Income from android apps [closed]

Question

After making quite a few android apps for myself (just for fun), I've decided to make an app to put on the google play store. I know it will be a lot of work, so I don't want to make it for free. I realize that chances are I will make little to no money.

The thing is, I would prefer putting it up for free rather than setting a price. I suppose one way to make money is to put adds and such. What is the best service for this? Are there other ways to make money?

Also, is there certain stuff that needs to be done differently in order to get your app in the play store, than when I'm just developing for myself?

Any insight into any of these would be appreciated. I am not looking to become rich, just want to see what possibilities there are to taking my hobby to the next level.

Answer 1

Beside In-App purchase suggestion, I am presenting a list of 25 Ad-SDK which are popular among the community and you can consider :

But before presenting anything kindly make a note for Admob as given in docs, it is depricated

Legacy AdMob will be shutting down on August 31, 2014. Beginning August 31, you will no longer be able to use legacy AdMob to promote and monetize your apps. Specifically, please be aware of the following:

Ads will stop serving to legacy ad units that are not updated with new ad unit IDs.
Legacy house ad campaigns will stop serving.
You will not be able to access the legacy AdMob UI after August 31, 2014.

If you are still using legacy AdMob, please upgrade your account to the new AdMob as soon as possible. Upgrading takes only 5 minutes

Now lets move on to our discussion with the ads sdk list:

1. Google Mobile Ads

   Monetize your app with banner or interstitial ads from Google's vast pool of advertisers.

2. Amazon Mobile ads API

3. Startapp :

   • Ad Formats: Interstitial, Banners, Exits, Search Box and Splash Ads, 3D OfferWall Business Models: CPI

   • Bonus: Pay per download – if 10% of revenue earned is from InApp ads, you receive a 50% bonus on download revenue

4. Leadbolt :

   • Ad Formats: Floating, Audio, In-App Alerts, Banner, Interstitials, Overlays, Videos, App Wall
   • Business Models: eCPMs, RTB, CPI, CPE Bonus: NA

5. Appflood :

   • Ad Formats: Interstitials, More Games Menu, App Lists, Icon Ads, Notification, Custom Integration
   • Business Models: eCPMs
   • Bonus: Referral bonus is equal to 5% of whatever revenue those referred developers make on the network for the next 5 years

6. NativeX :

   • Ad Formats: Banner, Interstitial, Video, Rich Media, Offerwall
   • Business Models: eCPM, CPI, CPM, CPC, CPA
   • Bonus: Guarantee will increase a partner’s U.S. in-app ad revenue by at least 30% after the first 30 days. If 30% is not reached, NativeX will pay the partner $30,000.

7. Appia :

   • Ad Formats: OfferWall, Banner
   • Business Models: CPI
   • Bonus: NA

8. Epom Market :

   • Ad Formats: Interstitial, Banners, Rich Media,
   • Business Models: CPC, CPM, CPA, CPL
   • Bonus: Epom Market Referral Program

9. Airpush :

   • Ad Formats: Push, Icon, Banner, SmartWall, Rich Media, Overlay
   • Business Models: CPM, RTB
   • Bonus: NA

10. Appwiz :

    • Ad Formats: AppWall, Premium interstitials, Exit ads, In-app, Icon ads, Push notifications
    • Business Models: CPI, Pay Per Install
    • Bonus: NA

11. RevMob :

    • Ad Formats: Full Screen, Link, Banner, Pop Up
    • Business Models: eCPMs
    • Bonus: Referral Scheme

12. MobileCore :

    • Ad Formats: AppWall, Interstitials, Slider Ads
    • Business Models: eCPMs, CTR
    • Bonus: A $100 sign up bonus

13. AerServ :

    • Ad Formats: Video, Native, Banners, Virtual Currency, Rich Media
    • Business Models: CPMs
    • Bonus: Limited $250 sign up bonus

14. Appnext :

    • Ad Formats: More Games, Notifications, Interstitial
    • Business Models: eCPM
    • Bonus: NA

15. AppBrain :

    • Ad Formats: Interstitial, OfferWall, Banner
    • Business Models: CPI
    • Bonus: NA

16. Widdit :

    • Ad Formats: Interstitial, Banners
    • Business Models: CPC, CPI
    • Bonus: $50 welcome bonus upon sign up

17. MobiMicro :

    • Ad Formats: Display Ads
    • Business Models: CPC
    • Bonus: NA

18. AppKey :

    • Ad Formats: Banners, Interstitial, In-App Purchase
    • Business Models: CPI, CPC
    • Bonus: NA

19. AppOptim :

    • Ad Network Features - Ad Formats: Interstitial, Slide, Banner, Wall, Social
    • Business Models: CPI, CPC
    • Bonus: NA

20. StarApplication :

    • Ad Formats: Exit, Slide, Wall Ads, Banner, Interstitial
    • Business Models: eCPMs
    • Bonus: NA

21. Mobicow :

    • Ad Formats: Interstitials, Full Screen Ads
    • Business Models: CPM, eCPMs
    • Bonus: NA

22. Pingjam :

    • Ad Formats: Interstitials, Banners
    • Business Models: CPI, CPC
    • Bonus: NA

23. TapContext :

    • Ad Formats: Interstitial, Banner
    • Business Models: CPC, CPM
    • Bonus: $100 sign up bonus

24. InMobi :

    • Ad Formats: Rich Media, Banners, Native
    • Business Models: CPC
    • Bonus: NA

25. MiniMob :

    • Ad Formats: Interstitial, Icon, Ad Wall, Notifications, Tap-to-URL, Tap-to-Call, Tap-to-Text, Tap-to-Market
    • Business Models: CPC, CPM, CPAI
    • Bonus: NA