- Earn Money With Phone App For Free
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- Earn Money With Apps In Pakistan
- Earn Money With Phone App Stores
- Earn Money With Phone App Download
- Nov 22, 2019 Dreamstime is a stock photography app that allows you to make money from your photos. The app includes tons of handy features and tools, like real-time sales notifications, the ability to optimize images, and tracking for image statistics. Using it, you can easily upload photos from your smartphone or tablet, and start earning.
- To make money, snap a picture with your phone in the app. Then, upload the pricing details. In a matter of minutes, you can list several items. No doubt, it’s easy to sell on Poshmark. When an item sells, Poshmark provides a prepaid shipping label. Finally, attach it to the package put it in the mail. At this point, you get paid!
Do you want to turn your android phone into a mini cash cow?
Well there are two ways you can do that:
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(A) You can either sell it to some low-balling loser on Craigslist who might kidnap you…
(B) Or, you can download some of the best money-making apps for android and avoid a disastrous encounter.
If you choose option B, it’s going to require some major sacrifices on your part. You’ll have to disrupt your streaming, browsing, gaming, and social media sharing/stalking activities.
But considering the alternative (Craigslist weirdo), and the fact that you get to make money with your phone, those sacrifices are totally worth it.
So, if you’re ready to discover these money-making apps, let’s get to it.
A Word About This List of Android Apps
In case it wasn’t already obvious, these apps are geared towards android users.
However, in the astonishing event that you don’t have an android phone or are still rocking a Nokia or a Blackberry (gasp!), then you need Jesus.
But if you don’t want to wait that long, you can snag one of these recommended android phones:
- BLU Vivo XL4 – Cheap useable phone if money’s tight
- Google Pixel 3a – Good phone that’s less likely to fail you
- Samsung Galaxy S10e – Premium phone that’ll blow your mind
Alright, now that we’ve got all the hardware sorted, let’s check out the apps that can make you money.
31 Best Money Making Apps for Android Users
Depending on where you live, some of these apps may not be available. But that’s okay because there are many other ways for you to make money. So keep that in mind as you browse this list.
1. Shopkick
There’s a reason Shopkick received an Editors’ Choice award. That’s because it lets you easily earn free rewards in the form of gift cards or cash back.
In addition to making money when you go shopping, you can literally earn without spending too. It’s as simple as walking into your favorite stores.
The app has a ton of other perks. But the best is the $5 bonus you’ll get using the special EGD promo code. Click here to get it and start earning.
2. Survey Junkie
Survey Junkie is the original money-making app that’s paid out more money than you can imagine.
There’s a reason tens of millions of people use the app and website to make money every day. You can make money doing surveys or completing other actions to earn points that can be converted into cash.
The money you earn can be redeemed via gift cards, PayPal, or direct deposit.
If you want an easy way to make money from a reputable company, you can’t go wrong with Survey Junkie. Click here to get a free $10 bonus for signing up today.
3. Acorns
If you want to make money investing in stocks but are totally lost, then Acorns can help.
It allows you to create a custom portfolio based on your financial goals, so you can automatically invest your spare change.
The app is perfect for beginners and folks who struggle to save money. You can download the app here.
4. Google Opinion Rewards
This official Google app lets you take surveys conducted by market researchers.
Pay per survey varies but it’s usually less than $1. That may not seem worth it, until you realize the surveys take seconds to complete and are super simple.
Earnings can be used as credits for Google products or they can be sent to your linked PayPal account.
Sound interesting? Then click here to get the free app now.
5. MyPoints
Not many apps are willing to pay you just for signing up. But MyPoints does it because they believe in their awesome platform and want to show you it’s totally worth it.
Using the app, you’ll earn points that can be swapped for cash, gift cards, or physical gifts. You basically get rewarded for doing easy stuff like watching videos, surveys, etc.
Sound good? Click here to signup and get your free $10 bonus.
Related:Creative Ways to Make $100 Fast With Little Effort
6. Big Time Cash
Big Time Cash lets you make money from playing games. The app features tons of prizes, giveaways, and more chances for you to earn money.
Each game gives you a ticket to the various drawings. The more tickets you rack up, the better your chances of winning. Plus, when you win, you’ll be paid via PayPal.
Click here to install Big Time Cash now.
7. Swagbucks
Almost half a billion has already been paid out to people who use Swagbucks. That’s billion with a ‘B’!
You basically make money watching videos, surfing the web, shopping online, and more. Earnings can be redeemed via PayPal or gift cards to Amazon, Target, and other big brands.
Also, if you sign up right now, you’ll get a $5 bonus.Click here to get it.
8. Lucky Day
Earn Money With Phone App For Free
Thousands of people have won millions of dollars playing Lucky Day. The app features hundreds of games, daily lotteries, and other great prizes.
Lucky Day gives you a winning chance to actually make money. And you don’t have to spend a dime because it’s totally free.
It’s like having a rewarding lifestyle experience on your phone. If you want a slice of the daily pie, click here to download the app.
9. Rakuten (formerly Ebates)
Most savvy people already know about Rakuten’s awesome web app. But the company also has a mobile app that’s just as easy to use. And it works the same way too.
All you have to do is shop at your favorite stores and you’ll get cash back on your purchases. You can even combine this with other store-specific coupons and discounts as well.
But wait, there’s more… Click here to get a $10 bonus just for joining Rakuten today.
10. Postmates
Postmates lets you convert your free time into real cash for delivering goods from local stores to customers. You can do it via driving, biking, or walking.
The app makes it easy to earn money on your own schedule without the hassle of an office or 9-to-5 commitments. You’ll also get paid fast.
And right now, you can get a $200 bonus when you click here to sign up.
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11. Inbox Dollars
From partnering with big online retailers to paying out millions in cash, InboxDollars is an app you can’t afford not to have.
It’s a free and easy way to pass time taking surveys, playing games, reading emails and more, instead of wasting time on social media.
You can also easily cash out your earnings via PayPal, Check, or prepaid cards.
Want a free $5 bonus? Sign up here then download the app.
12. Earny
Ever bought something only to find out it went on sale a week later? It probably made you mad knowing you could have saved money on the item.
Well, Earny takes care of that for you for free.
You just do all your online shopping as per usual. Then Earny tracks your purchases from your favorite stores like Amazon, Target, Walmart, etc. And if the price drops, it helps you get cash back.
You don’t even have to lift a finger. All you have to do is sign up for Earny here.
13. Dosh
Dosh lets you earn cash back for shopping at your favorite stores. It’s as simple as that.
When you accumulate at least 25, you can have the money deposited into your bank account. You can also earn $5 for referring your friends, which is nice little bonus.
Click here to download and install Dosh now.
14. Ibotta
Ibotta lets you earn real cash back on every purchase made at your favorite stores. These include retailers like Walmart, Target, etc.
Before you go shopping, use the app to find the best money saving offers. Then hit up the stores, do your shopping, and earn free cash back.
The money can be easily be redeemed via PayPal, Venmo, or your preferred giftcard.
Want more? Get the app now for a chance to earn a $20 welcome bonus.
15. Lyft
Lyft makes it easy for you to make money driving in your spare time.
It’s actually one of the few apps on this list that allows you to earn a dependable source of income. The only downside is that you need to be 21 or older to get started.
Otherwise, it’s an easy way to make money and meet new people as a Lyft driver.
Plus, you can get a $300 bonus for becoming a Lyft driver if you sign up here.
16. Trim
If you’re like 99% of people, you’ve got monthly bills. And while they’re necessary, some may be ridiculously high. That’s where Trim comes in.
Trim basically negotiates with your cell, cable, and internet providers for discounts on your behalf.
When these discounts get approved, you get money back. Trim takes 25% and you keep 75%. So if you got a $100 back, you’ll get $75 and Trim keeps $25.
That’s totally fair considering you don’t have to do anything, and it’s money you wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. Click here to get Trim now.
17. Instacart
As an Instacart shopper, you get to earn money in your spare time by delivering groceries to people who need them.
It’s awesome because you’ll get paid well and be able to choose a flexible schedule that works for you.
All payments are deposited immediately to your account after each delivery, which is amazing if you need cash now. It’s a great way to help people while balancing work and life.
If you have done so yet, click here to become an Instacart shopper.
18. Betterment
When it comes to investing money, no one has time for all the mumbo jumbo.
Betterment eliminates all of that and makes it super simple for you make money through by investing your savings. You simply deposit an amount, set a financial goal you’d like to achieve, then the app helps you work towards it.
It’s not a quick way to make money with stocks but it’s great for smart people who want to make money for the future.
Click here to get the app and start building your financial future.
Related:Smart Ways to Make Money Without Working Hard
19. LetGo
LetGo is a great app to make money selling your like-new items.
If you’re like most people, you’ve probably got a ton of stuff at home you can sell for cash. This apps lets you sell those items safe and easy.
With this app, you don’t need to have a garage sale to sell your stuff. And you can definitely use it to start a nice side hustle buying and selling goods.
Ready to let go of your unwanted stuff? Download the LetGo app here.
20. Make Money
This is another fun app for making extra money on the side. It’s pretty simple too.
With Make Money, all you have to do is play games, watch videos, test apps, and participate in other cool activities to earn cash.
Most users love this app because it pays cash only via PayPal. There are no giftcards or gimmicks.
Make Money is one of the best rewards app that pays you for participating anywhere and anytime. Click here to install it now.
21. Stash
Imagine being able to turn $5 into $100, $1,000 or more. How would that change your life?
Well, you don’t have to dream anymore because Stash can make it possible. Millions of people are already using this app to invest, save, and budget their money.
But that’s not all. You can also learn more about personal finance, which will put you way ahead of the majority of Americans.
If you’re looking for a practical and smart way to make money, then get Stash now.
22. Mercari
Mercari makes it super easy for you to sell almost anything.
Got stuff at home you don’t use, never used, or simply outgrew? This app lets you make money from selling it.
From fashion to toys, sporting goods to electronics, jewelry to shoes – you can get rid of all your unwanted items in a jiffy.
Download the app today and start selling your household items.
23. Receipt Hog
If you’re like most people, you often throw away your shopping receipts. That’s a shame because you’re literally throwing away free cash.
Thankfully, you can change that with Receipt Hog.
The app lets you take pics of your everyday receipts from stores, restaurants, etc, and converts them into rewards called coins. These coins can be redeemed for real cash via Amazon e-Gift cards or PayPal.
It’s definitely a fun and easy way to make money shopping. Click here to grab the app.
24. OfferUp
OfferUp is the simplest way to sell your stuff locally. It eliminates the hassle of posting classified ads or hosting garage sales to try and sell your stuff.
Now you can pretty much list and sell your items in 30 seconds and make money with this amazing app.
If you want to buy and sell items on the side to make extra cash, this app makes it super easy for you to do that.
To start selling your stuff, click here to download the app from the Playstore.
Related:The Best Household Items to Sell For Easy Money
25. Money App
Millions of people are hooked on the Money App.
That’s because it gives you a quick and easy way to make money in your free time, whether chilling at home or commuting to work.
You can make money testing out services, participating in surveys, playing games, watching videos, and more. Plus, you get paid in cash via PayPal in as little as 48-72 hours.
Ready to earn some free cash? Download the Money App now.
26. iPoll
With iPoll, you get to earn free rewards like gift cards, airline credits, and more.
You can do that in a variety of ways such as sharing your opinion, taking pics, testing products, visiting stores, and doing surveys.
This app basically offers another super easy way for you to snag free gift cards to your favorite stores. You can download it here.
27. Rover
With Rover, you can easily make an extra $1,000 a month. This means it’s another one of the best money-making apps on this list.
This app basically allows dog lovers to offer boarding, walking, daycare, and house-sitting services to pet owners.
It’s the perfect app for anyone looking to make money with a side-hustle or start a full-time service gig dealing with pets.
Ready to start making good money? Then join Rover by clicking here.
28. Snapwire
Love taking pics and videos with your phone? Then Snapwire is perfect for you.
It allows you to make money from licensing your digital media to be used by people who need it for their online projects.
Depending on how good you are and how many images/videos you upload, you can easily earn an extra $1,000 a month (or more) doing this.
Got some pics to sell? Sign up for Snapwire to start selling them today.
29. Bumped
This is app is awesome… if you can get in.
That’s right, Bumped is super exclusive. You have to join a waitlist and wait for approval. Once accepted, you’ll be able to get free stock when you shop at brands you love.
It’s a great way to make money for the future for free, as long as you can get access.
Make sure you sign up to join the waitlist.
30. Surveys On The Go
Surveys On The Go is another super easy app for making money with surveys.
If you haven’t realized by now, surveys are one of the best ways to make money with your phone.
The cool thing about this app is that it pays out in cash rather than points for surveys. So you’ll be able to rate TV shows, products, share your opinion, and more – all while getting paid for efforts.
Not bad, right? Click here to download and install the app now.
31. Uber Eats
Want to make money on the go? Then you should start delivering meals with Uber Eats.
The app lets you earn cash by delivering the delicious food orders that people crave all around your local city. You can use your car, bike, scooter, or simply walk around.
The best feature of this app is that you can cash out your money instantly – up to 5 times a day!
Ready to make money fast? Click here to join Uber Eats now.
The Truth About Android Money Making Apps
Now that you’ve downloaded the best money-making apps for android, there’s something you should know…
With the tiny exception of the investing apps, none of these android apps are going to make you rich enough to quit your job and move to paradise.
The goal of these apps is to give you a nice cash infusion to complement your current income. Sure you can make close to a full-time income with some of them. But for the most part, you should think of it as side-hustle income or pocket change.
If you want to make job-quitting money, then check out this post for some ideas.
Anyway, that’s a wrap. Make sure you click the buttons below to share this post so others can find out all the cool android apps they can use to earn easy money.
Apps make a lot of money. Spending on Google Play and the App Store hit an incredible $39.7 billion during the first half of 2019 according to data from Sensor Tower. This was a 15.4 percent increase in the same period in the previous year.
Additionally, app use is growing. In its most recent “State of Mobile” report, AppAnnie found that between 2016 and 2018, time spent in-app grew by 50 percent, while downloads increased by 35 percent. This suggests that there is plenty of proof that many free apps make money.
Earn Money App Download
If you’re wondering how to create an app for free and make money, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we’ll first look at how to create an app, and then explore six of the most popular app monetization methods.
Image: William Hook/Unsplash.
Table of Contents
- 1 How to Make an App
- 2 How to Create an App and Make Money
- 3 Six App Monetization Models
How to Make an App
The first step towards app monetization is to go ahead and build one. This means you’ll need a good idea that people will find useful and want to download. If you don’t have a specific idea for an app, you can always think about a problem you have and a way to solve it.
Alternatively, are there any popular mobile apps that you like but think could be improved? If so, why don’t you release an app with the improvement?
The founders of Instagram released the app in part because they loved the filters of Instamatic but thought it would be better if it was easier to share photos. It’s now one of the most downloaded apps ever.
Image: Austin Distel/Unsplash.
If you are planning an app monetization strategy, you should consider this at the start of the design process.
For example, if one of your app monetization strategies is to use ads, you’ll need to build in space to display banners while designing your app.
Likewise, if you want to run a subscription model, you’ll need to consider the features that will be available to all app users, as well as those that will only be available to those who pay.
We have an in-depth article on how to build your own mobile app that you can read here. In the article, we broke the process down into several steps:
First, You Need to Plan Your App
If you already have an app idea, this could be the easiest part of the process. If not, the most difficult. You can check out these 12 ways to generate app ideas if you are struggling.
When planning your app, you’ll need to have an exact idea about what it will do and the problem it will solve. You should also think about the target audience and what will appeal to them. You can get good ideas about the type of apps that are successful and make money by looking at competitors or non-competing apps with the same target audience.
This is also a good way to choose your app monetization strategy. If you notice most apps like the one you want to create offer a free version, you will probably struggle to be successful if you want to charge for your app. On the other hand, this could suggest the kind of app you want to make can be monetized through adverts.
Image: Jexo/Unplash.
Next, Choose How You Will Build Your App
The next step in the app development process is to start building it. You have two options here. The first is to go through the whole process of creating wireframes, graphical interfaces, and testing the front and back end processes yourself.
Alternatively, you can use an app builder to take care of the process for you.
While the first option provides more customization, the second option is easier for those without experience in app development.
If You Choose to go it Alone, You’ll Need to Start by Wireframing
If you choose not to use an app builder and go the custom route, you’ll have to start by wireframing. This will help you create the structure of your app. There are plenty of tools that can help with wireframing, including Microsoft’s Visio and Axure. Be sure to test out these wireframes extensively.
Then Design the Visual Elements of Your App
At this point, you can begin designing the visual elements of your app, including your logo, color scheme, and any graphics or animations you choose to use.
You’ll need to do this whether you choose to build it yourself or use a DIY app builder. If you don’t have the expertise required, you can always hire a professional to take care of the process for you. Sites like Upwork are great for this.
Sort Out Your App’s Back End and Front End
The next step is where things get complicated. First, you’ll need to build the back end of your app. Getting this right will ensure your app works as it should. If you have limited software development experience, this is where using an app builder can save you a lot of time and stress.
Following this, you can design the front end, which is the interface users will see.
Finally, Put Your App Through Final Tests
While you create an app, you should be testing it out as you go. However, the final step in app development is to test the finished product.
You should test the app on numerous devices and give it to different people who fit your target audience. This will allow you to collect a variety of opinions about what works and what doesn’t.
If you notice there are any problems, be sure to fix them before releasing your app.
How to Create an App and Make Money
Now you know how to create an app, we will look at different monetization strategies. In this article, we’ve split monetization models into six categories. These are:
- Paid apps
- Subscription
- In-app purchases
- App advertising
- Affiliate marketing
- Mixed monetization methods
The best way to create an app and make money will depend on the type of app you create. Gaming apps make money from in-app purchases. On the other hand, many software as a service apps earn a lot of money through subscription programs. It’s also possible to use adverts to monetize your app.
The good news is, there are plenty of examples of successful apps no matter what monetization model you choose.
Before We Start: What Cut Do App Markets Take?
Even though free apps make money, you need to consider how much the app marketplace you choose to distribute your app on takes. Both Google Play and the App Store have a very similar pricing structure. Let’s take a look at them.
Google Play
- Google Play takes a 30 percent cut of the cost of all apps and in-app products.
- It takes 30 percent of all subscriptions for the first 12 months of a customer’s subscription. After this, it only takes 15 percent.
- Developers have to pay a one-off $25 fee to create a Google Play developer account.
Earn Money With Apps In Pakistan
Apple App Store
- Apple takes a 30 percent cut of all apps and in-app purchases.
- Like Google, this reduces to 15 percent after a customer has subscribed for 12 months.
- Developers have to pay a fee of $99 per year to release apps on the Apple App Store.
Six App Monetization Models
Here is a look at six app monetization models you can use to generate app revenue.
Sell Your App
Creating a paid app is perhaps the simplest way to make money from your app because they result in a higher average revenue per download.
All you have to do is create an app and make money from people who download it. Both Google Play and the App Store make it easy for users to pay for apps, so you have a ready-made audience.
However, being successful can be difficult.
If you want to encourage people to download your paid app, you will have to offer a lot of value. It can help if you have an existing audience, you can market your app to or if you have a budget you can spend on promoting your app.
You’ll also have to put a lot of effort into your app market listing as you’ll need to give people a good idea about your product without them actually being able to experience your app.
When pricing your app, there are plenty of things you should consider.
Take a look on the respective app stores at the average price of competitor apps to see how much you can charge. If you want to use advertising to encourage people to buy your app, you’ll have to consider how much it will cost you to get one person to download the app.
As you can see from this screenshot, most paid apps are cheap. On the current list of top paid apps in the U.K., most are under £5 with only two in the top 21 costing over £10. Those are Site Audit Pro and FL Studio Mobile.
Things to Consider: Free Apps vs Paid Apps
While paid apps can be a good way to make money from your app, it can be limiting. First, there is no way for people to try out your service. This can act as a barrier that stops them from downloading your product. This is even more likely to be the case if your brand is unknown, and you may struggle to convince people to pay for your app.
A slight workaround could be to offer your app for free and then offer customers the option to pay a one-time fee to unlock the whole app. Although, on both Google Play and the App Store, this counts as an in-app purchase as the user isn’t paying to download the app.
Overall, you may find that other methods of app monetization are more effective. According to AppAnnie, the highest-grossing paid app on July 3 in the U.S. was Minecraft. However, it was only the 29th highest-grossing app overall. The second highest-grossing paid app is Heads Up, which isn’t even in the top 50.
If you are looking for a way to maximize app revenue, using a subscription or in-app purchases could be a better option than charging users to download your app.
Use a Subscription to Get Repeat Payments
Asubscription is when developers charge users a recurring fee to use the app. The fee is usually monthly, although developers can give users the option to pay for a longer-term—for example yearly or quarterly—upfront for a discount.
This type of monetization is common with software like service apps or apps that provide access to media. Think about streaming apps such as Spotify or Netflix, or productivity apps like Microsoft Office or Dropbox.
Image: Freestocks/Unsplash.
Subscriptions are great for app developers as they can get consistent recurring money from the people using their apps. It works for users, too, as the monthly fee is often modest.
Unlike paid apps, subscription apps are usually free to download. This can be a good way for developers to gain a base of users and earn money. Having a larger number of downloads will also look good on the App Store and Google Play Store.
To encourage people to use the service, it is common for developers to offer a free trial. This will allow them to use the app for free and get an idea of what the app is about and how it can benefit them.
Consider a Freemium Model
Alternatively, apps that use a subscription model can offer a basic tier that provides some of the app for free, and then a paid tier that provides the full-service. This is what is known as a freemium model.
A good example of an app that does that is Medium, which offers users a limited number of premium articles per month, as well as access to the site’s free articles. If users want full access to the service, they have to pay a fee of $5 per month or $50 per year.
This can be a good way to keep people interested who maybe don’t want to sign up for the subscription now, but perhaps could be persuaded to do so in the future.
Beyond this, it is even possible to offer multiple layers of pricing. For example, there could be a free layer, a low-cost layer with some added features, and a layer with premium features that contain everything.
Productivity app Airtable allows users to use the app for free. However, there is also a Plus version for $10 per month, a Pro version for $20 per month, and an enterprise version with custom pricing.
Another type of subscription you could consider is non-renewing subscriptions. These subscriptions provide access to content for a limited amount of time. For example, an app could provide access to seasonal content during a global event.
What to Consider When Monetizing Your App with Subscriptions
Subscriptions are a great way to consistently make money from an app. However, your product has to offer enough value to make users willing to pay for it.
Unlike with advertising-based monetization methods, you won’t create an app and make money from people who use your app for free. Although, it is possible to display ads on the free version of your product and then take them away when the user signs up to a subscription.
In-app Purchases Can Be Highly Lucrative
In-app purchases are one of the most effective ways to make money from an app. According to Apple, there are four types of in-purchase:
- Consumables are items such as in-game points or currencies that can be used within the app. These are common in games, and they can be used by players to buy new items or access new levels. As the name suggests, these items can only be used once.
A game that has been highly successful at using consumables is Pokemon Go. In the game, users buy Pokecoins, which can then be used to buy various in-game items. Reports from earlier this year suggest Niantic has earned a total of $2.3 billion from the game.
- Non-consumable items are those that do not expire once a consumer has bought them. Examples of this include extra options in a photo editing app. Once a user has bought these items, they can use them for as long as they own the app.
- The final two types of in-app purchase are auto-renewable and non-renewing subscriptions.
Image: Onur Binay/Unsplash.
The good thing about in-app purchases is there is essentially no limit to the amount people can spend. Paid apps that have a one-time fee, or even subscriptions with a recurring fee are highly limited in the total amount they can earn per user.
Games that use in-app purchases can be incredibly lucrative. In games, in-app purchases are often used to let users buy items to make their gaming experience better. This has led to free apps like PUBG, Clash of Clans and Pokemon Go consistently being ranked among the highest-grossing apps.
However, it isn’t only games that can effectively use in-app purchases. Other types of apps that successfully offer in-app purchases include photo editor apps offering additional options or filters or messaging apps offering users the chance to buy emoticons or gifts.
For example, the messaging app Kakao Talk is one of the highest-grossing apps globally. While it is free to use, one of the ways it earns money is by selling emoticons that people can use within their chats.
What to Consider When Monetizing Your App with In-app Purchases
The most important thing to consider is whether or not your app can offer something enticing enough as an in-app purchase. If you can’t, it is unlikely that anyone will buy what you are offering or make money from your app.
In general, games have a lot of success with in-app purchases
Another major consideration comes with the controversy around loot boxes. Loot boxes are products users can buy that provide them with a random selection of in-game items. While these are an effective monetization model, many countries are debating whether they are a form of gambling.
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Because of this, loot boxes are heavily regulated and even illegal in some countries. You should be sure to check out the regulations of the country you plan to operate in if you want to offer this kind of item.
Use an Advertising-Based Model
Mobile advertising is a huge business. The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) recently said that in 2018, 65 percent of all digital advertising revenue came via mobile platforms. This includes browsers and text messages, as well as apps.
Advertising is commonly used by free apps. For example, news apps or games. It can also be used by apps that also offer in-app purchases or paid versions as a way to monetize non-paying customers.
The best thing about advertising is that it’s a good way to make money from your app without your customer having to spend any money.
The easiest way to get started is through a cost-per-click advertising platform. Some of these include Google’s AdMob or AOL’s SSP. Signing up to one of these will allow you to start placing ads into your app.
Most ads come in the form of banner ads, interstitial ads, or videos.
- Banner ads are interspersed around your content. They are fairly non-intrusive; this has the advantage of not interrupting the user experience, and these ads are easy to ignore.
In the screenshot below, you can see how podcast app BeyondPod uses a banner ad within the user’s podcast feed. It is almost too unobtrusive, and it is easy to ignore.
On the other hand, YouTube shows much larger banner ads that fit in well with the content the user is already watching. If it wasn’t for the “Ad” marking in the bottom corner, it would be hard to work out if the recommendations were ads or not.
- Interstitial ads take up the whole screen. They will usually be shown for a certain amount of time or until the user clicks to close the ad. These ads are effective as the user is guaranteed to see it.
The downside here is that these pop-ups are intrusive. Because of this, you should think carefully about when you place an interstitial ad. Good times could be when the user has finished editing a photo or when they are about to start a new level in a game.
An excellent example of this is the advert below from the video editing app PowerDirector. When the user clicks to leave the app, a pop-up appears showing an advert. The advert is almost impossible to ignore as the user has to perform another step to leave the app.
However, it isn’t too annoying because it only appears when the user is leaving the app, not mid-way through a project.
- Video ads are often either short ads or longer ads that the user can skip after a certain amount of time. Clicking on the ad will take the user to the advertiser’s product. Video ads are useful for advertisers as they are a good way to get across the message of the product.
Video ads are often shown while another video is loading, or before a level in a game. Perhaps the app most well known for video adverts is YouTube, which shows an advert before many videos on the service.
Things to Consider When Monetizing Your App with Advertising
While it is easy to get started with mobile ads, there are some downsides. The most obvious one is that to make good revenues, you will need to have a lot of users.
According to Businessofapps.com, the average CPM (the amount an advertiser pays per one thousand people who see its advertisement) for banner ads is $1, interstitial ads is $3.5, and video ads is $3.
This means it is hard to create an app and make money unless your app has a lot of regular users.
Another thing that could prevent you from making money, is that whenever a user clicks on an advert on your app, they will be taken away from your app. This will reduce the amount of time they spend on your app and could even introduce them to a direct competitor.
Make Money Through Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a common type of marketing on the web, although perhaps less commonly found in apps. With affiliate marketing, the app developer will advertise products on their app and then take a cut of the sale when a customer makes a purchase.
Booking or comparison apps are a common type of affiliate marketing. For example, Skyscanner makes it easy for people who want to buy a flight to check prices from a range of providers.
The company gets a percentage of the cost of the flight whenever a user books a journey after being redirected to the booking website through Skyscanner. You can see how it works in the screenshot below.
Another example of how this could work would be a fitness app directing users to the website of a nutrition shop or exercise equipment store and then taking a cut of any sales made. Or a financial planning app that suggests financial products to its users.
Earn Money With Phone App Download
The good thing about making money in this way is the number of data apps have about users. For example, in the above example of a financial planning app, the app developers can offer the exact type of product that the user will find useful based on the data they have about the user.
Things to Consider When Monetizing Your App with Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing suffers from many of the same issues as advertisements – you’ll need a lot of users before you can make money.
It can also help if the product you are affiliated with is an expensive one or one that offers a large cut of the total cost of the purchase. While receiving ten percent of a £1,000 flight will get you a nice payday, receiving 3 percent of a pair of £50 running shoes is less impressive.
Use a Mixed Strategy to Monetize Your App
Many of the most successful apps use a variety of monetization methods. This way, developers don’t have to rely on one strategy. Here are some examples of how mixed monetization strategies could make money in practice.
- A common mixed monetization strategy is to ask users to pay to remove ads. This is good as an alternative to a paid app. It means app developers are still able to monetize free users, while also offering a more lucrative option to those who can pay. To make the paid option more appealing, you can even choose to add in some extras for those that pay. This could work for both one-off payments and subscriptions.
- Some paid apps, especially games, charge a fee for the app, and then offer in-app purchases on top of the price of the game. Minecraft, NBA 2K19, and the Moment Pro Camera are all apps that have successfully used this strategy.
- If you plan to rely on adverts as your monetization strategy, it could be a good idea to experiment with both affiliate marketing and regular adverts. If you do this, you can see which type of advertising is most lucrative and then focus on that.
Wrapping Up
This is the end of our guide on how to create an app and make money. Hopefully, you found at least one monetization model you can use for your next app idea.
As you can see, free apps make money if you know what you are doing. In-app purchases and subscriptions can be incredibly lucrative due to the potential for recurring income.
However, many apps can successfully use other monetization methods such as advertising or charging the user upfront.