Is having a paid and free version a good idea?

General (non-technical) Marketing and Monetization
#1

After 14 months of development I am about to release my first iOS game. The game could be offered as a free app with IAP to remove ads, to enlarge the game board and to unlock additional game modes. It could also be released as a paid version with no ads, all the game modes unlocked and the enlarged game board. All I need to do is change one line of code in my main.lua to make the free version a paid one, so need for me to maintain two different projects or files - it is one universal app which is easy to work with.

Would it be of any harm (marketing wise) if I would upload both the free version and the paid version to the App Store or would you just go with the free one and hope that IAPs will be made?

Any experience in doing this would be really helpful.

Jens [import]uid: 101883 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 335871[/import]

#2

I have an app with both a paid and a free version with IAP.
Speaking from my own experience, the paid version monetizes better than IAP (on iOS it’s about 70/30 in favor of paid).
On Android (Google Play) I find it difficult to get any monetization at all regardless of model. Advertising is the only thing that at least brings in *some* revenue there. The exception is Amazon where the paid version at least gets some daily sales (IAP is not available for Amazon yet though).
[import]uid: 70847 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142624[/import]

#3

Ads will cheapen the quality of your game and prevent you from getting critical press. [import]uid: 100299 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142625[/import]

#4

Thank you for your replies. So I would probably put both types out (paid and free) and provide promo codes for the paid on to review sites. I would get as much downloads as possible so offering both types seems like a feasible route to me.

@LavaLevels: What do you mean by “cheapen the quality”? Do you mean the gaming experience will suffer due to ads being displayed? I put banners on on top of the game board where they do not interfere with the gema play and only take up little space. A fair trade for a free game I tink.

By the way, congrats to your recent game - looks great.

Jens [import]uid: 101883 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142627[/import]

#5

You’re right, it might be functionally perfect with ads. But it is a matter of perspective from the player and the game journalist. By no means am I saying that it would be a ‘cheap’ quality in true gaming aspects.

But in the eyes of the game journalist/player it will be. That’s just the trade off you have to accept as a reality. In their eyes it will have a crutch, a fail safe of recouping some profit, and when that is put forth directly with an ad, you are going to have a hard time getting press.

I’m not trying to discourage people. I just want people to know the trade offs they are making for guaranteeing themselves profits with ads. It seems that the press has completely stopped looking at any game with an ad free version and the avenue of press/as hard a road as it is, is off the table. However the profits must be really nice because a lot of people seem to be doing this with their Corona games.

Ty for the nice comments. I wish you the best success with your app, and I have sure you have put a lot of hard work into it, so understand when I say cheapen, I mean in the eyes of the end user/journalist.

[import]uid: 100299 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142631[/import]

#6

Hey, Lava Level, I’d like your clarification. In your post #4 above, you said “It seems that the press has completely stopped looking at any game with an ad free version and the avenue of press/as hard a road as it is, is off the table.”

Did you mean, (a) the press stopped looking at any game with ads even if the game is free, or (b) the press stopped looking at any game with no ads? From the context of your post, I assume you meant (a), because otherwise it doesn’t make sense, but I just want to make sure. Also, why so definitive about your verdict about the ads in terms of its effect on press/journalists? Based on direct, personal experience?

I need to make the same decision very soon, and this topic is quite timely.

Thanks!
Naomi [import]uid: 67217 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142649[/import]

#7

@Lava Level, thank you for the detailed reply post. I appreciate it. I’ll definitely keep your tips in mind.

Naomi [import]uid: 67217 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142666[/import]

#8

for mainstream gaming press

a) it is based on hearing journalists say this directly. One thing that is good to do is to listen every Friday to the Touch Arcade Podcast. They give -critical- advice on that show not only about what they like/don’t like about games. But also how to submit to journalists. How to present your game to them. How to interact with the public with changes, etc. They are very much advocates of small developers…IF they like what you are presenting. You have to really scour their PodCast to catch these things, and I started listening religiously around podcast 25ish of last year. However its great to leave on while you code, and HIGHLY entertaining at times.

Getting press takes a great amount of work (from my experience) and the type of press or level of press might make a huge difference in this conversation. Obviously I am going after the mainstream gaming press, but even fantastic casual press, like Jay is Games prefer a games revenue stream to be based on the games merit, rather than the old Zynga model from years back.

One good thing to determine is what/who is your target market. Who would that be in your case? [import]uid: 100299 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142658[/import]

#9

Newbie here.
I think to make your decision you (and me) need to understand the freemimum model and it’s pay scheme.

A poster above mentions the “the paid version monetizes better than IAP”.
Now i don’t fully understand the ad revenue model .
Do you get paid on yur volume downloaded - a case of ads in front of eyes.
or do you only get a return if the user sees the ad and clicks it ?
Then is there only a pay day if the uses buys the app that they clicked - ( paid not free)

these are all questions and info that would be useful.

For me i assume that you would only get paid if the user taps the add then purchases. So this means you have directed a customer of yours (who is willing to pay money for apps) to another app - more than likely not yours unless you are making use of the advertising service.

So for me i plan on adding my own advertising for my apps - and not the same style as rev mob iAds etc… ( don’t get me wrong i will probably try it at some point).
I will be using the spare space in my apps to promote my brand, promote my name recognition.
As i said in other posts i want to try for a sustainable career, so if i can get infront of a user - then it’s up to the game to win /lose the user ( Oh this is crap / or this is actually quite good). But once this is done, by promoting my name and brand to the user may make it easier to sell to them in the future (aka a repeat customer/loyal customer type scenario)
This will require some free versions to get the ball rolling though - so a fine line has to be negotiated with your free version - a case of “why buy the cow, if the milk is free” kind of deal make sure the milk is good, but limit it!

just my 0.02cents worth
T.
[import]uid: 199068 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142695[/import]

#10

@Lava Level: So if I would put out a free version next to my paid version, reviewers would not feel happy to test the paid one because there is a free available, too? Maybe that view would apply if a was only offering the free game with ads but with two versions out there I do not really see a real issue.

Maybe I just have to try and see how things will work out for me. I am quite excited to see if my game will fail or have (some) success. [import]uid: 101883 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142719[/import]

#11

I have an app with both a paid and a free version with IAP.
Speaking from my own experience, the paid version monetizes better than IAP (on iOS it’s about 70/30 in favor of paid).
On Android (Google Play) I find it difficult to get any monetization at all regardless of model. Advertising is the only thing that at least brings in *some* revenue there. The exception is Amazon where the paid version at least gets some daily sales (IAP is not available for Amazon yet though).
[import]uid: 70847 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142624[/import]

#12

Ads will cheapen the quality of your game and prevent you from getting critical press. [import]uid: 100299 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142625[/import]

#13

Thank you for your replies. So I would probably put both types out (paid and free) and provide promo codes for the paid on to review sites. I would get as much downloads as possible so offering both types seems like a feasible route to me.

@LavaLevels: What do you mean by “cheapen the quality”? Do you mean the gaming experience will suffer due to ads being displayed? I put banners on on top of the game board where they do not interfere with the gema play and only take up little space. A fair trade for a free game I tink.

By the way, congrats to your recent game - looks great.

Jens [import]uid: 101883 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142627[/import]

#14

You’re right, it might be functionally perfect with ads. But it is a matter of perspective from the player and the game journalist. By no means am I saying that it would be a ‘cheap’ quality in true gaming aspects.

But in the eyes of the game journalist/player it will be. That’s just the trade off you have to accept as a reality. In their eyes it will have a crutch, a fail safe of recouping some profit, and when that is put forth directly with an ad, you are going to have a hard time getting press.

I’m not trying to discourage people. I just want people to know the trade offs they are making for guaranteeing themselves profits with ads. It seems that the press has completely stopped looking at any game with an ad free version and the avenue of press/as hard a road as it is, is off the table. However the profits must be really nice because a lot of people seem to be doing this with their Corona games.

Ty for the nice comments. I wish you the best success with your app, and I have sure you have put a lot of hard work into it, so understand when I say cheapen, I mean in the eyes of the end user/journalist.

[import]uid: 100299 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142631[/import]

#15

Hey, Lava Level, I’d like your clarification. In your post #4 above, you said “It seems that the press has completely stopped looking at any game with an ad free version and the avenue of press/as hard a road as it is, is off the table.”

Did you mean, (a) the press stopped looking at any game with ads even if the game is free, or (b) the press stopped looking at any game with no ads? From the context of your post, I assume you meant (a), because otherwise it doesn’t make sense, but I just want to make sure. Also, why so definitive about your verdict about the ads in terms of its effect on press/journalists? Based on direct, personal experience?

I need to make the same decision very soon, and this topic is quite timely.

Thanks!
Naomi [import]uid: 67217 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142649[/import]

#16

@Lava Level, thank you for the detailed reply post. I appreciate it. I’ll definitely keep your tips in mind.

Naomi [import]uid: 67217 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142666[/import]

#17

for mainstream gaming press

a) it is based on hearing journalists say this directly. One thing that is good to do is to listen every Friday to the Touch Arcade Podcast. They give -critical- advice on that show not only about what they like/don’t like about games. But also how to submit to journalists. How to present your game to them. How to interact with the public with changes, etc. They are very much advocates of small developers…IF they like what you are presenting. You have to really scour their PodCast to catch these things, and I started listening religiously around podcast 25ish of last year. However its great to leave on while you code, and HIGHLY entertaining at times.

Getting press takes a great amount of work (from my experience) and the type of press or level of press might make a huge difference in this conversation. Obviously I am going after the mainstream gaming press, but even fantastic casual press, like Jay is Games prefer a games revenue stream to be based on the games merit, rather than the old Zynga model from years back.

One good thing to determine is what/who is your target market. Who would that be in your case? [import]uid: 100299 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142658[/import]

#18

Newbie here.
I think to make your decision you (and me) need to understand the freemimum model and it’s pay scheme.

A poster above mentions the “the paid version monetizes better than IAP”.
Now i don’t fully understand the ad revenue model .
Do you get paid on yur volume downloaded - a case of ads in front of eyes.
or do you only get a return if the user sees the ad and clicks it ?
Then is there only a pay day if the uses buys the app that they clicked - ( paid not free)

these are all questions and info that would be useful.

For me i assume that you would only get paid if the user taps the add then purchases. So this means you have directed a customer of yours (who is willing to pay money for apps) to another app - more than likely not yours unless you are making use of the advertising service.

So for me i plan on adding my own advertising for my apps - and not the same style as rev mob iAds etc… ( don’t get me wrong i will probably try it at some point).
I will be using the spare space in my apps to promote my brand, promote my name recognition.
As i said in other posts i want to try for a sustainable career, so if i can get infront of a user - then it’s up to the game to win /lose the user ( Oh this is crap / or this is actually quite good). But once this is done, by promoting my name and brand to the user may make it easier to sell to them in the future (aka a repeat customer/loyal customer type scenario)
This will require some free versions to get the ball rolling though - so a fine line has to be negotiated with your free version - a case of “why buy the cow, if the milk is free” kind of deal make sure the milk is good, but limit it!

just my 0.02cents worth
T.
[import]uid: 199068 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142695[/import]

#19

@Lava Level: So if I would put out a free version next to my paid version, reviewers would not feel happy to test the paid one because there is a free available, too? Maybe that view would apply if a was only offering the free game with ads but with two versions out there I do not really see a real issue.

Maybe I just have to try and see how things will work out for me. I am quite excited to see if my game will fail or have (some) success. [import]uid: 101883 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142719[/import]

#20

Newbie here.
I think to make your decision you (and me) need to understand the freemimum model and it’s pay scheme.

A poster above mentions the “the paid version monetizes better than IAP”.
Now i don’t fully understand the ad revenue model .
Do you get paid on yur volume downloaded - a case of ads in front of eyes.
or do you only get a return if the user sees the ad and clicks it ?
Then is there only a pay day if the uses buys the app that they clicked - ( paid not free)

these are all questions and info that would be useful.

For me i assume that you would only get paid if the user taps the add then purchases. So this means you have directed a customer of yours (who is willing to pay money for apps) to another app - more than likely not yours unless you are making use of the advertising service.

So for me i plan on adding my own advertising for my apps - and not the same style as rev mob iAds etc… ( don’t get me wrong i will probably try it at some point).
I will be using the spare space in my apps to promote my brand, promote my name recognition.
As i said in other posts i want to try for a sustainable career, so if i can get infront of a user - then it’s up to the game to win /lose the user ( Oh this is crap / or this is actually quite good). But once this is done, by promoting my name and brand to the user may make it easier to sell to them in the future (aka a repeat customer/loyal customer type scenario)
This will require some free versions to get the ball rolling though - so a fine line has to be negotiated with your free version - a case of “why buy the cow, if the milk is free” kind of deal make sure the milk is good, but limit it!

just my 0.02cents worth
T.
[import]uid: 199068 topic_id: 35871 reply_id: 142695[/import]