Apple recently took a major step by removing TikTok and several other apps from its U.S. App Store. If you’re wondering what’s going on, what apps got banned, and are there any alternatives, let me walk you through the details step by step.
On January 19, 2025, Apple removed TikTok and other ByteDance apps frwom the U.S. App Store. This was due to a new U.S. law aimed at protecting national security by preventing foreign companies, like ByteDance, from accessing American user data. The Supreme Court backed the decision and gave ByteDance a deadline to sell its U.S. operations. Since that didn’t happen, the apps were banned.
List of Apps Banned by Apple in the U.S
While TikTok is the focus of the ban, here’s the complete list of apps that Apple removed from the U.S. App Store:
- TikTok
- CapCut
- Lemon8
- Hypic
- Lark – Team Collaboration
- Lark – Rooms Display
- Lark Rooms Controller
- Gauth: AI Study Companion
- Marvel Snap
- Melolo
- Tokopedia
- Frizzo
- MyTopia
- Land of Empires
- Mission EVO
These apps can no longer be downloaded from the App Store in the U.S. While existing users may still have the apps, they won’t work anymore, displaying an error message: “This app is temporarily unavailable in the U.S.” Additionally, the apps will no longer receive updates. If you delete any of these apps or switch to a new device, you won’t be able to reinstall them.
Note: In a recent turn of events, Trump has vowed to sign an executive order saying USA should own 50% of TikTok. ByteDance later said they will begin restoring services shortly after.
Alternatives to These Banned Apps
Some apps like CapCut and Marvel Snap claim they are finding ways to return. Here are the alternatives you can use in the meantime for some of the most popular apps:
TikTok
TikTok’s immense popularity has driven almost every major tech company to embrace short-form video, making it one of the easiest apps to replace. You’ve got options like Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, or the newly popular China-based RedNote app. Instagram Reels is probably the closest alternative, offering plenty of editing tools, a vast music library, and a large audience. It also supports up to 3 minute reels now. While these platforms might not match TikTok’s smart algorithm or your follower base, they are still solid choices.
CapCut
CapCut’s simplicity is hard to beat, but Adobe Premiere Rush is a fantastic alternative for on-the-go video editing. If you’re looking for AI features similar to CapCut’s, the Filmora app is a great option, offering tools to speed up your workflow. Instagram has also announced a CapCut alternative app called Edits, expected to launch soon. While these apps may not provide a one-to-one feature replacement, they can still get the job done with their unique capabilities.
Lemon8
Lemon8 combines elements of Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok, focusing primarily on lifestyle-based content. Instagram already handles this type of content well, but another alternative is Bluesky’s upcoming app, Flashes, which could serve as a good replacement.
Hypic
For the Hypic photo editing app, Lightroom might be the closest alternative, offering features like effects, filters, and adjustments. You can also try Google Snapseed or VSCO. While these tools are effective, Hypic’s AI-based creative features might be missed.
Lark Apps
For the Lark apps (Team Collaboration, Rooms Display, Rooms Controller), alternatives like Google Workspace and Microsoft Teams are strong choices. Zoom and Slack are also excellent options. However, replacing apps like Lark often depends on team-wide decisions, so these alternatives are no-brainers if your team is looking to switch.
Gauth
The Gauth AI study companion can be replaced by numerous math-learning apps, including Mathway, Photomath, Symbolab, WolframAlpha, Khan Academy, Course Hero, Chegg, Homeworkify, QuestionAI, Edubrain, and TutorMe. While some of these are paid, apps like Photomath are free and backed by Google.
Marvel Snap
Replacing Marvel Snap is tricky for Marvel fans. While there are other Marvel games, they are not card-based, and the good card games aren’t Marvel-themed. Alternatives include Marvel Collect! by Topps or Marvel Contest of Champions. However, these are not direct replacements for Marvel Snap’s gameplay experience.
These apps might be the exact one on one replacement for the original. However, they are close, provides similar set of features and can get the work done for most people. You may also miss your follower base, friends and other data you saved in those apps.
