Just because a mobile app is on Google Play, does it mean it’s secure? Well, I think it only means it passed Google’s approval process, which is about their policies, not your privacy. Google can (and often does) refuse to list useful apps for reasons that have nothing to do with security, sometimes to protect its own business interests. Many open-source projects are distributed as APKs for exactly this reason. What matters is verifying the app’s code, maintainer reputation, and build source. Whether Google decides to host it.