Monetising a mobile application is an important step for any developer or entrepreneur wishing to make a profit from their project. Since 2024, applications have generated more than 935 billion dollars worldwide, and this figure is expected to continue to grow in 2025, with a projected 613 billion dollars solely on user spending. So you understand the importance of choosing the right approaches to transform your mobile application into a sustainable source of income. This article presents you with tried-and-tested strategies and practical tips for maximising the profitability of your project, whatever your sector of activity.
Monetising a mobile application
For monetising a mobile applicationThere are several business models to choose from: in-app advertising, in-app purchases, subscriptions, freemium, sponsorship and partnerships. By 2025, around 70 % of revenues of applications will come from in-app purchases and subscriptions, compared with 20 % for advertising and 10 % for sponsorship. You need to adapt your strategy according to your audience, the category of your mobile application (games, utilities, education, health) and the expectations of your users. In this section, find out about the main methods for making your project profitable and maximising revenue.
1. Choosing the right business model
The choice of business model is crucial to the financial success of your business. mobile application. The main options are as follows:
- Freemium + integrated purchases The aim is to offer a basic free version with advanced paid features. In 2024, freemium applications represented 35 % of revenues of the games market guarana-technologies.comapptree.fr.
- Subscription Subscription-based applications: offering ongoing access to your content or services via a monthly or annual subscription. Subscription-based applications have generated 60 % of revenue in the streaming and productivity sectors in 2024 guarana-technologies.com.
- In-app advertising The key is to integrate rewarded banners, interstitials or videos. Advertising spend per mobile Internet user is expected to reach 59,23 $ in 2025, with the United States in the lead. 147.50 billion $ in the mobile advertising sector publift.com.
- Sponsorship and partnerships working with brands to insert sponsored content, special offers or product placements. This method currently accounts for around 10 % of revenues global applications guarana-technologies.com.
Each of these models has its strengths and limitations. A freemium model with integrated purchases is particularly suitable for games and productivity applications, as it enables a large audience to be attracted with a free version, and then monetised for committed users. The subscription model is relevant for streaming services, learning platforms or health/fitness applications, where the perceived value of the subscription justifies recurring payment. Advertising remains an interesting option for applications with a very large audience, but it requires substantial traffic to be profitable. As for sponsorship, this is well suited to themed applications with a niche audience and a strong affinity with the partner brand.
2. In-app advertising: maximise your profits without damaging the user experience
The integration of in-app advertising must be carefully calibrated so as not to degrade the user experience. You can opt for different formats, each with its own advantages:
- Static banners They are not very intrusive and generate small but steady revenues.
- Award-winning videos Users agree to watch a video in exchange for a reward (credits, bonus, unlocked content). In 2024, the videos rewarded represented 30 % advertising revenues for gaming applications publift.com.
- Full-screen interstitials The 'pop-ups' are highly visible, but can be annoying if misplaced. Schedule them, for example, at the end of a game session or between two levels.
- Native advertising integrated more seamlessly into the content. It offers a better click-through rate, but requires greater personalisation. In 2024, the eCPM (revenue per thousand impressions) for the winning videos was 12,50 $against 1,20 $ for classic banners publift.com.
To implement advertising, work with recognised advertising networks (AdMob, Unity Ads, AppLovin) and test several partners to determine which offers the best eCPM for your audience. Be careful not to overload your application with ads, as too many can lead to rapid uninstallation. Balance is the key: place ads at opportune moments (end of session, natural breaks) and use award-winning videos to maintain a positive commitment. When you combine in-app advertising and other sources of revenue (integrated purchases, subscriptions), you diversify your monetisation portfolio and reduce your dependency on a single source.
3. Subscriptions and freemium: building loyalty and increasing lifetime value
The model by subscription is particularly well suited to applications offering evolving content, regular updates or exclusive services. To convince users to subscribe, you need to offer a differentiated experience and clear added value:
- Exclusive content access to premium articles, video courses or advanced features (additional filters, in-depth analyses).
- Frequent updates New features and patches on an ongoing basis to show that the application is evolving.
- Dedicated community forums, private groups or webinars reserved for subscribers.
In 2024, subscription-based applications led to an increase of 25 % retention rate after six months, compared with 10 % for non-subscription applications guarana-technologies.com. To maximise support, offer a free trial period from 7 to 14 days. This allows users to test your service before making a financial commitment. You can also offer several subscription levels with a lower monthly rate and a more advantageous annual rate, thus encouraging long-term subscriptions. The freemium model is often based on a subscription model: users start with free features and, if they want access to advanced options, they take out a monthly or annual subscription. This strategy enables you to attract massive numbers of downloads while turning the most committed users into paying subscribers.
4. In-app purchases: optimising user conversion
The in-app purchases are particularly profitable in games and utility applications. These purchases can take several forms:
- Virtual goods in-game currency, cosmetic items and temporary boosts. According to Statista, the average income from a mobile application based on in-app purchases can vary between 1,000 and €300,000 per monthdepending on the size of the user base and the relevance of the goods on offer netdevices.fr.
- Pay features premium filters in a photo application, advanced tools in a productivity application.
- Additional content extra chapters in a reading application or bonus levels in a game.
To increase conversion, personalise offers according to user behaviour: offer virtual goods when the user is likely to buy (for example, when a player completes a difficult level). Visit in-app purchases can generate up to 55 % of revenues for a typical gaming application in 2024 guarana-technologies.comapptree.fr. Make sure you clearly communicate the added value of each purchase and offer time-limited promotions to create a sense of urgency. Adding personalised suggestions, based on usage history, also improves click-through rates and average shopping baskets. The aim is to make the shopping experience as seamless and instantaneous as possible, minimising friction at every stage of the process.
5. Sponsorship and partnerships: diversifying your sources of income
If your mobile application benefits from a specific and committed audience, the sponsoring can be an interesting source of revenue. In this model, you work with a brand to integrate sponsored content, promotional offers or exclusive events. The benefits are many:
- Enhanced credibility A recognised brand adds legitimacy to your application.
- Stable income Partnerships can be concluded over several months, guaranteeing a recurring source of income.
- Greater commitment exclusive offers for users, such as promo codes and sneak previews.
To negotiate a partnership, present precise data on your audience (demographics, average time spent on the application, retention rate). Brands are looking to reach a qualified audience, and a mobile application with a high rate of engagement (over 30 % daily active users) is particularly attractive apptree.fr. Identify brands whose values match yours and those of your community. Offer a variety of formats: sponsored articles, co-branded mini-games, virtual events or co-marketing schemes. In exchange, the brand can pay you a lump sum, a percentage of the sales generated or a fixed amount per advertising impression.
6. Optimising user acquisition and retention
To maximise the profitability of your mobile applicationIn addition to monetising existing users, you also need to acquire new ones and develop their loyalty. There are several levers at your disposal:
- App Store Optimization (ASO) : work on your titles, keywords, descriptions and screenshots to improve your visibility in the App Store and Google Play foxdata.com.
- Paid acquisition campaigns Google UAC, Facebook Ads, TikTok Ads. In 2024, spending on user acquisition on mobile will reach 75 billion $with a Cost per installation (CPI) means of 1,22 $ in the United States foxdata.com.
- Influencer marketing Collaborate with content creators to promote your application to their community.
- Sponsorship programme Invite your users to invite their friends in exchange for rewards (free credits, unlocked features).
Retention is just as essential as acquisition. Statistics show that an increase of 5 % retention rate resulted in an increase in revenues of 25 to 95 % guarana-technologies.com. To improve retention, use push notifications to remind users of key features, offer personalised deals and regularly update your application with new content. Visit de-installation rate for new applications is 80 % within 90 days following installation, which underlines the need to maintain a constant commitment foxdata.com. By combining acquisition and retention, you can maximise the lifetime value (LTV) of each user and optimise the return on investment (ROI) of your marketing campaigns.
7. Continuous measurement, analysis and optimisation
La monetization a mobile application is not a static process. You have to constantly "test, measure and adjust":
- KPI monitoring These include the conversion rate for in-app purchases, average revenue per user (ARPU), lifetime value (LTV), user acquisition cost (UAC) and retention rate.
- A/B testing A/B testing: test different versions of shopping pop-ups, ad placements, subscription tiers and promotional offers. In 2024, applications carrying out regular A/B tests recorded growth of 20 % of their income guarana-technologies.com.
- User feedback Gather feedback (App Store, Google Play, in-app surveys) to understand the sticking points and the strengths. Adjust your monetisation strategy based on feedback to preserve the user experience.
- Competitive analysis Keep an eye on industry trends, study the new revenue models adopted by similar applications and adapt your offerings to stay competitive.
Thanks to analytical tools (Firebase, Appsflyer, Adjust), you can monitor the performance of your monetisation features in real time. Identify the most profitable user segments and direct your efforts towards these targets. Continuous optimisation means you can quickly identify opportunities for improvement and react before the competition takes the lead.
Conclusion
Effectively monetise your mobile application requires a strategy that combines several approaches: in-app advertising, integrated shopping, subscriptions, sponsoring and partnershipswhile optimisingacquisition and the retention of users. In 2025, the market for mobile applications will still be extremely competitive, but the revenues generated (more than 935 billion $ in 2024) show that the opportunities are immense if the right strategy is adopted. buildfire.com.
You need to analyse your target audience, test different business models and continuously measure the effectiveness of each lever. Visit monetising a mobile application is above all a detailed understanding of your users' behaviour and the use of analytical tools to quickly adjust your actions. By combining creativity, scientific rigour and listening to your customers, you will maximise the chances of making your project profitable and ensuring its longevity.
¹ Buildfire, "Mobile App Download Statistics & Usage Statistics (2025)" (March 2025) buildfire.com
² Publift, "12 effective strategies for monetising mobile applications" (April 2025) publift.com
³³ Netdevices, "What is the profitability of a mobile application in 2025? netdevices.fr
⁴ Guaraná Technologies, "Is mobile app development profitable?" (January 2025). guarana-technologies.comapptree.fr
⁵ AppTree, "The mobile app market: 2025, a record year" (November 2024) apptree.fr
⁶ FoxData, "Mobile user acquisition in 2025: trends and forecasts" (November 2024). foxdata.com Net
