Poll: iOS developers how many apps have you published? | Hacker News Reader

Poll: iOS developers how many apps have you published?

27 pointsmsencenb47 comments

I've been really torn on this one.

I don't like the direction Apple is taking for software development. I don't want our field to be one where every product and idea is at the mercy of some other company's approval. Even worse, I don't like how Apple is setting a precedent that all the other platforms are so eagerly following.

However, I can't seem to break away from buying Apple products. I tried going the Ubuntu route with a Lenovo x201, but had endless problems with both the software and hardware. The laptop would shutdown every time I closed the lid (even after multiple firmware updates and beta kernels). I missed my ability to print anything to Evernote as a PDF. I missed how the default Mac OS keybindings use Command over Ctrl. On Linux/Windows, any time I view a page with Flash it intercepts the Ctrl key preventing me from quickly opening and closing browser tabs. It's a very old netscape plugin bug, but Apple nicely sidesteps it by using the Command key instead.

So, while I can't break free of Apple products just yet (though I want to), I draw the line at developing applications that help fuel the environment they've setup.

Anyone willing to post how much they're actually making from what they have out there?

I get about $180 a month, but it's from Android apps, not iOS.

I have three paid apps ($1,$1,$5) and a couple more free ones. I average around $200/month.

8 total on the App store. Only 4 paid: $1, $1, $2.99, $4.99, make around $900-1200/month.

I have 8 priced at $1.99, same app different content, making about $225/day

Is that each or total?

I wish each! $225 total with one bringing in more than half and three that don't do too much.

One paid, one free. The paid averages $300/day with a low of $117 and a high of $2102.

I have about 10 apps out there, and averaging $3 a day. So it's not automatically a gold mine.

Since the App Store opened, between DS Media Labs and Apperian, I have published or helped publish 70+ apps. This of course includes applications for clients.

Apps (Products) for DS Media Labs - 11 Apps for clients through DS Media Labs - ~50 Apps for clients through Apperian - 10

I have published most apps as a team, but I would say its fair to say at least a quarter were 100% just me. But how many apps you done, does not say really a lot. It's how many of the apps have had depth and were designed well that really counts.

Just put out my first one two weeks ago: http://freshcomics.us

Got bored while waiting for Apple's approval, and started the Android version, which landed in the Android Market 3 days after Apple accepted the iOS version.

I have 3 iOS apps in the pipeline at the moment. I put development of one on pause while Apple figures out if it'll be taxing SaaS apps.

Personally, 3 apps. The rest are for my clients.

Just released the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Went to #1 in reference and #4 in Top Free.

I've published 4 on my own so far, 3 of which are still on the store:

1. Dayta for iPhone: http://daytaapp.com/

2. Color Stream: http://colorstreamapp.com/

3. Taxi Lah!: http://taxilah.com/ (for Singapore only)

Out of curiosity, why did you do a specific app for Singapore?

Presumably because he lives there (or was contracted to do it by someone who does) and whatever API/system taxis use there is probably not the same as one used anywhere else.

I used to live there.

I have what's at http://chpwn.com/apps, but I don't consider most of them enough of an "app" in the traditional sense. I put up "four", but that's just a random guesstimate of how much the work I've put in would translate into actual apps.

Nobody said developing for jailbroken phones was easy! ;P

http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?chs=300x225&cht=p&...

Released my first one last week.

1. Littlecosm: Fallen: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/littlecosm-fallen/id420245009...

Made with Corona SDK!

For those of you who have published, what do you think? Is the amount that you're making commensurate at all with the effort that you put in? Would you do it again/are you continuing to write more?

My first iOS app (under my own name as opposed to a freelance job, of which I've done a couple) was approved a couple days into February, and I look to be on track to have made about $200 from it this month.

I wrote it over a weekend when I most definitely would have otherwise been spending that time browsing HN or watching television. With that in mind I feel like I have still gotten a net positive value out of the time, because I'd rather have $200 and the satisfaction of having made something people wanted, as opposed to $0 and the feeling of uselessness after having burned a weekend loafing around.

I find the rate you get for 3rd party development to be in excess of the median amount you expect for apps. (There are lots of crap apps and a few hits, so I'm sure the mean is higher).

I definitely do some of both though.

Still working on my first one to be published. I have a rejected app as well but it was really borderline and I knew it had very little chances of being accepted, so I put as little work as I could into it. I liked that someone from Apple actually asked to talk to me on the phone to notify me of my rejection :)

There is a webapp version of my app that works nice on the iphone after you save to the home screen here: http://romulusetrem.us/randomhead/

I've published about 10 apps so far, but only the games Strikes ( http://bit.ly/playstrikes ) and Missile Master ( http://bit.ly/mmtrailer ) have seen much sales so far. Being a one man shop located in Malaysia, it's not been easy to get noticed in the US app store, which is still by far the most important market (and the most competitive).

Also a one man shop in an Asian country. Can I mail you for more info?

Sure go ahead. Been wondering if a collaboration between indies is a way to go to get noticed.

email id? Don't see anything in your profile.

My contact info is on http://javelin.com.my

I don't think it maters much where you are located. Getting noticed in the app store is next to impossible. :-(

I've published 4 in total, all developed using MonoTouch. Two are personal projects:

1 - Quicklytics - http://escoz.com/quicklytics - Google analytics app

2 - Githubby - http://escoz.com/githubby - free github client

A third is for a client (Clubtix.com), and the last for a large consulting corporation that I can't name.

About 40 (of which many just different skin or content of the same app) between ours and for clients. Lately focusing on SyncPad.

First big one, http://www.teaapp.com, rounding third. Should be out by pi day.

Beautiful site!

Is the poll intended to include apps created for clients, who then published them under their own accounts? Or only apps published by the developer directly?

For me: 5+ I've written for clients. Written a few demos and POC's for myself and clients, not submitted to the store. Nothing self-published directly.

Just one - http://sws.cc/ , and a couple more on the way.

I'm using http://openframeworks.cc instead Objective C, and so far very happy with it.

I have a few, but only 2 that I did as something serious. Unbroken Chain http://goo.gl/u4W93 and Epic Biking http://goo.gl/v0PVi

I probably shouldn't have left off Wetwork http://goo.gl/765BF

But I won't consider that one serious until I finally get the update approved. Why is it so much harder to get an update approved than the original app?

12 A steady, but not high, income comes in each month, the vast majority of the money fromsomething like 4 of them.

Unless I actually had a hit, I would have to publish something like 50-100 to have a livable income.

Six that I can recall, all with Spark Plug Games (This doesn't count lite versions)--

1. iSlap

2. DQ Craze

3. Witch's Workshop

4. Aya Go

5. Lost in Time: The Clockwork Tower

6. Puzzle Quest 2

One of my own (which is horribly out of date, so I won't post a link), and two for clients. Also one prototype for a client that was only for shopping around to investors, so not counted in the total.

8 on my store, 1 for a group I'm in, 2 for a company, and a few in development.

Only one or two actually make me any money (besides the freelance checks).

10 so far. But I'm a consultant so it's not surprising.

Published my first iOS app (ListMe) a week ago: http://bit.ly/hnNPOM

Two. I'm in a slump now, though... I need another good app idea.

Do apps prior to the official SDK count? If so, I'm at 30+. :)

I have published a library, but no apps.

I have 1. Working on a couple others.

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