Jailbreak 2022: Choosing an Alternative to Cydia

The main advantage of Cydia compared to the standard iOS app store, the App Store, is the ability to add third-party repositories. If an app isn’t available in the default repositories, you can almost always find it in an external one. However, Cydia hasn’t received updates in a long time, and it works unreliably with the latest iOS versions. Fortunately, there’s a solution: you can install alternative package managers on a jailbroken iPhone. Today, we’ll discuss the best options.

How Cydia Works and Why You Need Alternatives

Anyone who’s dealt with jailbreaking knows how Cydia works. iOS is a Unix-based operating system. In the official App Store, apps are stored as .ipa archive files with digital signatures. Essentially, an .ipa is a ZIP archive containing an executable file.

iOS also supports binary files in the .deb format, which come from Debian-based systems. However, you can only install them on a jailbroken device. iOS uses the dpkg package management system to install, remove, and get information about .deb packages. Cydia is essentially a graphical interface for this utility. Most alternative “app stores” for jailbroken iPhones work the same way, each with its own features. This review is dedicated to them.

How to Add Repositories in Cydia

To install most alternative app stores using Cydia, you’ll need to add extra repositories. Here’s how:

1. Open Cydia and update the app if prompted.
2. Tap the “Sources” button at the bottom of the screen.
3. Tap “Edit” in the top right, then “Add” in the top left.
4. Enter the repository URL and tap “Add Source.”

Sileo

To install Sileo, add the repository https://repo.getsileo.app in Cydia. Then, in the Cydia sources list, select Sileo, go to the “All Packages” section, and install Sileo. The app icon will appear on your iPhone’s home screen.

Sileo’s interface is more reminiscent of the App Store than Cydia. The main screen shows a list of popular apps, and at the bottom are buttons for favorites, new packages, recently added items, “Sources” (which automatically imports repositories from Cydia), “Packages” (showing installed packages), and “Search.” Like Cydia, the search function lets you find any app available in your repositories.

A nice feature is the “Wishlist” folder (just like in Steam), accessible from the top right corner. You can add apps you’re interested in but aren’t ready to install yet, for example, due to limited storage space.

Sileo boasts a more modern and polished interface than Cydia, which isn’t surprising since Cydia hasn’t been updated in a long time and has limited compatibility with new iOS versions. Sileo works smoothly on the latest iOS releases, and apps seem to download and install much faster. There are rumors that Sileo and Cydia can conflict, but there are tweaks that allow them to work together. In my experience, both worked fine side by side without any extra steps.

Zebra

Zebra is not just a fun striped animal, but also a popular package manager you can install from Cydia. Add the repository https://getzbra.com/repo (note: there’s no “e” in “zbra”!) and install Zebra from the “All Packages” section.

Zebra’s interface is minimalistic. At the bottom, you’ll find links to the home page, package sources, a changelog, installed packages, and search.

By default, Zebra only includes its own repository (which contains only Zebra itself). To add more, go to “Sources,” tap the “+” in the top left, and enter the repository URL. Once added, you can use Zebra just like any other package manager.

Many consider Zebra the best package manager for jailbroken iOS due to its clean interface and flexible settings. Tap the gear icon in the top right to access a wide range of options, from changing the app’s color scheme and icon to managing package filters, installation order, enabling/disabling auto-updates, and more. Zebra is also fully translated into several languages, making it even more user-friendly.

Installer 5

Another Cydia alternative is Installer 5, which you can install from the repository https://apptapp.me/repo. On first launch, the app will prompt you to log in to an AppTapp account, but you can skip this by tapping the subtle “I want to use Installer without logging in” link at the bottom. You can also import repositories and settings from other package managers, which is very convenient.

The app is stylish and pleasant to use. The bottom panel includes:

• Home – the main screen with collections like “Top Tweaks,” “Top Themes,” and extensions for installed apps;
• Changes – a list of recently updated and installed packages;
• Sections – a categorized list of tweaks and apps;
• Manage – a list of connected repositories (add new ones here);
• Search – search for apps by name.

Installer 5’s search is convenient: you can search for all tweaks by a specific developer, regardless of which repository they’re in, and choose which version of a tweak or app to install. Your search history is saved. Before downloading a package, the app warns you about possible compatibility issues and shows required dependencies.

Installer 5 can work alongside Cydia, Sileo, and Zebra without any conflicts.

Saily

Saily is a simple and fast package manager for iOS 13 and newer. It’s available in the repository http://apt.thebigboss.org/repofiles/cydia/, and the official developer page is here.

On first launch, Saily also offers to import sources from Cydia, Zebra, Installer, and Sileo. While it may seem like just another clone, Saily has a key architectural difference: unlike Cydia, which is based on dpkg, Saily is built on top of the APT (Advanced Packaging Tool) subsystem, another package management tool from Debian.

The first thing you’ll notice is Saily’s modern interface. It mainly features tweaks, but apps are available too. According to the developers, Saily has its own secure payment system for purchasing paid content. Another interesting feature is the ability to randomize device information sent externally, helping you stay anonymous.

Saily’s interface is standard for package managers: the home page shows a list of featured packages, recently installed packages, and recent updates. You can access settings by tapping the gear icon in the top right. Installed packages are displayed as a simple list, sorted by date (but you can change the sorting method). Of course, there’s a search function to find the tweak or app you need in your connected repositories.

Saily can work alongside other package managers, but it requires iOS 13 or newer and is not compatible with earlier versions.

Conclusion

Jailbreak fans don’t need all of these package managers at once, but having options is always good. The outdated and slow Cydia definitely needs a replacement, and you can choose whichever alternative you like best: Sileo, Zebra, Installer 5, or Saily. It’s said that Cydia’s creator, Jay Freeman (Saurik), abandoned the project long ago. All these alternatives encourage competition and keep developers motivated to improve and update their products. That’s what we call progress.