Types of apps that generate the most traffic and revenue

by Jerry S. Jerry Stark is a professional writer and publisher

Making an app has never been easier. Whether you hire a developer for this project or take on the challenge and build it yourself, you can release a good product. However, one huge impediment that keeps entrepreneurs from successfully applying the app business model is choosing a niche to focus on. Deciding the app category is easier said than done, precisely because there are so many options and success stories exist in each one. More than that, the niche also determines your type of features and marketing strategy. So, if your dream is to make it to the top most downloaded, but you’re still not sure with what app exactly, here are some ideas to get you started.

Utilities

Developing a utilities app might not sound very glamorous compared to games or social networks, but this type of app is a safe bet for two reasons: one, the niche is less competitive compared to the other categories where the major players are and two, there is always a huge demand for them. Within this large niche, you can choose from several sub-categories: virus cleaners, phone speed boosters, Internet speed checkers, calculators, flashlights, keyboards, archive utilities and other such tools that enhance phone functionality. The most popular apps in this category have up to 50 million downloads, so monetization opportunities exist even if you offer your app for free.

Productivity apps

More and more people are using their phones to be more productive and rely on apps more than they do on pen and paper. If you’re thinking of this category, then the most profitable examples to keep in mind include: calculators, time trackers, notes apps, mobile CRM systems, cloud filesharing apps, planners and text editors. At first sight, it might appear that the productivity category isn’t that profitable because the downloads number is smaller, but a great percentage of the ones who browse it is made up of executives and business people who want to organize their time better and are willing to invest in paid apps. Although the highest grossing productivity apps are made by large enterprises, there is also enough room for small developers to grow too.

News

Maybe it’s because of the decreasing reliability of TV news channels or the lack of the time to watch them, but mobile apps are changing the way people read the news. Only a small category of the population chooses to tune in to watch the news on TV in the evening and prefer to stay up to date through their phones. News readers are the most popular, because they aggregate all the news from fields that each user is interested in- from tech and celebrities to politics and healthcare. Users thus have access to curated content, they can improve the relevancy of the news they receive by upvoting and downvoting suggestions and, most importantly, they can opt for receiving push-up notifications as soon as something happens. News readers are a great business model and the profit margin is not to be neglected.

Games

When thinking about apps, games are one of the first things that come to mind. In fact, most entrepreneurs choose to make their app store debut by launching a game, inspired by huge success stories such as Candy Crush, Clash of Clans, or Subway Surfer. However, it’s not easy to make it big in the games category, because competition is fierce and you need a considerable budget to make sure that you release a good, stable game. Most games fail weeks after launch as a result of poor exposure and bad reviews, so game development is not child’s play. One way of succeeding is to choose a very specific niche within the gaming category, one that is popular among connoisseurs, but less competitive. Although the highest grossing games are puzzles and RPGs, they are very expensive to make, you’ll have to fight side by side with the big developers and your game may not receive enough exposure. For example, you might have better chances of succeeding with an educational game or a trivia-based one.

Social apps

On paper, social apps generate the highest revenue in app stores, but keep in mind that’s because of apps such as Facebook and Twitter. This category does have a profit potential and that doesn’t mean you have to invent the next huge social network. What you can do, however, is create an app that expands on the functionality of a social network. For example, a tool that creates auto hashtags, schedules social media posts or notifies users when someone unfollows them. They are easier to make, belong in the social sphere, but they do not compete with the most popular apps that are impossible to beat.

Lifestyle

Last but not least, Lifestyle is a huge category that you can delve into. This is actually one of the categories that many young entrepreneurs start with, because it allows them to monetize their hobbies or interests. For example, if you’re a vegan, you can make a vegan recipe app. If you’re into fitness and weight loss, think about a calorie tracking app. Other options include daily quotes apps, journals, meditation apps, horoscopes, period trackers, mood diaries and much more. If you are passionate about a certain field, building an app around can become the start of a promising business and bring more revenue than you initially expected, so don’t discard the Lifestyle category.