It's what everybody wants to know. I'm not trying to get rich, I just want a few thousand a month.
I've been playing around with different strategies, but never have a steady source of income. I started with paid apps and could make $25-100 per month. I've since decided that is not the way to go for me. My apps aren't great, but some of them are enjoyable.
It made sense that free apps would naturally get more downloads. I took this strategy and started putting AdMob ads in my free apps. I now have only free apps, where before they were mostly paid. I make a steady $150-$200 per month with AdMob, but I would like to be making much more.
I'd say that 95% of the money I make is from freelance jobs found on this board. I've had a few times where I've made over $1,000 in a week. The problem with this is that good freelance jobs are unfrequent and a unreliable source of income.
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It's what everybody wants to know. I'm not trying to get rich, I just want a few thousand a month.
I've been playing around with different strategies, but never have a steady source of income. I started with paid apps and could make $25-100 per month. I've since decided that is not the way to go for me. My apps aren't great, but some of them are enjoyable.
It made sense that free apps would naturally get more downloads. I took this strategy and started putting AdMob ads in my free apps. I now have only free apps, where before they were mostly paid. I make a steady $150-$200 per month with AdMob, but I would like to be making much more.
I'd say that 95% of the money I make is from freelance jobs found on this board. I've had a few times where I've made over $1,000 in a week. The problem with this is that good freelance jobs are unfrequent and a unreliable source of income.
What are some of your suggestions/ strategies?
Get a part time job to take some of the strain off, and really focus on the quality of your apps and promotion techniques.
I make around £450 a month from the app store now (+ Around £800 from my part time job), and plan to make that figure rise over the next six months.
It takes concentration, late nights, and great ideas but it is still possible to make a living from apps.
I also consider myself a beginner in objective-c so as I learn my way through I hope app sales to steadily increase.
Also don't put all your eggs in one basket. If you can have 30apps making £10 a day, that's not bad...
Some may consider this spamming the app store, I don't.
If you can have 30apps making £10 a day, that's not bad...
Some may consider this spamming the app store, I don't.
I agree. I only code in Lua, so make Apps with Corona sdk, it is fairly easy really. I have about 38 Apps in the store, and agree with you about spamming....what can we do? The more I make, the better I get, But still a long way to that award Winning App.
I agree. I only code in Lua, so make Apps with Corona sdk, it is fairly easy really. I have about 38 Apps in the store, and agree with you about spamming....what can we do? The more I make, the better I get, But still a long way to that award Winning App.
38 apps? Unbelievable! I feel myself a bit like a failure. I have already developing my game for a year. And I hope in this year it will apear in the AppStore. Be honest I just want to see at least one download of my app
38 apps? Unbelievable! I feel myself a bit like a failure. I have already developing my game for a year. And I hope in this year it will apear in the AppStore. Be honest I just want to see at least one download of my app
Most of my apps are very similar and just a few changes as I learn more stuff. My BIG GAME will be ready in a few more months, but I am not counting on anything. I know the store and marketing and timing of release etc are more important.
Most of my apps are very similar and just a few changes as I learn more stuff. My BIG GAME will be ready in a few more months, but I am not counting on anything. I know the store and marketing and timing of release etc are more important.
Creating lots of small apps / spamming is not the way to go. Doing your best to create something great will be a lot more fun / challenging. I've only created 2 apps so far, and I'm doing pretty well. If I had spent the time creating 20 different apps instead, I am pretty sure I would not be close to being successful.
Another advantage of going quality over quantity is that people will seek you out. Over the past year I've been able to augment my app store income with other opportunities that have only resulted from the fact that my apps have been at the top of the app store. I'm not really allowed to say more than that due to NDA, but I've been offered some very lucrative business opportunities. So, looking at app store as just a profit center is the wrong way to look at it. You need to look at YOURSELF as the investment. Challenge and push yourself to create something great, and great opportunities will come. Even if you don't succeed per say, you can always get a better job down the road if you can point back to a great app that failed to sell than 25 crapps.
Great approach to life bignoggins and good advice. Thanks for the insights.
Yes, it is good advice. Saying that, I have made 3 Apps for Govt Organizations and another for a private entity, and they saw my Apps and I think they based my success on the number.
what is your traffic volume & on which geography is it coming from???your earnings will be heavily dependent on that…it is a volume game so make sure the volume is high…
Creating lots of small apps / spamming is not the way to go. Doing your best to create something great will be a lot more fun / challenging. I've only created 2 apps so far, and I'm doing pretty well. If I had spent the time creating 20 different apps instead, I am pretty sure I would not be close to being successful.
Another advantage of going quality over quantity is that people will seek you out. Over the past year I've been able to augment my app store income with other opportunities that have only resulted from the fact that my apps have been at the top of the app store. I'm not really allowed to say more than that due to NDA, but I've been offered some very lucrative business opportunities. So, looking at app store as just a profit center is the wrong way to look at it. You need to look at YOURSELF as the investment. Challenge and push yourself to create something great, and great opportunities will come. Even if you don't succeed per say, you can always get a better job down the road if you can point back to a great app that failed to sell than 25 crapps.
My 2 cents.
What about those of us who don't have the skills/experience/knowledge required to make such in-depth apps. I am happy with the amount I make with my basic apps, it is enough to live on with some left over. What more could I ask for.
What about those of us who don't have the skills/experience/knowledge required to make such in-depth apps. I am happy with the amount I make with my basic apps, it is enough to live on with some left over. What more could I ask for.
What about those of us who don't have the skills/experience/knowledge required to make such in-depth apps. I am happy with the amount I make with my basic apps, it is enough to live on with some left over. What more could I ask for.
There's also a feeling of accomplishment.
I'd rather have one app making $500 a day each than 50 making $10 a day each.
What about those of us who don't have the skills/experience/knowledge required to make such in-depth apps. I am happy with the amount I make with my basic apps, it is enough to live on with some left over. What more could I ask for.
Do whatever works for you. I'm just saying there will always be a limit to what you can do with basic apps. If you don't have the skills, get them. That's part of the process right? No one comes out of the womb coding Objective-C and crapping out amazing photoshop, everyone learns along the way.
For me, challenging myself to come up with better and better apps is the most gratifying part of being an indie developer. Pumping out dozens of crapps would just be mind-numbingly dull to me. Even IF it were financially rewarding (which it's not), I don't think I would find it appealing.
i would say practice, practice, practice or learn learn learn.. maybe have 1 little advanced feature per app and little by little develop your skill that way in a spammy way..
I think there can be a mixture between the both, but quality will always win out.
Some apps are just not meant to be and tend to fail just because they do, so you go onto the next project and try again. So your portfolio grows organically. Same goes for any product released, and hey, you may sell a few so no harm done imho.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ziocleto
Before we made apps to make money, we didn't make any.
Now we make apps that people would love, we made loads of money.
This for me sums it up!
It can also depend on your personal situation and your motivation for entering the app creation business.
If you believe in your apps then this should answer your own question. I always look for the "wouldn't it be cool if..." and head towards that...
How to make it in the App Store
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