How Do Free Apps Make Money in 2023?

author
Bharat Patel

Head of Digital Marketing

How does a free app generate income?

Typically, this question is asked during app development and by customers. For example, how does a user download downloadable apps for free? How many dollars is the app developer making?

A few questions bounce on your mind when you plan to invest in mobile apps.

According to stats, an individual spends 3-4 hours on their mobile phones daily, and the mobile app download ratio is to increase by 45% in the coming years. A glimpse of this surge was observed during the pandemic as mobile app downloads surged by 23.3%.

You now know that mobile apps are important but what’s the most efficient way to earn cash through these apps in 2023?

The following article describes each aspect of the question in depth. A guide on how entrepreneurs can monetize free mobile apps:

  • How Do Free Apps Make Money: Real Life Examples?
  • Defining an Ideal App Monetization Model
  • App Monetization Strategies
  • Encourage User Interest Towards Your App with Perfect App Packaging
  • Difference Between Paid Apps and Free Apps

How Do Free Apps Make Money: Real Life Examples?

Many applications generate millions in revenues. WhatsApp provides an exceptional case as it began as a paid version that charges $1 for download.

What are your WhatsApp earnings? Later, the firm moved into a new business approach and now lets customers download free apps. WhatsApp is an extremely popular social network that allows users to place ad campaigns in a single app.

Image Source: The Guardian

One more vivid illustration can be found on Facebook that can be downloaded free from your browser. But Apple is making money through ads. Despite being insignificant revenue, advertising generates 98.5% of revenue, whereas payment and other feed generate 15% of total revenue.

Defining an Ideal App Monetization Model

  • Market research: First, research the market to find the most competitive products; this will give you a better idea about works in the industry and the potential options available to you.
  • Determine your audience: It is essential to understand your audience to have a comprehensive picture of where they stay, how they prefer to use the app, the frequency of their purchases, triggers that compel them to make purchases, and other details.
  • Set your design: Once you have gained clarity on the audience profile, this will help you to use a user-friendly layout for mobile apps. This will ensure an attractive app design and simultaneously make money from the free app. You can also conduct a market survey to create an appealing design.
  • Include New Features: Why should customers use your app if you offer your competitor? This is why you must include a few unique features and provide a cutting-edge experience to your customers.
  • Set app status: This provision will notify you about the app’s current situation, whether it is a success, failure, or successful.
Image Source: Tech Bytes Online

App Monetization Strategies

Sponsorship Model

Businesses can earn a little extra money through sponsored apps and services. This model is commonly offered by developed application developers currently employed by other developers.

Applications in specific niches offer the most significant benefits. So, you can contact sponsors in similar sectors to match your brand with advertising or other content for your app.

Examples of sponsorship monetized examples are seen on the Weather Channel app. For example, the app displayed animated background images of Home Depot, which specializes in building and housing.

In-App Purchase & Free Model

Free App Model Monetization Illustration In-App purchases are an extremely common strategy for Free app development. It can sell physical items, provide premium functions or bonuses, block advertisements, or open new apps.

The App Store manages this transaction, and owners get profited by completing each sale. This app shopping model can be classified into three categories, examples being: some app receives enormous revenue as a result. For example, the clash of the Clans’ sales amounted to $1.3 million compared to $1 million in the first half a year.

Crowdfunding Model

Monetization of an app idea through Crowdfund model is widespread. However, this method is relatively new and enables monetization free of charge.

Custom software developers may utilize this platform to raise money to develop or market apps through Kickstarter, Indiegogo, CrowdFunder, and AppsFunder.

Examples: Generally, apps in other categories are supported. 138 apps are crowdfunding, and 138 have raised $100k or $190k on Kickstarter. As an exception, the Hello Earth games produced $148k. A thousand applicants make crowdfunding very challenging.

App Merchandise & Ecommerce

E-commerce industries are growing, and e-shoppers have become more connected with online shopping. Some physical objects can be purchased by downloading an Android mobile app. The Amazon Merch software allows app owners to build branded merchandise and offer them free.

Amazon handles product development, sales, payment, shipment, and distribution.

Examples: The Angry Birds game was a famous Free App Merchant a few years back. The game earned $1 million a month through the plush birds alone, not including tees and stickers.

[Also read: Understanding the Challenges & Opportunities of ECommerce During COVID-19 Through Statistics]

Email Marketing

Email marketing has always been an important business strategy and is important for developing restaurants or any other apps.

It’s a traditional technique that collects user data and sends out relevant promotional messages to boost subscribers’ interest in an article or service. It will help you with user retention index drops and notifications for new features and rewards in apps.

The collection e-mails are collected in various ways; please inform, give permission to use this data.

Image Source: HubSpot

Leading Trends in App Monetization

Flying Coin on Sky. User Experiences play the main role. Ad-driven advertising is key to successful mobile marketing.

Keep an eye on advertisements to make them more effective and ensure that the promoted brand is effective and matches the app’s objectives and purpose. Almost everyone uses the free version of an application, so free apps are a good option.

Consumers are nurtured through a variety of transactions. In the end, the emphasis is refocused towards the highest level of interaction. Taking the idea into consideration may encourage people to buy.

Encourage User Interest Towards Your App with Perfect App Packaging

Do users use your app regularly? What is the pain in obtaining & interpreting an app? No matter the best way to attract users or the monetization methods you employ in your app, you cannot get them.

Your app should be accessible quickly to potential users either on iTunes or the app stores. Therefore, it would be best to have an eye-grabbing name, informative descriptions, and easily recognizable screenshots to make your apps visible and searchable.

This guide shows some tips to create an excellent app description:

  1. Meaningful and Informative App Description

You should then create a descriptive app. Several sentences should provide information on the app’s features or explain the app’s basic ideas.

Image Source: Apsense

It is ideal to have no less than 250 characters. The main body section of a smartphone app should describe the problems and drool over its features and functionality. We can look for examples of Scrummers that provide an informative but short description.

It’s one of those useful poker apps for Scrum developer teams.

  1. Don’t Forget to Include Attractive App Screenshots

Though your app name and description are important, your users want the information that shows how your app looks on your device. Please choose the best photos. Please include a text description for functions in this screenshot of your application for a better user experience.

Image Source: UpLabs

Take Uber screenshots; for example, you have to find a few different methods to make a good income with the app. Some methods might ask you for charging for clients, but some may not.

  1. Attract Users with Clear and Catchy App Names

Your app needs a name that represents its description and function. Must contain keywords within its app name. The title of the application should only have 100 characters max.

Take a moment to review Spotify, an extremely popular music streaming platform. The application name explains precisely what the application is doing. It will offer streaming of music in real-time or on-demand audio.

Image Source: The Verge

Difference Between Paid Apps and Free Apps

What are some great ways to earn money using apps? What is the best way to generate money using a free app? It can also be used for free app marketing using different strategies. Tell us how you can make money using the apps.

Collecting and Selling Data

The app collects many kinds of information about the user, such as usage patterns, behavior, etc. Researchers in various fields often need this data.

Free app publishers can sell user data to the research team and make good profits. This usually involves submitting an email address to a social network or a personal preference.

Both sides can take advantage of the system’s advantages. For example, you can monitor a user’s activity, sell data to another company or researchers, or use the raw data as a personal information collection tool.

[Also read: An Exclusive Interview With Larry Kim Reveals An Effective Strategy For Any eCommerce Business]

Transaction Fees

The easiest way to monetize mobile applications is to minimize transaction costs. You can earn money with the help of apps in the app store. It will be especially possible when an application offers a platform where transactions happen regularly.

If your mobile app allows users to purchase goods online and sell these products online, transaction charges are available to the user. The app will charge for every transaction you make on its application and earn your money.

So, you’ll be able to create mobile apps to earn money with no money investment.

Abonnements

Do apps make money? Developing subscriptions is often the most profitable and efficient app marketing method. App publishers can offer free content for an introductory period or charge users a fee for access to the full content with no restrictions.

The commonly adopted technique for distributing free app software offers free trials for users who would like to use it for the app. In addition, these strategies are frequently used to provide services like streaming and audio and online news services.

Image Source: RubyGarage

Freemium Upsell

Freemium app downloads are free and contain free or premium features. The paid & premium features are available via app purchase. In addition, freemium apps provide users with free access to their apps without charge if their content is interesting.

It’s very simple to gain many customers by utilizing this tactic since premium functions are optional. For example, according to one mobile application development company, customers can download free apps while paying additional costs.

Content Manager

Has it been possible for free app developers to get rich by making money? It is easy to get a free app and then use it in most cases. Usually, developers offering apps free of charge expect payment in other ways.

Good quality articles provide clarity about how to make free apps profitable. These articles showcase how the best Free products make money with their apps as part of their marketing strategies. Free apps earn income from effective monetization strategies.

Physical Purchases

Many online retailers and startup businesses use apps to sell merchandise through apps developed by the app store. Angry Birds is an example of a free application increasing profits from the branding.

The app provides an interactive way to purchase free t-shirts and other accessories for the gaming community – a free app for all gamers. In addition, Amazon has launched a self-service program to sell customized branded apparel through its mobile app.

It seems like you have learned a lot about free mobile apps and are curious to develop one for your brand.

So, why wait? Get in touch with our developers today!

Keep the Type of App in The Center of The Screen

Before making your own monetization decisions, you must know your app types. Tell me the best way to solve problems using apps? After understanding the purpose of this app, you can select an appropriate marketing option from your app store.

The subscription model is an effective model for the apps. However, the software will not be suited to a specific application, or a particular application, for gaming applications or buying applications.

If you are looking for the right eCommerce development services to take your business to the next-level, contact Brainvire today.

Competitor Analysis

The competitive analysis involves more than the functionality and development of apps. If your competitor’s business models are appropriately analyzed, you will find the monetizable revenue for your business app quickly.

Image Source: Creately

How do you find a competitor who earns a lot of money? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the monetized model? Does the loophole have the potential to be useful?

Final Thoughts

Mobile apps make it easy for customers to reach your brand. This is one of the key reasons you must invest in an excellent free mobile as it bridges the gap between you and your customers. Alongside, it improves connectivity, and you have increased loyal customers.

h
About Bharat Patel

Bharat is a digital marketing expert who can help you grow your business. He has helped hundreds of companies just like yours succeed in the digital world. So if you’re looking for an experienced, knowledgeable, and trustworthy person to help you reach more customers, You’re in luck. Bharat is here to help you with your digital marketing needs.

Lets Connect!