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> In the first month and a half as a paid app, its been able to generate $42 in sales! > At one point in June I even made it to #7 on the list of top paid news

> In the first month and a half as a paid app, its been able to generate $42 in sales! > At one point in June I even made it to #7 on the list of top paid news apps!!! So being #7 for sales in a whole category on Apple's all store (famously the easier market in which to make money as compared to Android) means only $42 in sales? Are the economics of making apps really this tough? Maybe that's why everyone just tries to make a game app? Is that the only way to make money?

Someone 6y ago
I would guess many news Apps are free, with subscriptions used to make money. Also, looking at the list on my iPad, I‘m sure the top lists aren’t global. They seem local by country (and might even be personalized, but that would surprise me)
- murph37 6y ago
  That was my thought too. The listing have to be more localized or personalized for a small indie app like mine to climb the charts for a day. I'd like to talk with someone who has more experience with the app store rankings and algorithms that drive them. I'd be curious to know all of the factors that are in play.
- murph37 6y ago
  Can you check the top paid news chart now? Thanks to the HN support we are back up to #8! I'd be curious to see if it is at #8 for other people as well.
  - skoskie 6y ago
    #8 here.
  - Someone 6y ago
    It isn’t in the top 50 in paid news apps (checked iPhone and iPad)
    - murph37 6y ago
      That's interesting. It's back down to #11 for me now. So it seems then like it is personalized to user to some extent.
murph37 6y ago
Yeah I'm really not sure on this one. I was only at #7 for a brief moment during a weekday. I have to imagine the apps that are consistently high in the rankings are making much more on a daily basis. On my post on IndieHackers I included screenshots showing the #7 ranking (https://www.indiehackers.com/post/i-made-my-1st-sale-and-made-it-to-7-on-the-app-store-de9321cf41 https://www.indiehackers.com/post/i-made-my-1st-sale-and-mad...).
newbalance 6y ago
Yes, the economics of mobile apps really are that tough. The App Store has been around for over a decade now, and the "race to the bottom" has brought us the almost exclusive use of in-app purchases for monetizing apps. Market is a big part of app success which is why we see games and companies with real budget making the $$ in the App Stores. Gotta market to those whales! Furthermore, users expect a very high quality mobile app these days and often don't want to pay for features. Got a great app with a few amazing paid features? Expect some negative app reviews. Everyone, app developers included, expect amazing, free, mobile apps. It's unrealistic.
quickthrower2 6y ago
Hacker news readers are pretty niche as apps go

Someone 6y ago

I would guess many news Apps are free, with subscriptions used to make money. Also, looking at the list on my iPad, I‘m sure the top lists aren’t global. They seem local by country (and might even be personalized, but that would surprise me)

murph37 6y ago
That was my thought too. The listing have to be more localized or personalized for a small indie app like mine to climb the charts for a day. I'd like to talk with someone who has more experience with the app store rankings and algorithms that drive them. I'd be curious to know all of the factors that are in play.
murph37 6y ago
Can you check the top paid news chart now? Thanks to the HN support we are back up to #8! I'd be curious to see if it is at #8 for other people as well.
- skoskie 6y ago
  #8 here.
- Someone 6y ago
  It isn’t in the top 50 in paid news apps (checked iPhone and iPad)
  - murph37 6y ago
    That's interesting. It's back down to #11 for me now. So it seems then like it is personalized to user to some extent.

murph37 6y ago

Yeah I'm really not sure on this one. I was only at #7 for a brief moment during a weekday. I have to imagine the apps that are consistently high in the rankings are making much more on a daily basis. On my post on IndieHackers I included screenshots showing the #7 ranking (https://www.indiehackers.com/post/i-made-my-1st-sale-and-made-it-to-7-on-the-app-store-de9321cf41 https://www.indiehackers.com/post/i-made-my-1st-sale-and-mad...).

newbalance 6y ago

Yes, the economics of mobile apps really are that tough. The App Store has been around for over a decade now, and the "race to the bottom" has brought us the almost exclusive use of in-app purchases for monetizing apps. Market is a big part of app success which is why we see games and companies with real budget making the $$ in the App Stores. Gotta market to those whales! Furthermore, users expect a very high quality mobile app these days and often don't want to pay for features. Got a great app with a few amazing paid features? Expect some negative app reviews. Everyone, app developers included, expect amazing, free, mobile apps. It's unrealistic.

quickthrower2 6y ago

Hacker news readers are pretty niche as apps go