[android-developers] Re: How much money do you make?

> How much money do you make?

I admire and strive to emulate those who earn a full time income from
a part time effort. I'm having a bit of the opposite dilemma.

My one app has been on the market close to three months. It hasn't
cleared a thousand yet for the paid app, though getting closer, which
means I haven't made $7000 yet. I think I'll be less open about
earnings when/if I make more, because I don't want to encourage more
people to go after the same markets.

I do have a time limited trial version, with a DEMO app and License
app, though the Market support for that model isn't great. I've gotten
some 1 star ratings from people who didn't understand that model, or
just didn't like that it wasn't free forever. I've done my best to
make it blindingly obvious.

Actually, this result would be tremendous if it only took me a few
hours a week or was ever "done". But it took about six months of near
full time effort, and many of the target audience would consider the
app a "good start". Although this app is a $10 alternative to buying a
$400 piece of hardware, many would still consider that too much if it
doesn't do *everything* that the $400 hardware does, so there is
enough to keep me busy for *years*.

My app hasn't been in the top ten, nor featured that I know of, and I
don't know if ever will be. It's a niche market in a broad category,
travel. I am paying attention to my app's keyword searches. I'd
estimate that 25% of my paying customers have found my app by its
brand name, which means they probably knew my Windows Mobile app or
found my website.

I would agree with those that said the real money is in hiring out to
write Android apps for others. Even though, like many of you, I would
much rather be successful on my own apps alone, I need to increase my
marketing efforts to get custom work. When I have gotten an OEM deal
for Windows Mobile and have a possible one for Android, it has been
people who have sought me out based on my product portfolio.

But to have time to do custom deals or more apps, I have to accept
that I need to hire others to do some of the work.

To those developers who can't sell in the Market: I am hiring. I could
also buy some of your app source code, though to maintain focus, it
should probably be something on the outdoor recreation topic.

This is just one person's perspective, but hopefully it is helpful to
some.

Nathan

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