds for the Microsoft Store so Windows users get a one-click install with automatic updates — no installer downloads, no version drift.
Microsoft Store vs Direct download vs Mac App Store.
Desktop distribution: the Microsoft Store versus shipping a raw installer versus the Mac App Store.
| Dimension | Microsoft Store | Direct download | Mac App Store |
|---|---|---|---|
| Platform | Windows 10 / 11 | Any OS | macOS |
| Updates | Automatic, managed | You build the updater | Automatic, managed |
| Trust | Signed, store-vetted | Depends on your signing | Signed, store-vetted |
| Accepts PWAs | Yes | N/A | Limited |
| Revenue cut | 0% on own commerce (non-games) | None — you handle payments | 15–30% |
Microsoft Store wins when
- You want managed updates and trust on Windows
- Shipping a PWA or desktop app to a broad audience
- You'd rather not maintain your own installer/updater
Direct download wins when
- You need full control of install and licensing
- Enterprise deployment via your own channels
- Cross-platform from one place
Mac App Store wins when
- The product is macOS-native
- Apple-managed trust and updates matter
- You want discoverability on Mac
For Windows reach we lean on the Microsoft Store — the install experience and auto-updates beat a downloaded installer, and the commerce terms are the friendliest of any major store.
Thinking about Microsoft Store?
Tell us what you're building. We'll tell you honestly whether Microsoft Store is the right tool for it.