Do you have an idea for a free mobile application but you doubt whether it's worth investing? How do free apps make money?
Your doubts are quite clear: the development of a top-notch mobile app requires a lot of time (typically, several months) and, more importantly, money. Before kicking off the development process, you should clearly understand how you’ll recoup your investments and how to make money with apps in 2020.
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- Addicted to online gaming? You can now make money by it! This app pays you to download the latest free games online and play them. You can also earn by watching.
- Not all apps make money. If your plan is to just build one without a strategy and just sit back to collect your money, you’ll be in for a rude awakening. Like a business, you need to have a strategy and goal before you start building an app. Mobile users prefer apps.
We’ve decided to help you get your idea off the ground and show how exactly you can make money on free apps.
Free Apps Grossing Big Bucks
Cash for Apps is a legit app that will pay out gift cards. While this app is not a scam, it is also not a legit way to make real money at home. The return on your investment of time will be so low and cut into any real money-making.
According to Sensotower, the App Store and Google Play users spent a total of $39.7 billion on mobile apps and games during the first half of 2019. This is a huge market you don’t want to miss out on
If you think that it’s the paid apps that bring the lion’s share of this huge revenue, you’re wrong. In fact, if you check the list of the top grossing mobile applications (including games) in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, you’ll notice they’re all free.
The vast majority of users on all continents prefer free mobile applications. In fact, the number of free app downloads is constantly rising. Statistics provided by Sensotower show that in the first half of 2019, free mobile apps downloads in Google Play increased by 16,4 percent and made up $41,9 billion. Whilst the App Store lost 1,4 percent in downloads. However, the overall tendency remains positive.
Developing a free mobile app is definitely the right business strategy.
Before shedding light on how to make money with apps, we’d like to draw your attention to another matter: correct app presentation. Remember that users must be able to quickly find your app and understand what it’s designed for.
Incite User Interest Through Accurate App Packaging
As of the second quarter of 2019, there were 2.46 million apps (of all types) in the Google Play Store and 1.96 million in the Apple App Store. The competition is really strong!
How many users will find your free mobile app? How many of them will download it? No matter how good your app is and what monetization methods you use, you may still fail to attract customers without a clear app packaging.
Potential users of your app should be able to quickly find it through search in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. To make your mobile app visible and easy to find, you should provide it with an attention-grabbing name, an informative description, and screenshots
Want to get the first ranks on mobile app stores? Check these effective pre-launch marketing strategies.
Here are tips that will help you create a top-class app description:
Choose a Clear and Catchy App Name
Your mobile app should have a snappy name that reflects its major functions. Though many applications have names that convey nothing about their functionality, your app is likely to attract a lot more users if it has a name that hints at what it does. It’s particularly useful to include keywords in the app name.
For example, let’s look at LINE, one of the most popular non-gaming Android apps on the Google Play Store. As you can see, the full title contains an explanation of what this app does (i.e. it offers free calls and messages):
Here’s another example: Hulu for iOS. The full name of this app is “Hulu: Watch TV Shows & Stream the Latest Movies.” With this title, any user can easily see what Hulu is for, namely for watching TV shows and movies:
In general, the name of your app shouldn’t be too long – 100 characters at most. Think carefully about the name, as it’s the first thing people see and pay attention to when they’re considering whether your application is worth downloading.
Come up With an Informative App Description
The next step is to provide your app with a meaningful and informative description.
The first several sentences (up to the “Read More” or “More” buttons) of an app description should give general information and illustrate the app’s main idea. This part mustn’t be long – up to 225 characters. Few people read further, so make sure to tailor this part of the app description to perfection.
Let’s have a look at a great example of a brief yet informative description for Scrummer, a handy planning poker app for Scrum development teams that’s available in the Apple App Store:
Learn more about Scrummer’s endearing features and its lively interface.
In the main body of the description, you should mention what problems your mobile app helps to solve as well as go over its most important functions. Take a look at the description of Google Drive (in the Google Play Store). As you can see, it effectively explains to users what they can do with the help of Google Drive:
Make Eye-Catching App Screenshots
An app’s name and description are important, but users want to know how your app will look on their mobile devices. That’s why you should include several screenshots – and make sure you pick the best.
We recommend that you add some text to your screenshots, describing some functions of your application. Take a look at a screenshot for the LINE app on Google Play:
As you can see, this screenshot shows that the app can work on smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches.
Here are screenshots for the Uber app for iOS:
Note that Uber uses verbs in their screenshot descriptions, which is the correct approach. Verbs are the parts of speech used to describe actions.
People are more likely to act (i.e. to download your free mobile app) if they see verbs.
How to make money with free apps?
Now that you know how to package a five-star app, we can move on to explaining the strategies you can leverage to make money on free apps.
Strategy #1: In-App Purchases
In-app purchases is an extremely popular strategy used by thousands of apps in both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. In-app purchases allow users to buy something right in the app.
There are three major types of in-app purchases:
- Consumable. Consumables are products that a user can use only once: for example, virtual money or health points. Such in-app purchases are usually used in mobile games.
- Non-consumable. Non-consumables are features that users buy for permanent use: for example, additional functions or ad blocking (this is how free apps make money without ads).
- Subscriptions. Your mobile application may offer subscriptions that unlock some content or functions for a certain period of time. Subscriptions can be either non-renewing or automatically renewing.
Are you considering to implement in-app purchases in your app? We have a great guide on how to build a mobile payment app like Starbucks.
Strategy #2: In-App Ads
Ads are a driving force of the global market. They’re literally everywhere, and mobile apps aren’t an exception. In-app ads are actually tools of affiliate marketing. With in-app ads, you advertise your affiliates’ products (apps, games, etc.) inside your app and get paid if your users interact with those ads.
There are several types of campaigns used in affiliate marketing, so let’s mention the most popular:
- Cost per click (CPC). This model means that you get paid for each click on ads displayed in your mobile application. Typically, a single click is nearly worthless, so revenue is calculated on a cost per mille basis (mille is Latin for thousand).
- Cost per view (CPV). These campaigns are usually applied to video ads. The more times users of your app watch video ads, the higher payout you get.
- Cost per install (CPI). With this model, you get paid whenever a user of your app installs an advertised application.
If you wish to monetize your application through ads, there are many networks to work with, such as AdMob and Flurry. Most ad networks support apps on iOS and Android, as well as on some other mobile platforms. Also, don’t forget to check what kinds of campaigns they offer, since you need to understand what exactly you’ll be paid for.
There are several ways to display ads in your mobile app:
- Banners. Banner ads usually appear at the top or at the bottom of a screen and have some text and graphics. Banners are considered to be relatively unobtrusive, as users are able to keep using your mobile app even if a banner is active. However, banners have low click-through rates (CTR) and heavily depend on brand recognition (users are far more likely to click if a banner advertises some well-known brand).
- Native. Most people don’t like ads and try to block them completely. How can you reach out to the users of your mobile application, then? Use native ads that don’t really look like ads. Native ads are seamlessly integrated into mobile applications, making them subtle but quite efficient.
- Videos. According to an article by Invesp, the CTR of video ads is 1.84%, so they’re quite effective. Typically, video ads appear automatically when users interact with apps.
- Interstitial. These ads take a whole screen and typically appear when users launch or close an application. However, interstitial ads may also look like pop-ups appearing from time to time.
- Rich media. If you’re wondering what type of in-app ads is the most efficient, here’s the answer: rich media ads that, according to the previously mentioned eMarketer article, show a CTR of 0.44%. Rich media ads use multiple methods to reach out to users, including audio, video, text, and more.
In-app ads allow you to make money off free apps, but this monetization strategy works well only for applications with big audiences. If your app is a startup, don’t expect it to bring big bucks this way.
Strategy #3: Freemium
To benefit from the freemium monetization strategy, you need a second, paid version of your application. If users like a free version, they’re likely to opt for a paid one that has some extra functions.
With a freemium model, users are typically offered to upgrade an app to a paid version, and if they agree, they’re directed to an app store.
For example, have a look at MX Player, a popular video player available on Google Play. This mobile app has a free version, but it contains ads:
Users are offered a paid version of this app, called MX Player Pro. It’s the same in terms of functionality, but comes without advertising:
This monetization option is quite efficient, but you shouldn’t provide too many functions in your free app; otherwise, few users will shell out for the paid one.
Make Money App Download
Strategy #4: Sponsorship
Finding a sponsor is a really lucrative monetization model. Usually, it works this way: you create a mobile app that gains quite a lot of users, after which you contact a sponsor company and offer to update the design of your app to match the sponsor’s brand.
There are two types of sponsorship deals: you can either split the revenue with your sponsor or receive a monthly sponsorship fee.
The main difficulty of sponsorship is finding a sponsor. Needless to say, your mobile app should be good enough to be interesting to potential funders.
Strategy #5: Email Marketing
Email marketing has always been and still is a powerful money-making strategy. You can leverage this method and ask the users of your mobile app to provide their emails and, later, send them messages.
Adding a Facebook login option to your free app is a great way to subtly collect user emails. However, give users a chance to cancel email notifications, as this will make your app more credible and people will know they won’t be receiving loads of spam.
Tips for Choosing the Best App Monetization Methods
As you can see, there are many ways you can make money from free apps. You can pick one or opt for several strategies at once. However, there are several handy tips that will help you monetize your free app in the most effective way possible.
Consider the Business Goals of Your Free App
Any application has a business goal, which means it helps its users solve their problems. Therefore, you should select a monetization strategy based on your app’s business purpose.
For example, let’s say you wish to create a cool audio player with lots of sound adjustments. Can in-app purchases be an effective profit generating method? Probably not. Instead, you can opt for ads or offer an ad-free version with a subscription.
Or imagine that you launch an educational app. It can offer in-app purchases, such as access to additional functions or paid tips. Needless to say, such apps can contain ads as well.
Define Your Target Audience
You should clearly realize who you’re creating a mobile app for. Draw a user portrait and decide what functionality users need, how much time they’re likely to spend using your app, and so on. A clear picture of your target users allows you to create an app tailored to their needs.
Though your free app may boast large download numbers, the truth is that only a small part of your users (you may call them the money-spending core) will actually bring you profit by clicking on ads or making in-app purchases. The majority of users won’t spend a cent in your app. You may not like it, but that’s how it is in reality. Therefore, set a goal of attracting as many users as possible and do your best to succeed.
Research Your Competitors
If you’re thinking of launching a mobile application, you should carry out a competitor analysis. Explore the app stores you’re going to offer your free app in and search for similar apps. Next, find out what your competitors offer, what kind of designs they have and, more importantly, what monetization methods they use.
This information will help you learn from your competitors’ experiences and see what mistakes they’ve made so you can make your free app better and more helpful to customers. In the end, a better app means higher profits for you as its creator.
Don't Overuse App Monetization Methods
You shouldn’t make your free app inconvenient for users. If it’s full of ads or in-app purchases, your audience may stop using your app and install a similar one. App creators should always remember that their apps bring profits only as long as people use them.
Your users should feel comfortable when using your app, so be prudent and make all ads and offers in your app as subtle as possible.
Now that you know how free apps make money, you can give your idea a go and turn it into a real-life application.
Can’t handle the development process? Reach RubyGarage and our experts will help you build a successful and competitive mobile application.
If you’ve been looking for ways to make money from home, then you have likely come across mobile apps that will actually pay to download and use other apps. This may seem like an easy way to earn some extra cash since we tend to have our phones in our hands most of the day anyway, but is there any truth to it or is it just a scam? Today, we are going to look at one of these apps with our Cash for Apps review to see what the bottom line is here.
Cash for Apps is a mobile app that is available for both Android and iOS devices. Once installed, users can earn points for installing new apps, and then use the points to order gift cards to a number of retailers and services. Eventually, users will have the ability to also perform other tasks like watch videos or answer surveys to earn a small number of points.
The developer behind Cash for Apps is MobVantage. They are a digital marketing firm based out of British Columbia, Canada. They only have two apps developed, and Cash for Apps is their only incentivized one at this time. With millions of Cash for Apps downloads across all platforms, it seems like people have really taken to Cash for Apps. Let’s dig down deeper and see if it’s truly worth your time or not.
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Using the Cash for Apps mobile app is pretty simple and straightforward. After you download Cash for Apps, first-time users will need to register a new account in order to earn points and redeem them for gift card rewards. This simply requires a valid email address and creating a new password. If you were invited by a friend, you will also be to put their referral code in at this time.
Once you have your account registered, you will be taken to the main hub of the Cash for Apps mobile app. This will show you all of the apps you can download and install for points. The points will vary depending on the app and the amount of time the offer apps are used. Points tend to fall within the range of 75-150 per app, though.
After you start downloading and using apps, you will unlock other ways to earn some points. These include things such as watching videos and taking surveys. For the time spent on these, the point payout is pretty low. Friend referrals can be generated using a code provided to you in-app. The main source of point generation is via the installed apps.
As you use the apps or complete tasks, you will earn a small number of points. These points can then be traded in for Cash for Apps free gift cards and rewards at a number of retailers both in-person and online. Some of these retailers include:
- iTunes
- Target
- Google Play
- Wal-Mart
- Best Buy
The dollar amounts for the Cash for Apps free gift cards and rewards are generally in increments of $5. The number of points needed to earn a reward varies slightly depending on which gift card you choose. For example, a $5 iTunes gift card may run about 2,000 points, whereas a $5 Amazon gift card may run a couple of hundred points cheaper.
Unfortunately, there is no PayPal or cash-out option. This is a big ding against Cash for Apps as it is not easy or even possible to simply live off of gift cards. If this type of app is your sort of thing, there are several other apps on the market that offer you cash or PayPal incentives for installing and using apps.
The short answer is no. Using Cash for Apps will really earn you points towards gift cards. These are completely valid gift cards that work just fine. Cash for Apps is not a scam and it does exactly what it says it will do, but that is all it will do.
You will not make a lot of money using Cash for Apps, or any of the mobile apps that are similar to it. These apps are meant to introduce mobile users to new apps and games in the hopes that they like them enough to stick around.
This is why apps of this type will generally reduce the number of points paid out the longer you use them, or simply pay out once you hit a certain goal in-game or in-app.
While Cash for Apps is completely legit and pays out, it does have its drawbacks. There are some Cash for Apps complaints from users and myself, but not many revolve around receiving payouts. The biggest drawback of using cash for Apps and any similar mobile app is the return on investment. Your time is valuable. You don’t want to waste all kinds of time for a few bucks on Google Play.
Another issue with earning money is a lack of apps to download after a while. The available apps are meant to be based on your activity and location, but that does not mean there is always something for you to download and try out. New apps can be added, but it is not daily or even on a regular schedule.
Many Cash for Apps complaints center around a technical aspect of the app. Specifically, a communication error between the Cash for Apps side and the sponsor side of things can result in a loss of points. While this is not the most common thing, losing money is never a bonus in my book.
What Apps Really Pay You Real Money
Another major complaint with the app is the lack of customer support. For me, this one is a big deal since my time is valuable, as yours should be, too. When technical issues do happen, it is rare that you will be able to actually contact customer support and get anything done about it.
If you are wondering how to hack Cash for Apps, it should be noted that any actual hacking of the software or any so-called hack invite codes is against the terms of service and may result in losing rewards or even being banned, if they even work at all. I do not recommend ever attempting to reprogram or truly hack these types of apps as this will only result in more wasted energy, loss of money, or worse.
That being said, there are ways to hack Cash for Apps and not break any rules. These pro-tips do not require any actual hacking.
First off, pay close attention to the apps you are downloading via Cash for Apps. It is against the rules to use things such as a VPN or Proxy. These will hide information about where you are, who you are, and other details. Unfortunately, these types of apps can show up on the list of offers for users to download. If they do, they run the risk of losing their account and any rewards. Even if a VPN or Proxy app comes up on a list of offers, do not install it or run the risk of losing everything.
Next, make sure you follow all the instructions and achieve the goal or time limit for each app. They may not all have the same reward threshold, so read each offer and make sure you do what it tells you to. Not following these instructions can result in loss of rewards or not receiving them at all.
Once you reach the goal for each app, do not install it right away. Keep each app on your mobile device until you have received the expected reward for it. Screenshot specific goals to prove you have reached them. Just in case there are any issues, you have the app and proof on your side. While reaching customer service is not always an easy thing to do or even possible, it is always helpful to have proof on your side.
Here is one of the biggest Cash for Apps hacks that I can give you. Cash for Apps only pays out for new app downloads, So, for instance, if you already have Twitter on your phone but want to earn points for installing it with Cash for Apps, it will not let you earn the rewards.
A workaround for this is to clear your cache and cookies. On some devices, you can simply clear all data to do this with one fell swoop. Then uninstall the app. This should then allow you to reinstall in the app through the Cash for Apps app to start earning points.
Does Make Money App Really Pay
Pros
- It is free and easy for everyone to use.
- Cash for Apps is legit and will pay out rewards.
- This is a fun way to earn a few extra dollars in your spare time.
Cons
- The chances of making large amounts of money are simply not here.
- A number of technical and communication errors could cause you to lose rewards
- There is a lack of customer service to help when something does happen to go wrong.
Still looking for a better way to start making money online?
Cash for Apps is a legit app that will pay out gift cards. While this app is not a scam, it is also not a legit way to make real money at home. The return on your investment of time will be so low and cut into any real money-making opportunities you may come across.
If you regularly commute via public transit or spend a lot of time waiting in doctor’s offices or lobbies and enjoy playing games and using apps, Cash for Apps may be a fun way to make a few extra bucks in your spare time. Do not make time to play and download new apps. Instead, make sure it is only to kill time that would otherwise be wasted on things like Facebook or random web surfing.
My suggestion instead would be to work on making a more passive income. This type of income stream will work when you aren’t to keep the cash flowing in. The best part is, these options have proven track records and success stories from people just like you and me.
For me, affiliate marketing is the way to go. While you will only get out of it what you put into it, the chances for a greater income are much higher with affiliate marketing than other ways to make money from home. Affiliate marketing can allow you to not only make extra money as a side job, but you can turn it into your full-time job and be your own boss.
While Cash for Apps is a fun app to use and will actually pay out, it is not something that will make you a lot of money. If your true goal is to earn real money working from home, you have many other avenues to start looking at which will be more fruitful and require less actual working. Click on the button below this Cash for Apps review to start exploring affiliate marketing and decide for yourself if you’re ready to make some more money.
As I said at the beginning of this page, you are probably here because you were surfing the net, looking for ways to make some extra money, or possibly start your own online business.
Just keep in mind that these types of websites and mobile apps is a legit way to earn some extra pocket cash, but it won’t be something that you could use to create and build a long-term and profitable online business.
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