Mobile app development has a tremendous capability to earn millions of dollars in the coming future. However, you should be aware that not every app has the potential to earn an equal share of Android and iOS market revenue.

Although there are apps following the same mobile app development process, every business is not fortunate enough to make billions of dollars with an app.

This picture has given rise to the questions in the minds of startups and developers. There are questions coming up like “ Do apps make money?”, “How to make money from mobile apps?” We will address such questions in this blog to clarify all the doubts about making money with apps.

Before we enter into all those questions, we should know that in the first quarter of 2019, app users could download more than 2.6 million Android, and 2.2 million iOS apps. The total number of app downloads in the year 2018 according to App Annie was at 194 billion. The Apple App Store and the Google Play Store control this aspect. They are two of the most important marketplaces in the world, absolutely global in extent.

So, there is a tough competition among the apps. And if you wish your app idea to sail, the right considerations are important before getting down with the app development business. Let’s check out what should you know before getting into making money with the apps.

Things to remember before going for app development

As a startup, you just think of making money with an app idea. But you need to pay attention to the mystery regarding how some of the apps become so popular and how do they earn equal money and recognition. If you ignore these points, you are most likely to end up failing.

So, first things first. While deciding how to make money by developing apps, focus on the features which are making the apps popular in the market. Knowing the feature will improve the possibilities of earning potential profits and at the same time, it will reduce your cost of developing a mobile app. 

A study suggests that 63% of users favor mobile apps for the single purpose of comfort. Basically, the customers want an app that is fast, dynamic and looks great. 

Another important factor that the users are concerned about is the payment. Every app where it is E Scooter, Fintech, On-demand Taxi or a Food delivery app – they all have one common issue- the safety of payments. Many customers are suspicious regarding the security of an app which stops them from purchasing your products. It is high time to consider a secure payment gateway integration for your mobile app. 

You can also connect most used mobile payment apps such as Google Pay, Apple Pay, PayPal, etc. in your app to enhance your Android/iOS app revenue.

Determining the best platform is additionally an important factor. Android vs iOS is a highly controversial topic and apparently has no conclusion to it. But, picking one among the two demands some earnest statistical backing, particularly when you are creating apps for money.

For iOS, the average in-app purchase per user is 2-times higher than it is for Android. But this does not make iOS the best option. The number of Android users exceed iOS users easily even though iOS has higher in-app purchases.

The number of Android-powered smartphones traded was 329.5M in the second quarter of 2018 compared to that of 44.72 of that running on iOS. This means that Android users are more and it can be the right platform to make money with an app – given the appropriate strategy has been used.

Now, let us check out how does the payment cycle work in Play Store and Apple Store.

How are Payments Made in Play Store?

The amount that a paid app collects gets credited to your account within the cycle of 30 days. There is no least amount in the case of the amount you make with apps in the Play Store. If your Android app gains money above $1, the money is credited to your account. Nevertheless, the Play Store runs on a 70:30 payment distribution ratio. Play Store holds 30% and credits the other 70% in your account of the amount that you earn with apps. So, that’s how an Android app earns.

How are Payments Made in App Store?

The iOS App Payments are normally made in 45 days of the last working day of a month when the app purchases were done. To collect the payments, you must produce all the required bank and tax details and records. You should keep the minimum payment level. Also, there should be a minimum threshold price that you should have gained before the amount is credited in your account. If not, the amount is carried forward to the next payment date, until the least settled iOS app revenue amount is earned.

Revenue Growth For Android and iOS

Are you curious about the revenues generated by the above-stated models, iOS and Android? Let us check it out:

According to a report in SensorTower, global mobile users spent $71.3 billion on apps and games in 2018. The total amount spent consisted of in-app purchases, subscriptions, and premium apps on the App Store and Google Play. The amount was calculated as22.7 percent higher than the $58.1 billion, in the year 2017.

The users of Apple’s App Store spent an approximated $46.6 billion in 2018. This amount was 88 percent more than the $24.8 billion spent on Google Play. So, this showed a growth of 20.4 percent for the App Store, while Google Play revenue grew 27.3 percent in the same period.

 

During 2018, the firs-time app installs exceeded 105.3 billion as the combined growth for both stores of 11.1 percent. Google Play app installs increased 13 percent year-over-year to 75.7 billion

Whereas, global App Store downloads calculated 29.6 billion for the year, a 6.6 percent raise over 2017. So, it can be seen that the Google Play is leading in the first-time app installs at 2.6 times the App Store.

Mobile games have seen great spending reaching $54.7 billion in 2018, a year-over-year improvement of 15.2 percent from 2017. So, the mobile gaming share of all app revenue for 2018 is taken up to approx 77 percent. App Store gaming revenue was up by 10 percent from 2017 reaching $33.2 billion. Whereas, Google Play grew by 24.2 percent to $21.5 billion.

The mobile downloads grew over 2017 at 6.4 percent, totaling an estimated 38.3 billion across both platforms. Google Play installs were increased a little more than the App Store’s at 6.4 percent versus 6.2 percent, to 29.4 billion and 8.9 billion, each.

How much money do Apps make?

We have clarified what should you consider while going for mobile app development and how the payment system is operated in Play Store and App Store. We have also learned about the revenue models. Now let’s understand how much money can you make from an app.

The money you can earn with your app depends on a few major points of significance:

• The Platform on which your app is based.

Apple is the winner when in terms of money an app makes. The figures state that above 25% of the iOS App Developers make more than $5,000 from their app whereas only 16% of the Android App Developers are able to earn around $5,000 from their Play Store Applications.

• In-App Purchase Option

The in-app purchase option allows your users to access the premium features of the app by paying for them ultimately making you more money. The gaming apps, FinTech apps or even the food delivery apps can have this option to make them more interesting.

• In-App Advertising

In-app advertising can work with your FinTech apps, E-scooter rental apps, On-demand Taxi booking, Food delivery apps, and other such on-demand apps. It includes click per view like agreements where you can charge your partner company $0.01 for every view. If you get more than 10000 users daily, you are likely to make $100 every day.

• Subscription Model

People like to spend money if you add value to their lives. The E-scooter rental businesses and Food delivery apps can easily earn through the subscription model as thousands of people are interested to keep visiting back these apps.

• Compatibility on different devices

You can earn maximum when your app is compatible with a variety of devices and is made accessible to more audiences. Make sure your app works on different platforms and devices and supports different operating systems to help it reach more users. Among native and hybrid, choosing hybrid can help your app function seamlessly over many devices.

Which Mobile App Category Makes the Most Money?

There is a huge impact that the app category has on your earnings. So, choose wisely.

The On-demand taxis and E-scooters have great potential to generate huge revenues but at the same time, there is a big competition in this arena. 

Here are a few categories that you can consider to earn high revenue for your business.

• FinTech Apps
• On-demand Apps
• Entertainment Apps
• Social Media Apps
• Gaming Apps

Can you make money from apps regardless of the App Store or Play Store?

Yes, there is no doubt that you can make money from the apps without considering a particular store using various payment models to choose for your app. However, you have to consider the market scenario and other factors impacting the revenue of the apps when you choose a platform.

Summing Up:

Considering a platform, business model and market analysis are important for you before jumping to conclusions related to app development to earn more money.

We can help you to decide and develop an amazing app with extraordinary features for your business. For more information related to revenue generation and app development do not hesitate to connect with us for a free consultation session.