Browsing online and using the apps on your smartphone all the time, you wondered if it was possible to learn how to create an app with the aim of making money from it. So you've started experimenting with programming languages and now you'd like to learn more about the methods for earning money once you've created your app. Don't worry: if this is the case, I can help you out.
In general, like all existing jobs and projects, in order to earn from an app, there is first of all a need for dedication and learning, because there are so many things to learn, starting right from the creation of the app itself. The ideal — needless to say — would be to attend a programming course (even remotely) and read books on the subject, but it is also possible to find material for free online and learn — by doing lots and lots of practice and comparing yourself with other devs on forums, messaging platforms etc. — autonomously the basics of programming.
Speaking of which, by reading this tutorial you won't surely become the king of the app stores, but you will be able to learn the basics of how to create an app and earn, from which to start and then explore the issue and try to build a business in the world of applications. That said, I'd say don't waste any more time and dive right into this guide. All that remains for me is to wish you a good reading and good luck for everything!
Index
- Preliminary information
- How to create an android app
- How to create an iOS/iPadOS app
- How to create an app and earn
Preliminary information
The first step to start earning from an app is, precisely, to learn how create an app in the correct way. To do that you have to learn i programming languages which differ between languages for Android and languages for iOS/iPadOS (which basically share the same code).
As already mentioned, the best way to learn programming languages is attend courses e study on books and manuals, but there is also a lot of useful material online (including books and manuals that in some cases have little to envy to paper ones); fundamental then is the practice: learning to improve yourself by learning from your mistakes and comparing yourself with solutions and examples on the Net. For a general "smattering" on how to start programming, I invite you to read my guide on the subject.
But let's get back to us. Before you start building an app you need to know if that app will be intended to run on Android or to run on iOS / iPadOS. In the case of Android, the most popular programming languages are Java e XML, while for iOS / iPadOS, the most common ones are Swift (more modern) e Objective-C.
To use these programming languages, it is necessary to rely on software created specifically for this purpose. In the following chapters I will show you a software to use for Android and one to use for iOS/iPadOS, so you will know exactly which one to use based on your project.
How to create an android app
Now that you understand which are the most used programming languages, let's move on to the next step, that is to start creating the app from which you can then start earning.
If your project involves building an app for Android, the software I recommend you to use is Android Studio, which is free and is made available directly by Google. By practicing the software you will notice how intuitive it is and not complicated to use. Moreover, it can be downloaded on all operating systems such as: Windows, MacOS, and Linux.
To download the software, just go to the official website and click on the button Download Android Studio to start the download, then installing the downloaded file on your computer by following the instructions you see on the screen. In case you need help installing, I've covered how to install Android Studio in this guide.
At the end of the installation, all you have to do is start the software, click on the item Start a new Android Studio project and start creating your app with the correct programming language, using the editor of the software itself. Again, to start creating the app you need to learn to code, so if you haven't already done so, I invite you to consult the dedicated tutorials on how to start programming, how to create a program, how to learn Java and how to program in Java, so you can speed up your learning.
How to create an iOS/iPadOS app
If your project, on the other hand, requires the creating an iOS app (o iPadOS), my advice is to use the software Xcode, made available by Apple itself to create apps to be used on its devices. Unlike Android Studio, however, Xcode is only available for macOS.
Over time, the software has undergone various updates to improve its functionality. In fact, in the latest version present at the time of writing, new functions have been included to be able to preview your code on all Apple platforms, i.e. iOS, iPadOS, macOS and tvOS.
To download it, just access the Xcode page on the App Store of your Mac, click on Get and enter yours password dell'ID Apple to start the download. When the download is complete, you will have to click on the button apri and then enter yours again password dell'ID Apple to start and complete the installation.
Once the installation is complete, you just have to start the software, click on Create a new Xcode project and start programming your app through the software editor.
Again, you can find more insights into installing the software in this dedicated guide. If, on the other hand, you need help using the software itself, or some of its features, I suggest you consult the dedicated page on the Apple website.
How to create an app and earn
After installing the software and creating your app, let's now get to the heart of this tutorial and start seeing what are the ways to be able to earn from an app just created.
The methods of earning can be different, and each of them requires different systems and procedures. The easiest way to make money from your app is pay it directly on the store, so every time a user wants to download it he will have to pay the price decided by you.
Another method to make money from your app is through i banners and advertisements that appear within your app. In this case, you can rely on advertising networks, which will show ads in your app and you will earn every time the ad is shown to a user who uses the app.
Besides networks, you can also show gods banners and ads owned by you with the intention of selling other products or services that will then be your source of income, thus making your app a vehicle for the final sale.
In both of these cases, in addition to having an app that is useful to the user or somehow pleasant or fun to use, you also need to make sure that the ads and banners appear in the right places and at the right time, to make sure that are not annoying for the user, and in the case of advertising owned by you, make sure that the user clicks on it to continue with a subsequent purchase.
Finally, if the app you created is really useful for the user, you could allow them to download it for free but with limited functions, with the option to pay (a fixed fee or a subscription) to unlock all features and use the app to its fullest potential. With a little creativity and intuition, you can take advantage of this system of earning from your app in many different ways, some of which we will explore in one of the following chapters.
These three methods I told you about are just some of the methods that allow you to earn from an app, but there are many others, such as the creating an app for an online store, through which users can buy your products without going to your site, thus allowing you to monetize through the app.
In any case, in order to make money from an app, it must be made available to the public. The fastest way to do this is by posting it on Play Store, in case of Android app, or on theApp Store in case of iOS apps.
If you need to publish your app on the Play Store, you need to create it two types of Google accounts. The first account is the general one that you can create by creating an email address by accessing the Google account page.
The second account, on the other hand, is the one relating to the Google Play Developer, which requires a payment of 25 dollars for the first registration, but it is essential to be able to upload an app to the Play Store. To create your account, connect to the Google Play Console, press up Go to Play Consoleselect l 'account you want to join with and then choose whether to join as a hobby, in the section For you, or as an activity, in the section An organization or businessby clicking on the button Introduction in the selected section.
In the next section, fill in the various sections with your personal data. So indicate the Developer Name (which will be visible to users on Google Play), yours Email address, your Contact number and possibly a Website. Finally, check the boxes to accept the terms and conditions and click on the button Create account and pay to proceed with the payment of the 25 dollars I mentioned earlier and consequently activate the account.
The dashboard will then open to configure your app. From now on, the procedure up to the publication of the app will be totally guided by Google. To follow the procedure, simply click on the item View activity in the corresponding sections.
The first section is that of application tab on Play Store. By clicking on View activity, they will complete all the sections that you will have to fill in and configure to ensure that the app is published correctly, with the right information and above all towards the right target audience.
In the last section to fill in, you will need to enter the description of your app which will then be visible on the Play Store page, and upload the demonstrative images and screenshots of the app, taking care to respect the dimensions required by Google itself. Finally click on Save to continue and finish the configuration procedure.
Finally, to publish the app, you will have to click on the item Dashboard at the top left and go down to the item Publish the app on Google Play. Now you will have to configure the sections that appear, starting with the selection of Countries and geographical areas.
In the Create a new release, instead, you will be able to load the file APK dell’app, essential to upload the app to Google Play. To configure this section, click on the button Preference management, Then Turn off Play's App Signing program, and finally click on NEXT at the bottom right, clicking on again disable to confirm.
Once this is done, on the main screen, click on Charge to upload the APK file of your application and finally su Save to confirm. The last step before publication is to click on Review and make the release available, Then Modification, by pressing the button Release control bottom right and finally on the button Start and launch for production. At this point, the app will be reviewed by Google before publishing, and this process can take up to several hours.
If, on the other hand, your app is intended for an Apple audience, you will need to publish it on App Store. To do this, you must first register Apple developer program, which costs $99 per year and is required to publish your app.
To do this, access the main page of the program and click on the button enroll top right. On the next screen, click on the button Start your enrollment below and then sign in with yours Apple ID. To continue, tick the box to accept contract and click on the button Submit bottom right.
On the next page, fill in all the fields with all of yours personal dataclick your Continue to continue and choose the type of account you will need to create between Individual, Organization, No profit, Educational Institution o Government Organization. Finally, accept the contract and pay the annual fee to access the program.
Once this is done, you will also need to log in to App Store Connect, to be able to download a signed certificate to place in Xcode in your app, and then be able to upload it to the App Store. To do this, simply access the main App Store Connect page and enter yours Apple ID.
Finally, all you have to do is upload the app to the store. to do it fromApple Developer Programclick your Certificates, IDentifiers & Profiles and finally on IDentifiers e App IDs. In this section, by clicking on the button capacitor positive (+) lead you will be able to enter the app data and finally upload the signed certificate downloaded from App Store Connect. This way you will create theApp ID which will be connected to your app being published.
To publish the app, log into App Store Connect and click the button capacitor positive (+) lead. In the screen that opens, enter all the data required for your app and click on Crea below to confirm. At this point you will have created your app on App Store Connect, you just have to start it distribution on the App store and you can do it directly via Xcode.
So, open up Xcodeclick here name of your app from the menu on the left, under the heading Targets, and then go to the top menu by clicking on the item Product. In the drop-down menu that opens you will have to click on Archive, and you will be redirected to the page where you can start the distribution. To do this, click on the button Distribute App at the top right, select App Store Connect on the next screen and click on NEXT per I will proceed.
At this point, in a few minutes the program will upload your app to App Store Connect, where your app will be under verification. In the meantime, however, still within App Store Connect, you can adjust the description page, adding promotional text and uploading screenshots for each device for which you have enabled the app. At the end of these operations, you can click on the button Publish at the top and wait for the app to be verified so that it is published correctly on the App Store.
Create a paid app
As we said earlier, one of the ways to make money with your app is by requesting a payment to download it. In addition to this, however, there are several strategies to put the right early to your app.
In fact, you can request a one-time payment, then giving the possibility to use all the services of your app. Or you can request a subscription payment, so as to earn income from subscribers who decide to continue using your app.
If you want, you can also allow the app to be downloaded free of charge for a few days' trial, after which you will need to pay the amount requested to continue using the app. In short, after uploading your app, you can really expand with your marketing by getting paid in different ways.
Obviously, every time a user pays for your app according to one of the methods you have chosen, that payment will not be a net profit, because you will have to pay the store a commission which is generally Google and Apple hold automatically.
Specifically, with Google Play Store, if your registration includes the 15% commission level, you will be held one 15% commission up to the first million dollars, both for paid apps and for purchases made within your app, and then the 30% commission after the first million. If instead your registration does not include the 15% commission level, it will be withheld from you in any case a 30% commission.
To set up a payment for your app, after following the configuration procedure explained in the previous chapter, you need to connect to the Google Play console where you uploaded your app and click on the item Products and then Price of the app.
Later, in the section pricesclick sulla voce Your app is and choose the item Set your app as paid, then deciding the price and confirming by clicking on the button Save down. Within the same section, you can then decide whether to set up a subscription for your app or set discounts with a time limit, thus adapting the price to your earning strategy.
As far as the 'App Store by Apple, the same goes: both for paid apps and for purchases made through your app, you will be withheld a 15% commission up to 1 million in earnings, which then increases to 30%.
To set up your paid app on App Store, you need to do this: Log in to App Store Connect and select your app. At this point, in the menu on the left, under the heading Generaliclick your Price and availability and on the screen on the right, select the price of your app by clicking on the drop-down menu under the item Price. Finally click on Save at the top right to confirm.
Also in the prices and availability section, if you wish, you can set discounts to access your app, a subscription in case you would like to receive payments on a weekly, monthly, annual basis and so on.
Finally, you can also set up a pre-order for your app, by setting a price tag and an app release date. If you use this method, in addition to earning before having completely completed your app, you can also test the public's interest in what you are producing, based on the pre-orders you receive. In short, you can really give a lot of space to your creativity.
In app advertising
Another way to earn through an app produced by you using the programs I told you about earlier, is placing advertisements within the app.
As I have already told you, these advertisements can be external, i.e. not concerning your app or your other products, or internal, i.e. created by you and inserted in strategic points of the app to encourage the purchase of your other items by of the user.
In case you want to place your own proprietary advertisements, you will have to do everything through the app code through Android Studio o Xcode, and thus going to use the programming language to select the strategic points in which to insert your banners or advertising links.
If, on the other hand, you want to insert external advertisements, you have to rely on some advertising platforms which I'll explain better below. If you're wondering how you make money with external advertising, you need to know that the platforms will pay you a variable fee every time the user views the advertisement on your app or clicks on that advertisement. Basically, you sell advertising space to companies who pay the platform to showcase their products or services.
The types of ads you can place in your app can be of different types: Natives, i.e. customized for your app so as not to spoil the user experience; with prize, i.e. users view the ad and interact with the ad in exchange for a reward; Interstitial e Banner, or ads that appear in strategic points of the app or at strategic moments in order not to interrupt the user experience.
On the next page, select the information you would like to receive by email from Google and then click on Continue to AdMob. At this point, you will have access to the main AdMob page, and you will have to click on the button Introduction to start setting up everything to be able to show ads in your app.
After clicking on Introduction, you will need to enter the information of your app, confirm that you have loaded the app on a supported store and select the app from the app list. You will then be sent back to the main page where the button will appear Add Ad Unit on which you will have to click, and then continue with the selection of types of advertising to be inserted by following the procedures on the screen, finally inserting the code provided by AdMob right in your app. If you wish you can also test the ads on your app by running ads test ads directly from AdMob.
In-app purchases
The last method to earn from your app that I want to tell you about concerns the sale of additional products or services directly from within the app, by enabling the function in-app purchases.
Thanks to this function, you can add other services or products to your app over time and get paid to get them, or, as I told you at the beginning of this article, you can download a limited version of the app for free and then allow you to unlock more content through in-app purchases.
To enable the function on your app Android published on Play Store, you need to access Google Play Console and go down to the item in the left menu Monetize. Inside the menu, click on Products and then In-app products where you will need to upload the APK file of your app with the billing permission. For more information on the APK file, I invite you to consult this Google guide.
Subsequently, you will need to fill in all the fields required by Google Play Console to upload your product into apps, such as the product name or l 'Product ID. Finally, set a price from the appropriate section, click on Save to save the changes and then click on Attiva to activate your in-app product.
Instead, to enable the in-app purchase function on theApp store, you must access the main page of App Store Connect and go to the menu on the left under the item In-app purchases. Click for your Manage to access the configuration page and click on the button capacitor positive (+) lead to add a new in-app purchase.
In the screen that opens, select the type of in-app purchase you want to create between: Consumable, which are products that can be used only once, non-consumable, which are products purchased only once and can be used forever, auto-renewing subscriptions, and non-renewable subscriptions, which allow the user to purchase the service only once and for a limited period of time.
Then select the type of in-app purchase you prefer and click on Crea. On the next screen, enter the data requested by the platform for identify your in-app purchase I awarded her NEXT to continue with the wizard and enter the price and currency for your in-app purchase.
After completing the wizard, you will be able to enter more information about your in-app purchase on the main page. In particular, you will need to add a price for all countries where the app is available and later also add some screenshot it's a Description of the in-app purchase in question.
Once the whole process is finished, you will only have to click on Save at the top right and wait for the verification of your in-app purchase to complete before it is published.
