What kind of apps would earn you more money?
I see a lot of tech products on Product Hunt that are meant to improve someone else's business situation, and as many makers as possible are ideally targeting the B2B market.
However, this past week I've also seen a lot of "fun" products that not only made it into the featured category but also earned one of the product of the day titles.
According to statistics, the most downloaded apps are games and probably this category earns the most money.
No wonder, because:
people like to be entertained
people like to spend time doing an easy activity
monetisation can be quite easy with in-app ads
this category of apps will be used by everyone (kids as well as adults)
gamification only intensifies this situation so people are more likely to spend their time there (this is also valid for Duolingo, or also various "casino games", and "esports games")
So if there's a lot of money in this sector, why aren't you making games? š
If you happen to be a game developer ā feel free to share what you created. + I am also curious how you marketed it. š
Additional info ā the app categories generating the most revenue globally as for 2024:
š² Gaming
šŗ Entertainment
š± Social media
š· Photo & Video
š§ Music
Replies
As an artist who touched game dev few times, can say two things, which I saw:
Big projects can do not survive till release or even public version, so, it's lost money.
Small projects, without marketing or being viral, will not survive more than a month or two, mostly.
Sure, a lot depends on many things, but i didn't have any good experience with a game dev yet
for me, "money in game dev" seems like the "Survivorship bias"
minimalist phone: creating folders
"Can do not survive till release" ā is it a problem for development or marketing?
Iām not making games (yet š ), but Duolingoās approach to gamification totally inspired how I designed onboarding for my productivity app. Thereās a lot to borrow from games even outside the gaming space.
minimalist phone: creating folders
@tomina_veronika If you copy some strategies from DuoLingo, there is a higher chance of succeeding. I like how you think about it! :D
Even though the gaming industry is huge, creating stickiness and reducing the churn rate has always been a challenge for app game developers. There is an end to most of the games played. I used to work with a company that developed gaming apps for android users with different revenue models.
Entertainment or music apps also require copyright purchases which can be quite expensive at times. Content on social media, photo or video apps are user generated and quite addictive. running ads for goods or services may make more sense if the content is provided by the users for the users.
Curious to know what others think though :)
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@mina_cheragh What has helped to market those game apps the most? Good ASO or promotions? (would like to hear which particular channels were the best).
@mina_cheragh I'm with you on this. They tend to be more successful as part of a multi-product strategy (like something akin to Donut) to mitigate the churn problem.
@busmark_w_nika Console or PC-based games are the most popular because of the graphics and the other activities it follows, such as e-sport tournaments and twitch or Youtube where people just simply watch you play games. These would be the money-making pillars.
For mobile apps, the ones that create a hook and become addictive are the winners. Category of games such as casual or hyper casual, casino or action games. The revenue model is either through ads or in-app purchase but app-based games are mostly used by users with lower purchase power, such as students, children or adults just trying to alleviate stress.
From what I know, promotions (particularly targeted visual ads for app download), social media channels for gamers, gamer influencers,... play a big role in activation and download.
@derrickbradley well put.
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@mina_cheragh Understandably tho I would rather create edu+gaming because I still believe that tools should bring some kind of a "higher" value :)
Funny question, but not as simple as it seems. My thoughts are based on the idea of the diversity of life and human interests. After all, not everyone works in banks, even though it's obvious that banks have money. People are passionate about completely different things, and constant quick-dopamine entertainment can actually lead to burnout or even depression.
So one approach could be to use gamification as the foundation of user interaction while creating products that focus on long-term benefits in important areas like health, career, etc.
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@kirill_golubovskiy Everything depends on: the company how approach to it. Users how to approach it ā this is even more important. You as a company can create something useful, but the approach of people can be that they misuse it or use it in a distractive, unhealthy way.
Iāve noticed more teams are starting to value systems that remove cognitive friction..not just save time.
Weāre exploring this with an AI Executive Assistant that automates email-related workflows (triage, prep, follow-ups) across orgs.
Itās not just about doing things faster.. itās about helping people focus on what actually drives outcomes.
Curious what kind of workflow youād automate first if you had a smart assistant layer built into your team?
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@goodgistai I would probably automate repetitive tasks in customer support. But to be honest, some requests are so specific and people (customers) choose different subject lines and it also confuses the AI. So that's why human is needed too :D
@goodgistai @busmark_w_nika Duolingvoa worthy competitor
Games do print money, but maybe hereās why most makers still avoid them: The āHit Lotteryā Problem: For every Vampire Survivors, there are 10k forgotten clones rotting on Steam. B2B tools? Even niche ones can chug along with 100 loyal clients.š¤
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IMO with AI you can clone anything. Said that also B2B tools. Distribution and service is a differentiatior.
I was thinking the same thing.. should I build something useful and productive or just go with something fun and entertaining? Instead of overthinking it, I decided to do both as an experiment and see how it goes.
PixPal (https://www.producthunt.com/products/pixpal-2) is an AI-powered platform where you can chat with images, generate AI art, and remix photos. Itās a mix of productivity and creativity, great for designers, marketers, or just anyone who loves playing around with AI visuals.
Roast My Selfie (https://www.producthunt.com/products/roast-my-selfie) is pure fun ā an AI that roasts your selfies while also analyzing your personality. Basically, an AI comedian that isnāt afraid to tell you the harsh truth. š¤£
One app is practical the other is just for pure entertainment, but both are growing in different ways. Monetization depends a lot on virality vs utility, fun apps get more shares but productivity tools can have loyal paying users.
That said, a fun game can make bank through ad revenue.
Curious to hear your thoughts.. if you were to launch something, would you go for a useful tool or a viral fun app?
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I think that video apps and photo apps are on the spectrum so statistically, you have a higher chance to succeed! :D
@busmark_w_nika Yea I think so too lol
Milestone Content Studio
Gaming. No doubt. I'll tell you why with real world metrics. Hear me out. This is going to be long.
1. High Engagement Levels
Reason: Game apps are highly addictive and engaging, leading to increased user retention. Players often spend hours on games due to the sense of achievement, competition, and entertainment value.
Evidence: According to industry reports, mobile games account for 50-60% of global app revenue because they keep users engaged longer. Popular games like PUBG Mobile and Candy Crush have generated billions due to consistent user interaction.
Monetization Models: Game apps use diverse monetization methods like in-app purchases, ads, and subscription tiers, which thrive on high engagement levels.
2. Wide Target Audience
Reason: Mobile games appeal to a broad demographic, spanning children, teenagers, adults, and even seniors. This diversity ensures a large user base.
Evidence: Statistics from 2023 show that approximately 3 billion people worldwide play mobile games, making it one of the most inclusive app categories. Casual games like Puzzle and Trivia appeal to all age groups, while competitive games target gamers seeking challenges.
Impact: A large audience allows developers to scale revenues across different regions, interests, and age groups.
3. Scalability and Low Entry Barriers
Reason: Developing game apps is relatively inexpensive compared to other industries. Distribution is straightforward via app stores (Google Play, Apple App Store), allowing instant global reach.
Evidence: Indie developers have created successful games like Flappy Bird with minimal investment, generating substantial profits. Mobile gaming revenue surpassed $120 billion in 2023, showing its financial potential.
Advantages: Advanced tools like Unity and Unreal Engine make it easier for developers to create scalable games without requiring massive upfront costs.
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Thanks for mentioning these. Are you in the gaming industry?