Clamshell

Download

The first release is free. Later releases go to patrons.

Clamshell is an APK you install yourself, and Patreon is its only funding. Here's what's free, what supporters get, and what won't change.

Free

Free APK

  • The first release is free for everyone.
  • When a newer release exists, it occasionally shows a small reminder. You can skip it.
  • The reminder never interrupts a game and never blocks you from using the app.
Download free APK

Patreon

Patron builds

  • Later releases go to supporters as APKs in patron-only posts.
  • A patron build installs over the free one and updates it in place. Nothing is lost.
  • Tiers open with Alpha 0.1 in January 2027. Until then, Patreon has a free tier with devlogs, screenshots, and clips.
Support on Patreon (opens in a new tab)

Tiers

These open with Alpha 0.1 in January 2027.

Supporter

$3/month

  • Monthly patron build
  • Discord Supporter role
  • Patron-only devlogs

Pro

$6/month

  • Everything in Supporter
  • RomM add-on and smart download (from Beta 0.5)

Champion

$10+/month

  • Everything in Pro
  • Mid-month beta builds
  • A vote on the quarterly roadmap
  • Your name in the credits

What won't change

  • A feature is never pulled from a tier after it ships there.
  • If tiers are repriced, early supporters keep their price.
  • Crash and data-loss fixes go to every paid tier on the same day.
  • After 1.0, each patron build becomes public 3 months after it ships. Pro features, including the RomM add-on, stay patron-only.

Questions

How do I install an APK?

  1. Download the APK on your device.
  2. Open it from your browser's downloads or a file manager.
  3. Android asks you to allow installs from that app. Allow it, go back, and tap Install.

You can turn the permission off again in Settings under Apps, Special app access, Install unknown apps. From a computer, adb install works too.

Can I install the free and patron builds side by side?

No. They're the same app. A patron build updates your free install in place, so nothing is lost.

Why isn't it on the Play Store?

Play's rules don't allow unlocking features through outside payments, and Patreon is how Clamshell is funded. So it's APK only.