Paid app downloads versus free app

Unfortunately, implementing in-app advertising is much easier said than done. Even subtle ad content tends to drive user churn, which is already high in free apps. Paid apps are the underdog in the modern app environment. There are fewer of them every year, and the risk of failure is all the higher with the download fee curbing user acquisition.

So why are mobile app developers still putting out paid apps, and when is it appropriate to do so? Medical app developers, for example, frequently launch paid apps and do quite well. Around half of the top-rated medical apps are free.

The same ratio skew is true for productivity, business and lifestyle apps, where the user demographic is likely to include tech-savvy users with disposable income. The latest news report that an antitrust case against Apple has been presented to the Competition Commission of India.

In , mobile app spending is forecasted to reach billion U. While both Google and Apple announced some changes in their app store policies, like lowering commission fees for small publishers generating less than 1 million U.

In the case of Apple, the latest developments have seen the company finally allowing some app developers to redirect users to external websites for transactions. You need a Single Account for unlimited access. Full access to 1m statistics Incl. Single Account. View for free. Show source. Show detailed source information? Register for free Already a member? Log in. More information. Other statistics on the topic.

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But which route should you go with your app? Free or paid apps? Read on for a brief summary of the pros and cons of each. And if they see value in it, that can quickly translate to a purchase. Pros Of Paid Apps Above all else, a paid app offers developers a way to get money back immediately.

Ultimately, businesses with a larger audience would do better creating a paid app. So in the end, when it comes down to specific titles, it doesn't really matter whether you've paid or not so long as you picked the best app for your needs. Freemium—free software that offers more features when you pay for it—provides the best of both worlds for many people. Reader atatassault47 offers this list of favorites An interesting point: some of the programs you mention are paid software with a "freemium" model.

That is, Teracopy, Revo, and Foxit I believe are all paid products that have toned-down free versions with fewer features. Not saying you're wrong in calling them free, just pointing out something interesting!

They're kind of both free and paid. When you go freemium, you can love the same apps regardless of whether you pay for them or not—so long as the free version offers a decent alternative to the paid option, of course. While the distinction between free and paid software almost seems irrelevant when you consider quality, it does matter in terms of support.

Reader jrhmobile argues:. When you pay for software, you generally get the support systems that go with it — regular upgrades, software publishers who are more interested in what you want to do with the software than what they want to do with it, and more responsive technical support. Plus you get that God-given right to say "I've got a problem with your software, and I'd like your assistance in fixing it. There are exceptions to everything, of course. But in general, when it comes to software support systems, you get what you pay for.

While some developers who offer free software—notably those who include ads on mobile platforms—might find themselves a little more inclined to solve problems, developers of free apps don't really have an obligation to their users. This may result in fewer users, but that's the only real disadvantage of poor support when an app developer gives their app away. For some, free software can meet all their needs.

Reader wolfleben gives some examples:. The real answer is you can use free software for the most part. If you want an office suite you have google docs or libreoffice.