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.