Nobody can deny the fact that in-app ads are quite annoying for the user – it is always a pleasant relief when we download an add-free app! No interruptions during games, no aesthetically-displeasing banners plastered over your phone screen – it makes the app experience much more enjoyable!
But without ads, how are these free apps making any money?!
Here, we list the many ways which ad-free apps still manage to earn themselves plenty of revenue – they just annoy people less in the process! Win-win for everyone!
In-app Purchases
Many apps charge for in-app purchases, which can often be in the form of upgrades or points. For example, game apps will often have items you can purchase to make the game easier for you, or to help you progress through levels quicker. As levels start to get trickier, users can easily become impatient and choose to pay for an item in the game which helps with game progression. This means no ads for the user, and a genius way to create some revenue with your app!
Monthly Subscription Fees
For example, one of the most successful apps out there today – Tinder! Tinder is a free app, anyone can use it. But to get the most out of the app and experience perks within the app, you can upgrade to Tinder Plus! This still allows users to participate without making any payments, however, by limiting what people can do without a subscription and offering to provide a better experience by subscribing, with monthly fees in the range of $2.99 to $34.99, many people are enticed into paying a few dollars a month.
Again, no ads necessary! There will always be people out there willing to pay that little bit extra for a premium experience!
Use Native Ads
This is not ad-free so to speak – but it sure does makes the ads less annoying!
The definition of a native ad is “a type of advertising, mostly online, that matches the form and function of the platform upon which it appears”.
A couple of great examples of apps which use native ads are Instagram and Facebook.
They use native ads which fit into the style of the app, so you barely notice that you are even looking at ads. Rather than having pop-ups unwelcomingly show up all over the place, or banners plastered across half your phone screen, all which interrupt your usage of the app, native ads blend in with the nature of the app and therefore they are generally less irritable for the user.
This is a very smart way of advertising, as it also offers direct access to the advertisers Instagram or Facebook page, bringing that business/company more traffic and interest from the public.
One time purchase of the app
Of course, there is also the option of having a non-free app, but ad-free. However people are often hesitant to spend money on something they do not yet trust, and therefore this can deter people from trying your app to begin with. By forcing someone to pay for your app in order for them to even try it, it can put people off completely! With 94% of apps free on Google Play, and 88% of apps free on the Apple App Store, people have so many options to choose from that it is unlikely they will pay for an app straight off the bat without trying it first!
Having a free app with in-app purchases or monthly subscriptions gives the user time to trust your app, and then they will feel much more comfortable parting with their money for it!
So there you have it! A couple of different ways of creating revenue with your app without the need for pop-up ads all over the place. Which ones do you consider the most effective?!
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