March 8th, 2019 | Updated on June 16th, 2021
Learn how to make money creating apps, even if you have no experience designing or programming! Plus, five useful tools to help you make best-selling apps.
If you really want to make money these days, you shouldn’t be thinking about buying property or setting up your own shop. Instead, your attention should be solely on online business. Looking at the top startups from 2018 that were valued at over $1 billion reveals the vast majority of them were online businesses.
With no need for investment in physical goods, a simple, well-designed and carefully thought out app can bring in hundreds, millions, and even billions of revenue. Here is how to make money creating apps.
1. Apps That Fill The Void
The best apps are the ones that engage the users in a brief moment of boredom or whilst their waiting in the queue for something. They are apps that don’t require that much commitment but can simply be turned on for a few minutes every now and then.
Duolingo is a really good example of that. Learning a language is hard and time-consuming, but Duolingo knows that practice makes perfect.
Instead of overloading the users with hour-long sessions of information, the app is almost like a game. A user can log on and learn a few words and phrases in sessions that last barely a few minutes and can then practice them over-and-over until it’s time to go.
The app also lends itself to queues and waiting rooms by allowing users to turn the mic and speakers off for a set period of time to avoid disturbing others and to simply focus on the reading and the writing.
Apps that fill the void like this can capitalize on lots of short interactions that are perfect for generating ad revenue.
2. Premium Mode
The best apps lure users in with a really good product but keep the best features reserved for premium users who are prepared to pay a subscription. This is a better business model than simply making the entire service subscription-only.
Most of the best-selling apps are free because they allow users to try them and see for themselves the value of the product rather than taking a gamble in purchasing an app. Even if you include a free trial, many users are hesitant to give away their credit card details, fearing they might forget to cancel it before the free trial is up. Many of the best-paid apps also cost a little more than $1.
Tinder is a good example of an app with a good free version of its app but with enticing premium features. Users who just have the free version can swipe for connections in their area and are limited to a certain amount each day. Those who purchase the premium version not only have the cap removed, but they can also swipe anywhere in the entire world.
Users can still get a lot out of the free version and enjoy using it with no commitment. But after a while, they may see the value of being able to date and befriend people from other countries and cities.
3. Extra Features
Many gaming apps come with additional features that can be bought for money known as in-app purchases. Again, like premium versions, these don’t stop the user from accessing the game but they do allow the most dedicated users to enhance their experience.
Unlike the original, the recently released Angry Birds 2 comes with a host of in-app purchases including power-ups, cars, and energy systems that can cost as much as $100.
4. Figure Out What Works
The best thing about apps is that they are pretty easy to make. Learning how to make an app and make money is relatively straight-forward. Using custom mobile app development software can be a big help. It is also sometimes difficult to figure out what apps might work and which ones might not be as popular.
So it makes sense to work on a few ideas at a time and release several apps at once. This means you are making money from each one and can work out which ones are doing well.
Be careful not to overstretch yourself though. Apps are like babies and often require fine-tuning and tweaking. Without this, a perfectly good app might fail to reach its true potential.
If you need more inspiration about what apps are working well right now, here are the 6 best apps you should try in 2019.
5. How To Make Money Creating Apps That Utilise Brand New Technology
Users love feeling that they are at the cutting edge of new technology. Any app that can tap into this and find new ways of utilizing it is a winner.
Augmented Reality
This software combines real life with virtual life and is included as a feature in iOS12 and the iPad 6, but it doesn’t get much attention.
One really interesting way it is being used is in apps like Night Sky. This app projects on to the night sky the stars and the position of the planets allowing users to stargaze like never before.
Other potential uses are for interactive bird-watching, giving you the name of the species and information about the bird just by pointing your phone or tablet at a bird, from a safe distance.
The technology might also come in handy at museums and historical sites, allowing users to simply point their phones at the ruins of a building and see how it would have looked in its prime.
Facial Recognition
Another new technology that has recently been incorporated into Apple devices is facial recognition. Whilst this is often just used for security purposes, it also has other use like apps that can distort the users face or to see what a particular hairstyle might look like before going to the hairdresser or barber.
These apps might take longer to develop, but they can be created with other business in mind, such as a hairdressing business that might be prepared to partner with you to see a facial recognition app used exclusively just for their salon.
A Brave New World
New technology brings with it a host of exciting new opportunities such as learning how to make money creating apps and setting up a business using mobile apps.
Like how the steam engine ushered in the industrial revolution, there are constantly new ideas on the App Store that can and will revolutionize this new digital age and change the way we live.
To read more about how technology is changing the way we live, read our tech pages for more.
