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Manifesto

APKTool M alternative, and how both differ from desktop Apktool

Updated 2026-11-09. Disclosure: Manifesto is our app. APKTool M facts below are taken from the sources listed at the end.

Manifesto is a workable APKTool M alternative on arm64 phones running Android 8.0 or newer, adding a JADX Java preview, V1–V4 signing toggles and AAB-to-APK conversion. The catch: APKTool M runs on Android 4.0 and up, auto-translates apps into 100+ languages and changes an app's name, package or icon without a full rebuild. Neither app is the desktop Apktool.

Manifesto vs APKTool M at a glance

Manifesto compared with APKTool M
FeatureManifestoAPKTool M
Where to get itSigned APK from the Manifesto website. Not on Google Play.Official site maximoff.su/apktool/ (unreachable on 2026-11-09). No Google Play listing; mirrored on sites such as APKPure.
Price and adsFree. No account, subscription, ads or analytics SDKs.Free, no ads or analytics, per its AlternativeTo listing.
LicenseThe app is not open source.Free and proprietary, per AlternativeTo. Separate from the Apache-2.0 desktop Apktool.
Minimum AndroidAndroid 8.0 or newer, arm64 devices only.Android 4.0 or newer, per APKPure.
RootOptional. Needed only for the Root location (system paths), Dynamic Plugins (with LSPosed) and Frida's root mode.Not required.
Decompile and rebuildOpen as project, decompile chosen DEX files to Smali, then Build and sign. Only changed DEX files are recompiled.Decompiles and recompiles APKs, including system apps.
Java viewRead-only Java preview from JADX 1.5.6 (View as Java).Its text editor can view Java source. A built-in Java decompiler is not stated in the sources checked as of 2026-11.
Resources and manifestResources tab with search across names, values, files and XML. AndroidManifest.xml editable in a project or through View.Edit strings, layouts, images, icons and manifest settings such as permissions, then recompile.
Quick name, package and icon changesNo one-tap option. Edit the manifest and resources, then rebuild.Changes app name, package name (to clone an app) and icon without a full rebuild.
Translating appsEdit string values by hand per locale. No automatic translation. App UI is English only.Automatic translation of apps into more than 100 languages.
SigningBuild and sign uses the debug key (V1 to V3). Sign offers V1, V2, V3 and V4 as separate toggles with the debug key or your own .p12, .pfx, .jks or .keystore.Creates your own signing key and signs with it. Supported schemes not stated in the sources checked.
Split APKs and AABMerges APKS, XAPK and APKM (XAPK with OBB cannot be merged). Converts AAB to a universal APK. Installs split sets.Handles .apk, .apks, .xapk and .apkm; Antisplit merges splits into one APK. Can install and extract split APKs. Raw .aab files are not listed among its formats.

Is APKTool M the same as Apktool?

APKTool M is not the desktop Apktool. Apktool is a command-line tool by Connor Tumbleson and contributors, licensed Apache-2.0, that decodes an APK's resources to a nearly original form and rebuilds the APK after edits. Its latest release is v3.0.3, published 2026-07-20, and it needs Java 8 or newer on Windows, Linux or macOS.

APKTool M (Apktool M, package ru.maximoff.apktool) is a separate Android app by Maximoff. AlternativeTo lists it as free and proprietary, in contrast to the open-source desktop tool. Manifesto is not built on Apktool either: it decodes resources with ARSCLib, edits code with Smali and previews Java with JADX.

Where does the APKTool M information on this page come from?

The APKTool M facts on this page come from third-party listings, not the developer. The official site, maximoff.su/apktool/, returned HTTP 522 on every attempt on 2026-11-09, so nothing could be confirmed there.

  • AlternativeTo repeats the developer's description and is the source for price, ads, root, signing, split APK and translation features.
  • APKPure is the source for the Android 4.0 minimum and the resource editing description. It lists version 2.4.0-260501, updated May 4, 2026, which was not confirmed with the developer.
  • Google Play returned 404 for ru.maximoff.apktool, so the app is not listed there.

If the official site comes back with different details, the developer's word takes priority over this page.

How does the desktop Apktool workflow map to a phone?

The desktop workflow chains several tools: decode with Apktool, read code in jadx, rebuild with Apktool, then align and sign. jadx's README describes decompiling only, not rebuilding, and warns that it usually cannot decompile 100% of code. If you use apksigner, zipalign must run first, because changing an APK after signing breaks the signature. Here is where each step lands in Manifesto:

StepDesktop toolchainManifesto on Android
Decodeapktool dOpen as project, then Decompile the DEX files you need
Read as Javajadx or jadx-gui (64-bit Java 11+)View as Java (JADX 1.5.6, read-only)
Edit codeText editor on the decoded filesSmali editor with Find usages and Browse symbols
Rebuildapktool bBuild and sign
Align and signzipalign then apksigner, or uber-apk-signerSigned in the same Build and sign step with apksig
RequirementsA computer with a Java runtimeAn arm64 phone on Android 8.0+

APKTool M covers the same decode, edit and rebuild loop on the phone. The sources checked do not say whether it includes a Java decompiler like jadx.

Where is APKTool M stronger?

APKTool M's listing describes features Manifesto does not have.

  • Older devices: APKTool M runs on Android 4.0 and up. Manifesto needs Android 8.0 and an arm64 CPU.
  • Fast app cloning: APKTool M changes the app name, package name and icon without a full rebuild. In Manifesto you edit the manifest and rebuild.
  • Automatic translation: APKTool M can auto-translate an app into more than 100 languages. Manifesto has no automatic translation.
  • Release history: APKPure lists APKTool M at version 2.4.0-260501, with several earlier builds. Manifesto is at version 1.0.

Where does Manifesto go further?

Manifesto adds analysis and packaging tools on top of the edit-and-rebuild loop.

  • A named Java decompiler: Smali classes open with View as Java, a JADX 1.5.6 preview. The decompile APK on Android guide walks through it.
  • Signing control: Sign offers V1, V2, V3 and V4 as separate toggles, with V4 writing an .idsig file.
  • AAB support: Convert to APK turns an .aab into a universal APK with bundletool. See how to convert AAB to APK on Android.
  • Beyond the APK: radare2 with r2ghidra for .so files, Frida Gadget injection, a Protection scan, and a two-pane file manager that opens 7z, tar.zst and ISO archives.

How do I decompile, edit and rebuild an APK in Manifesto?

Rebuilding an APK in Manifesto takes five steps:

  1. Tap the .apk in the file manager, tap Options, then Open as project. The APK projects docs explain the four panes.
  2. To change strings or the manifest, use the Resources tab. To change code, tap a classes*.dex entry in Explorer, tick the DEX files and tap Decompile.
  3. Edit the file and tap Validate and save. Your edits are listed in History.
  4. Tap Build and sign. Manifesto writes <name>-modified-signed.apk in the project folder, signed with the debug key.
  5. Tap Show in files to find it, then install it from the APK sheet.

For manifest-only changes, the AndroidManifest editing guide shows a quicker route through View. Only modify apps you own or are allowed to analyze.

Which one should you choose?

Choose APKTool M for a phone on an Android version older than 8.0, or if quick package renames and automatic translation are what you need. Choose Manifesto's APK editor for Android for a JADX Java preview, explicit V1–V4 signing, AAB conversion and native analysis. Comparing more options? See the NP Manager alternative comparison.

Frequently asked questions

Is APKTool M the same as Apktool?

No, APKTool M is a separate Android app by Maximoff, while Apktool is an open-source command-line tool for Windows, Linux and macOS that needs Java 8 or newer. AlternativeTo lists APKTool M as free and proprietary and the desktop Apktool as Apache-2.0.

Is APKTool M free?

APKTool M is free with no ads or analytics, according to its AlternativeTo listing, which repeats the developer's description. The official site was unreachable on 2026-11-09, so this could not be confirmed there. Manifesto is also free, with no account, subscription or ads.

Can I use Apktool on Android without a PC?

Desktop Apktool itself needs a computer with a Java runtime, so on a phone you use an Android app that does the same job. APKTool M and Manifesto both decompile, edit, rebuild and sign APKs on the device. Manifesto needs an arm64 phone on Android 8.0 or newer.

Does APKTool M need root?

APKTool M does not require root, according to its AlternativeTo listing. Manifesto does not need root for editing, signing or installing APKs either. Root in Manifesto is needed only for the Root location (system paths), Dynamic Plugins (with LSPosed) and Frida's root mode.

Will Manifesto run on my old phone like APKTool M?

Manifesto runs only on arm64 devices with Android 8.0 or newer, so it will not install on 32-bit ARM, x86 or Android 7 devices. APKTool M lists Android 4.0 as its minimum on APKPure, so it is the option for phones on older Android versions.

Sources (checked 2026-11-09)

  1. AlternativeTo: Apktool M (about)
  2. AlternativeTo: Apktool M alternatives
  3. APKPure: Apktool M (third-party mirror)
  4. Google Play lookup for ru.maximoff.apktool (404)
  5. Apktool official site
  6. Apktool install docs
  7. Apktool GitHub repository
  8. Apktool latest release
  9. jadx GitHub repository
  10. uber-apk-signer GitHub repository
  11. apksigner (Android Developers)

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