AliExpress vs eBay

Privacy compared: the newest public version of each, scored by the same six rules. eBay scores 63 and AliExpress 57, so eBay is 6 points ahead.

57of 100

AliExpresscom.alibaba.aliexpresshd

version 8.177.3

63of 100

eBaycom.ebay.mobile

version 6.275.0.3 ahead by 6

Who is ahead on what

The longer bar is the better one on every axis; a score is the mean of its six axes. The arithmetic behind each is on the app's own card.

Axes: eBay leads on 3 axes, AliExpress on 1 axis; 2 axes are level.
Trackers: AliExpress carries 6 trackers, eBay 6 trackers.
Dangerous permissions: AliExpress may ask for 9 permissions, eBay for 6 permissions.

The six axes

Each axis is one short rule applied to both apps, with the one thing that decided its number underneath.

Security level

AliExpress 70 1 security problem found.

eBay 70 1 security problem found.

Tracking eBay +3

AliExpress 26 6 tracking tools found.

eBay 29 6 tracking tools found.

Build hygiene eBay +17

AliExpress 62 The app passes 8 of 13 checks of how well it was built.

eBay 79 The app passes 11 of 14 checks of how well it was built.

Packaging level

AliExpress 100 The phone can use everything in the app.

eBay 100 The phone can use everything in the app.

Access eBay +42

AliExpress 6 Asks for 8 of 11 kinds of permission; 2 kinds of special access.

eBay 48 Asks for 5 of 11 kinds of permission; no special access.

Background AliExpress +24

AliExpress 78 Runs no background service, but starts by itself after a restart.

eBay 54 Runs 3 kinds of background service and starts by itself after a restart.

TrackersAliExpress 6 · eBay 6

The advertising, analytics and attribution SDKs recognised in each app. What only one of them carries is what sets it apart.

Only in AliExpress

Huawei AdsHuawei Mobile Services (HMS) CorePangle

In both

Facebook SDKFacebook ShareFirebase Analytics

Only in eBay

AppsFlyerGoogle AdMobOpenTelemetry (OpenCensus, OpenTracing)

Dangerous permissionsAliExpress 9 · eBay 6

The permissions Android asks the user about at run time: the camera, the microphone, the location, the contacts and the like. An app may need one for what it does; asking is not the same as using.

Only in AliExpress

READ_CALENDARREAD_PHONE_STATEWRITE_CALENDAR

In both

ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATIONACCESS_FINE_LOCATIONCAMERAREAD_EXTERNAL_STORAGERECORD_AUDIOWRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE

Only in eBay

none

Where this comes from

Both are the apps' public cards: what anyone may know of an app, from its newest public version - one Google Play installed, and out in the world. Each card has the score's lines and the earlier versions: AliExpress, eBay.