We looked at both to give mobile app developers an idea of which might suit them best.
Lifewire
Overall Findings
High visibility.
A reasonable cost for submission.
Lifewire
Good feedback from the App review team.
Getting approval can take a long time.
Users are more inclined to pay for apps.
The submission process is less tedious.
Costs $25 to submit an app.
A good way to create a following for an app.
Less guidance when an app is rejected.
The platform can be fragmented.
Android users tend to want free apps.
Apple paid out more than $100 billion to developers since the App Store was created in 2008.
Approval Process: Google Play Store Is Easier
The approval process can be long and drawn out.
Developers need to be patient.
Developers must be creative with their apps.
Must be aware of the rules and ensure apps are error-free.
Review team gives good, if hard-hitting, feedback.
Developers are free to experiment and be more creative.
Less high-quality apps can head out to users.
With so many apps let in, it can be hard to stand out.
It’s not easy to get an app into the App Store.
Many apps get rejected on the first try, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Developers might be frustrated in the short term, but ultimately become more skilled at mobile app creation.
Google Play Store
Getting an app into the Google Play Store is an easier process.
Apps have a low chance of being rejected on the Android app platform.
This avoids the frustration App Store developers face and leaves developers free to experiment with their ideas.
Visibility: Pluses and Minuses for Both Platforms
Hugely popular platform with great visibility.
Amount of competition means an app has to stand out.
The keyword search model might limit visibility.
Good visibility in terms of number of potential customers.
The amount of competition means an app has to stand out.
The search function model boosts visibility.
The App Store offers developers incredible visibility.
Maintaining visibility, however, can be difficult.
Part of your app’s visibility is reaching the right target audience.
A user conducting a search would have to search for one of those keywords to find your app.
But just like the App Store, maintaining visibility is hard within such a sea of competition.
The Google Play Store’s model doesn’t rely on the keywords you select.
This makes it much easier for users to find your app.
Costs and Monetization: Google Is Cheaper Initially
$99 per year developer fee.
Developers get 70% of the app revenue.
App Store customers are used to paying for apps.
A one-time $25 developer fee.
Android customers prefer to download free apps.
Developers get 70% of the revenue.
Developers also receive 70% of app revenue and can publish as many apps as they want.
However, most of the apps on the Google Play Store are free apps.
This forces the Android developer to think of alternative ways tomake moneywith their free app.
Both have wide audiences and popular platforms, and both have formed excellent developer resources and user bases.
Taking advantage of these resources will boost your chances of success.
