The Web Developer’s Guide to building profitable apps
Building mobile applications is often a logical step for web developers and programmers. It can even be a profitable venture if you know what you’re doing, and you’re capable of making it to the top of the app platforms.
Anyone with the ability to code can make an app. However, there’s a big difference between building an app and building a successful app. Here are some tips to get you started.
Understanding the market
First and foremost, most apps fall into two different categories. They are either:
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an extension of an existing business, brand or presence
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or a standalone mobile app (like a game, a fitness app, or a social media app)
There are, of course, dozens of different app types and genres, but to keep things simple let's work with these two categories. We’re presupposing that at the beginning, you want to focus on building your own apps. But even if you build apps for other people and companies in the future, it's useful to start with the basics.
The mobile app market, as you might expect, is heavily saturated. In the iOS App Store, there are around 2.2 million apps in total available for download, while Google's Play store counts an additional 600,000 apps unique to the Android platform.
Popular types of apps
It should come as no surprise to learn that the most popular types of apps downloaded daily are either entertainment apps or dedicated gaming apps.
According to AndroidPIT, the following apps have generated the largest global sales revenue across both the iOS and Android platforms combined:
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Spotify
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Line
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Netflix
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Tinder
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HBO Now
From the likes of Pokemon Go to mobile battle royale epics and even mobile poker sites, gaming apps are also some of the most popular apps in existence. In September 2019 alone, Google Play Games generated a total of 18.74 million monthly users just in the US.
Currently, the most downloaded game across both the iOS and Android platforms is Street Fighter 2, and Yoshiki Okamoto’s RPG/Social hybrid, Monster Strike. This is followed by Supercell’s Clash of Clans, with the ubiquitous Pokemon Go being the third most downloaded mobile gaming app in the world.
The one thing that unites all of the top gaming and entertainment apps listed above is that they are all free to download. So, how do they generate revenue and, more importantly, profits?
Making apps profitable
Unfortunately, there’s no magic formula that will guarantee your app will generate high profits. However, you can give it a good starting chance by ensuring that the app is as unique as possible. Look at the stats above if you need a reminder for how crowded the app marketplace is, if your app doesn’t stand out it doesn’t stand a chance of being downloaded.
It’s unlikely that you’ll have a truly unique idea for an app, but you can still make even the most overused idea fresh again by offering a new take. If you’re going to build a gaming app, try adding a fun spin on a classic. You can add further levels of usability to a functional app that makes it stand out above the competition. Even apps with simple layouts can be enhanced with stunning visuals and clear audio.
Keep things simple when it comes to choosing how your app will earn money. You can decide between a subscription model or offering in-app purchases. Since most of the apps on the market are free, adding a price tag (even a small one) to a new release is a surefire way to ruin its chances of making a profit. Just looking at the success of Spotify and Pokemon Go, it’s clear that subscriptions and in-app purchases can really make an app, keeping costs low and revenue high in the process.
