How to download Minecraft Pocket Edition for free
After playing Minecraft for free with its demo for computers and consoles, you learned about the existence of a version of the game also available for Android and iOS: Minecraft Pocket Edition. You are particularly interested in the latter but, before buying it, you would like to try it too at no cost. Speaking of which, you’re wondering how to download Minecraft Pocket Edition for free, right?
If things are actually this way, I must first tell you that, unfortunately, officially, through the Android Play Store or the iOS App Store, you can no longer download the Minecraft demo, as it has been removed. The only solution still possible is to download a demo version of the game via the APK file on Android. Know, however, that this is an APK package that has not been updated for some time and therefore may not best reflect the features offered by the full version of the title. Alternatively, you can download some free games for Android and iOS that offer a gameplay experience similar to that of Minecraft.
How do you say? Would you like to know more? Well, then read on, in the course of this tutorial I will show you all the steps to take regarding the mentioned possibilities. I’ll tell you about Minecraft PE on Android and iOS and the best free alternatives to this video game. Are you ready to get started? Yup? Very well! I wish you a good read and, above all, a lot of fun!
Index
- Download the Minecraft demo via APK
- Free alternatives to Minecraft
- Kiloblocks Lite (Android / iOS)
- The Blockheads (Android / iOS)
- Minetest (Android)
- Block Craft 3D (iOS)
- Purchase Minecraft on Android and iOS
- Other ways to play Minecraft for free
Download the Minecraft demo via APK
If your intent is to download Minecraft Pocket Edition for free, you can download the demo version on Android, via its APK file.
Unfortunately, however, this demo version of Minecraft PE is no longer available via APK on third-party sites, such as APKMirror. You will therefore be forced to buy Minecraft on Android or iOS, which I will talk about in a later chapter, or rely on free alternatives, equally valid, which I will list in the following paragraphs.
I warn you to pay attention to the APK files that still circulate on the web related to the demo version of Minecraft PE: you may still download the APK, but you may come across a modified version that could damage or compromise your Android smartphone or tablet.
Alternatively, you can find out if the gaming experience in Minecraft PE satisfies your interest by watching one of the many videos made by fans of this video game on YouTube. In this way, you will be able to understand if this edition of Minecraft can be for you and, therefore, buy it.
To do this, all you have to do is go to the YouTube website and type, in the search bar at the top, the terms minecraft pocket edition or minecraft pe.
Free alternatives to Minecraft
Alternatively, since it is no longer possible to download the Minecraft demo from the Android Play Store or the iOS App Store, I recommend that you consider some free alternatives to the very famous Mojang title, since there are some really well done. . I’ll tell you more about it in the next paragraphs.
Kiloblocks Lite (Android / iOS)
Kiloblocks Lite is the free version of Kiloblocks, an excellent sandbox title for Android and iOS that is inspired by the creative mode of Minecraft. Compared to the paid one, which costs 4.49 euros, it is more limited, as it does not allow you to save or load your progress.
The game has excellent 3D graphics, it is very fluid even on less performing devices from the hardware point of view, but everything related to the “survival” part of Minecraft is missing, since there are no enemies to face. However, it is worth downloading, as it is an interesting free alternative to Minecraft.
To download it on Android start the Play Store, pressing on its icon that you find on the home screen of your device or in the drawer (it is the icon with a colored flag ), then use the text field at the top to type Kiloblocks Lite , and do tap on the corresponding search result.
Now, press the Install button and wait for the automatic download to complete. At the end, start the game by pressing the Open button or the game icon that will have been added to the home screen of your device.
If you want to download Kiloblocks Lite on iOS, on the other hand, once you have identified the title in question through the search engine of the App Store (accessible by pressing on the icon of a magnifying glass ), press the app preview card and install it by clicking on Get.
Next, start downloading the app via Face ID, Touch ID, or entering your iCloud account password. At the end of the automatic download, start the app, by pressing on Open or by touching its icon that will have been added to the home screen of the device.
The Blockheads (Android / iOS)
The Blockheads is a different game than usual, since it is not a “pure” alternative to Minecraft, but as a sort of hybrid between the title Mojang and Terraria, another very famous open-world game in which you have to explore the environment surrounding, build objects and protect yourself from enemies.
This title is available for Android and iPhone / iPad and features graphics similar to that of Minecraft but with a 2D-style view (horizontal scrolling, so to speak). It includes exploratory gameplay mechanics and also the possibility of making micro-transactions through in-app purchases, which allow you to speed up the construction processes of objects.
To download it on Android, first locate the game in question via the Play Store (the icon of a colored flag on the home screen), then click on Install. At the end of the download, start the app by pressing on its icon added to the home screen of your device or on the Open button.
On iOS, however, after identifying the game in question through the App Store, press the Get button, then start the download of the app via Face ID, Touch ID or the password of the iCloud account.
At the end of the download and automatic installation, start the game by clicking on Open or on its icon that you find on the home screen of the device.
Minetest (Android)
Minetest is perhaps one of the best Minecraft “clones”. It is a completely free and open-source game that follows many of the game mechanics of the Mojang title. In the mobile field it is only available on Android, while on the computer its compatibility is much wider: it can be downloaded for free, through its official website, on Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10, macOS 10.10 (and later versions) and Linux.
It is a very complete game, as it also supports online multiplayer game mode, mods and offers a practically infinite playing area (equal to 62,000 3 blocks). Furthermore, its development is constantly evolving and news is on the agenda. It is therefore a great free alternative to Minecraft, which I recommend you try.
To download it on Android, locate the game card in the Play Store and press the Install / Accept button to start the download. At the end of this automatic procedure, start the game by pressing the Open button or its icon added to the home screen of the device.
Block Craft 3D (Android / iOS)
Block Craft 3D is another beautiful Minecraft clone available on Android and iOS. This is a free-to-play title, so you can download and play it for free. There are, however, some contents and features, such as the possibility of flying your own character, which are instead paid, as they can be unlocked through completely optional in-app purchases.
The aim of this game is to build various objects and buildings to bring your village to life and make it thrive as much as possible. The graphics are in 3D and are “pixelated” like that of Minecraft; moreover, the game is very fluid even on older Apple devices.
If you are interested in Block Craft 3D, you can download it on Android by opening the Play Store and typing, in the search engine, the name of the app. From the search results, select the corresponding one and press the Install button. At the end of this procedure, to start the game, press Open or use its icon on the home screen.
To download it on iOS, locate this video game in the App Store, then start the download by pressing the Get button. To confirm the automatic download, use Face ID, Touch ID or type in your iCloud account password.
Purchase Minecraft on Android and iOS
If, after trying the free alternatives for Android and iOS or after evaluating Minecraft PE through the demo or videos on YouTube, you have decided to buy the game, the instructions below will be useful for you to make the purchase.
In case of doubts or for more details on how to purchase a game on Android through the Play Store or on iOS through the App Store, refer to my guide on how to buy on Google Play or the one in which I explain how make purchases on the App Store.
If you use a smartphone or tablet Android, you can download the game from the Play Store paying 6.99 euros. If, on the other hand, you have an iPhone / iPad, you can buy Minecraft from the App Store at a price of 7.99 euros. Finally, if you have a smartphone with Windows 10 Mobile operating system, you can buy the game from the Windows Store at a price of 6.99 euros.
Once you have purchased the game on the device of your choice, to download Minecraft, all you have to do is follow the standard download procedures for any app or game, by pressing the installation button in the Android Play Store or the iOS App Store. If you have any doubts or problems, refer to the directions I gave you in my guide on how to download apps.
Other ways to play Minecraft for free
If the solutions that I have indicated to you in the previous chapters do not meet your needs, in case you do not want to buy Minecraft PE, I suggest other ways to play Minecraft for free, by switching platforms. For example, from your computer, using any web browser, you will be able to play Minecraft Classic, an edition of Minecraft that represents the first 2009 version of this video game.
For that reason, Minecraft Classic in no way reflects the current Minecraft gameplay experience currently released, but it can be a good one, considering you can play online alongside your friends (up to nine).
If you are interested in Minecraft Classic, connect to its web page and follow the simple instructions you see on the screen. If you want to know more about this topic, I suggest you consult my guide on how to download Minecraft for free, in which I also explained how to download the free trial version of this video game on both PC and console.