Temu for Android: questions and answers

Temu 4.86.0 for Android is the current release of the Temu shopping app, a global online marketplace where you buy from merchants, manufacturers and brands. The app is free, and you download it from Google Play: the download button on this page leads there, and we do not host the file ourselves.

What is Temu?

Temu is a marketplace rather than a single shop. Sellers of all sizes list their goods, and the app brings them together in one feed with categories such as fashion, clothing and shoes, home goods, crafts and beauty. You browse, compare listings, place an order and follow it from the app. The service started in North America, with its base in Boston, and later reached Oceania, Europe and other countries and regions. The Android app on Google Play is published under the developer name Temu; the developer account behind it belongs to Whaleco Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts.

Who owns Temu, and what does it have to do with Pinduoduo?

Temu belongs to PDD Holdings, a multinational commerce group that also operates Pinduoduo, a shopping app for the Chinese market. The two apps share an owner but are separate products for different audiences. This matters because Pinduoduo was removed from Google Play after malicious code was found in versions of that app distributed outside the store. That incident concerned Pinduoduo. Temu is the group's international app and is distributed through Google Play, so if you are looking for a way to shop with the same group outside China, Temu is the app intended for that.

Is Temu free?

Yes, the app itself is free to download and use; you pay only for what you order. It is proprietary software, not open source, so its code is not public.

What does Google Play say about data safety?

The developer's own declaration on Google Play lists the following:

• the app may share device or other IDs with third parties;
• it collects location, personal info and several other data types;
• data is encrypted in transit;
• you can request that your data be deleted;
• the listing carries an "Independent security review" badge.

These are the developer's statements as shown on the store page. Read the full data safety section there before you sign up, and look through the app's permission requests after installing.

How do I install it?

1. Open the Temu page on Google Play and check that the developer is shown as Temu.
2. Tap Install; Google Play tells you if your phone is not compatible.
3. Open the app and create an account or sign in.
4. Review notification and location settings in Android to match what you are comfortable with.

Version 4.86.0 was published on 28 September 2026. Updates arrive through Google Play like for any other app. The package name is com.einnovation.temu, which helps you tell the real listing from look-alike apps.

Can I download a Temu APK instead?

We do not offer an APK, and we recommend installing only from Google Play. Files from mirror sites are not needed for an app that is freely available in the store, and only the Play listing guarantees that the file comes from the developer's account.

What about the website?

Temu also works in a browser at temu.com. The app is more convenient for tracking orders and getting notifications, while the site is enough if you shop only now and then.

What are the pros and cons?

• Pro: a wide range of categories in one app.
• Pro: free to install from Google Play.
• Pro: the same account works in the app and on the website.
• Con: the app collects location and personal info, according to the developer's declaration.
• Con: goods come from many different sellers, so quality varies.
• Con: closed source, so its behaviour cannot be checked independently.

Are there alternatives?

Other international marketplace and fashion apps include AliExpress and Shein. Pinduoduo remains a separate app aimed at shoppers in China. Whatever you choose, install shopping apps from the official store and check the developer name before you enter payment details.