Which App Store Is Right For Me?
As of mid-February 2010, the WIP App Store Wiki is tracking almost 50 app stores. Which one is right for your app? There are a few things to consider when deciding where to market your app:
- - What platform(s) the app works on (i.e. Android, Java, S60, BREW, etc.)
- - What geographic areas you wish to target - What operators you wish to target
- - What type of app it is (game, e-book, business, adult, etc.)
The most obvious way app stores are segmented is via platform—think of the iTunes App Store for iPhones, Android Market for Android devices, and so on. While these are a couple of the “official” app stores for these platforms, there are often multiple app stores serving a single platform. For instance, BlackBerry users can get apps from the official BlackBerry App World, but they can also download apps from GetJar. In order to maximize your download possibilities, you may want to put your app in multiple stores.
It’s also important to think about where your target users are, and what the operators serving those areas are. For instance, if you’re targeting users in India, you should target app stores run by operators there (such as Airtel App Central) as well as platform-specific app stores. Finally, you should consider what type of content your app is. For example, many app stores won’t allow adult content, but there are some stores that are only adult content (such as MiKandi). Other stores are targeted at other markets, like AppCentral, which hosts enterprise-focused and productivity apps. Also keep in mind that different app stores have different submission processes, rules, revenue shares and billing/payment policies—so be sure to read all the fine print before you submit!