The Android Market now contains over 400,000 active applications, checks from Distimo have revealed, with the growth of Google’s software store accelerating at a faster pace than Apple’s rival App Store. 68-percent are free or freemium, versus paid, a possible reaction to the increase in in-app purchasing noted recently.

While Google lagged behind Apple when it came to hitting the 200,000 apps point in the Android Market – taking 31 months versus Apple’s 22 – subsequent milestones were racked up more quickly. Android apps reached the 300,000 mark in a further four months, then 400,000 in four after that. In contrast, it took iOS developers eight months to go from 200k to 300k, and seven months beyond that to get to 400k.

Nonetheless, iOS users still have more choice in titles, but if the pace of submissions continues then that may not be the case for much longer. Google also nears the 100,000 active developer milestone, with each submitting 4.1 apps on average.

[via SlashGear]