One of the biggest questions that developers need to answer is where to sell their app. The question of where to sell your app has three possible answers:
Both stores offer different things to developers and come with their own list of pros of cons. So what do you do?
Well, to help you with your decision, we’ve compiled the pros and cons for each! Who will come out on top in Google Play vs. Apple Apps Store? Keep reading to find out.
The Google Play Store is available on almost all devices that aren’t Apple, and those that are referred to as Android devices. At the time of writing, the Google Play Store has over 76 billion apps and is predicted to have as many as 139 billion apps by 2024.
To become an Android developer, you simply pay a one-off fee of $25 (USD). For developers with smaller budgets, this is very appealing.
The Google Play Store only allows for 30 characters in your app name. For some, this won’t be an issue. However, when you compare it to the Apple Store character count, it is very low.
You can, however, change the title of your app at any time.
The inspection of apps on the Google Play Store typically takes around two hours or less. For those in a hurry, this is a huge benefit. In short, you can get yourself onto the store and sell your app quicker.
There is no doubt that China is one of the largest markets in the world. Currently, the Google Play Store, and its apps, aren’t available in China. Whilst there are still plenty of markets available to you, this is a big one to ignore.
The Google Play Store has seen significant growth since its launch in 2008. In 2020 alone, the Google Playstore saw an increase in revenue of 25% compared to their performance in 2019.
As a developer, you will also get 70% of the app revenue.
Whilst the annual revenue of the Google Play Store is typically smaller than that of Apple, it still presents an excellent pathway to monetizing your product.
Launched in 2008, the Apple Store is the go-to place for the latest apps if you have an iOS device. At the time of writing, the Apple App Store has around 2.2 million apps.
The Apple App Store is very generous with its character count. You have up to 255 characters to play with, which allows more room for adding keywords in the title. This is important because keywords play a big role in the ranking of apps.
It is, however, harder to change the title of your app on the Apple App Store. You need to submit an updated version anytime you wish to do so.
To become an iOS developer, you need to pay an annual fee of $99 (USD) per year. This is another example of Apple’s high barrier to entry.
For developers on a smaller budget, this is a big con. For those looking to ensure that their app is of the highest quality, this may be seen as a positive.
The App Store typical takes around 48 hours to inspect prospective iOS apps. Whilst this still isn’t a long time, it’s dramatically longer than the turnaround time of the Google Play Store. To some, this may be seen as a con, but we actually think it’s a pro.
The longer inspection time means the barrier to entry is higher, so you can expect higher quality apps on the store. Passing this inspection gives you confidence in your app.
The Apple App Store has Typically performed better than the Google Play Store. This is because Apple App Store customers are used to paying for their apps or setting up subscriptions.
Similarly to the Google Play Store, developers will get 70% of the revenue that their app generates.
This is may not affect some people, but it will be a big deal for others. China is a huge market in the tech sector, so having access to it can be a big deal for your bottom line.
When it to comes to selecting where you choose to sell your app, there are a number of factors that you need to consider.
For those on a limited budget, that are looking for speed and flexibility, the Google Play Store is very attractive. Especially when you consider that there is only one start-up fee.
For those looking to achieve the benchmark of quality, then perhaps the Apple App Store is the place for you. The higher barrier to entry means that you’ll only be competing against higher quality apps. Making versions of your app will also be far easier, as you won’t have to cater to varied devices and screen sizes.
Consider the pros and cons of each store to better understand which is best for you to give your app the best chance of success. Good luck.
