Apple App Store vs. Google Play: Which is right for your App?

If you’re choosing to publish your App on just the one platform, either Apple App Store or Google Play Store, you need to consider which one is best for your App. Unless you’ve already done your research, it can be a difficult decision. There are various factors to consider when choosing between Apple iOS and Android Apps, so I’ve done the hard work for you. In this post, I’ll highlight the factors you need to consider…

Firstly, these two companies account for over 90% of the smartphone market share.

Although Android currently dominates market share at over 80% (while Apple iOS sits at about 15%), Apple iOS dominates the profit share, generating 85% more revenue for App developers than Android.

Differences in User Demographics

Even though there are more people using Android devices around the world, Apple users are spending much more money in the App Store than Android users in Google Play.

The central reason for this is that Apple only sells premium products with a substantial price tag, whereas the Android OS can be found on a huge range of devices, and a lot of them are very moderately priced.

In result of this, Apple users usually have more disposable income and are often more engaged with Apple’s technology compared to the average Android user.

Android tablets, for example, sell at a small fraction of the cost of, say, an iPad. Because of this, parents have started buying Android tablets for their children. Therefore, if you’re releasing an App for kids, Android is the best bet.

Apple users are also more loyal than Android users. Apple users tend to stay with Apple and are less likely to switch to different operating systems.

62% of iPhone users are satisfied with their device compared to only 48% of Android users.

To help you make the choice between Apple and Android, here are some more factors to consider…

If you’re planning on making money through In-App purchases or charging for your App, Apple has the advantage. Apple generates 45% more revenue per user from In-App purchases than Google does from In-App purchases on Android. iOS users are also 10% more likely than Android users to make an In-App purchase.

In addition to this, the spending power of Apple users is almost 5x higher than Android users. Hence why App developers focus on building for iOS first.

If you’re making a retail App, Apple also has the advantage. iPhone users are more likely to make a purchase from their phone.

23% of mobile shoppers are iPhone users, whereas 17% are Android users. Additionally, iPhone users are 15% more likely to visit online retail sites from their mobile phone.

Clearly, Android and Apple both have their advantages and disadvantages. Apple users are more engaged and loyal but Android allows you to reach a broader audience… What ever you decide, make sure it’s right for your App!