I was trying to figure out how i could sell my app on the iTunes store. When I came accross a annual fee of $99.00? Do I really need to pay this to post my app to the store?

Yes & No http://wp.me/p1ZRa7-3P Fred

Hi Speed Demon, Yes, you do need to pay the $99/yr to join the Apple Developer Program, which allows you to sell your app on iTunes. There is no other way around getting your app to be sold on iTunes. Yes, you can find other ways around getting your app on an Apple device, but it won't involve selling it through iTunes, and you'll have to manage all the sales stuff yourself, as well as dealing with people and their potentially jailbroken phones. If you think you have a decent app, at 99 cents a pop, you'll make your annual fee back in no time, and stay in the good graces of Apple while you're at it (not that I think iTunes is all that, but sometimes you've just gotta do what you've just gotta do!). Mark

If you want to be in the App Store you're going to have to pay Apple, small price in long run to be in the biggest store in world. Jailbreaking as Fred mentions will allow you to circumnavigate that but then you are restricted to others who have their phone jailbroken. I'm not against Jailbreaking by any stretch, do it for many friends and have done it on all my previous iPhones. Other option, if you are just going to do one app (you'll want to do more, trust me!) is to get a Dev from on here to submit for you. You lose so much control though, I'd beg, borrow or ask a rich aunt for the $99. If you have a good app idea that you plan on selling the $99 will be back in your pockets in no time.

I think that developing your app and using a jailbreak will allow you to develope your app to the point that eventually you'll join iTunes. Fred

Looks like we posted at the exact same time, to the minute GoNorthWest!

Haha, Thanks guys! That was really helpfull.

Wow...that's crazy, MacApple! We're getting way too much in sync...was just thinking at the same time I was posting how awesome a pizza would be! ;-)

Chicken, green peppers, mushrooms since you ask! Speed Demon Racing, keep us posted with your chosen course.

Alright will do.

What if we have one account that we share? Bad idea??

Problems, Problems, Problems. Far cheaper to pay $99, unless the coop was setup up properly. There's probably a way to do that profitably & comply with Apple's rules, but it'll take some serious effort to develope. Go with Testflight as an interm step towards iTunes.

Echo above, problems x3. Buzztouch is free so a wee $99 fee isn't going to hurt is it? There has to be a payment somewhere, you know?

If you plan on making more apps, and make sure they are of good quality - and keep improving your work, your sales will cover this expense in no time, I am sure. I stumbled onto buzztouch one year ago. Since then, I have had two apps on top of the paid apps ranking in the norwegian store - And I'm no expert :). As mentioned above - since BT is a free service, you have little to loose and alot to gain! And for the thousand time - Thank you buzztouch! We really can't praise the BT team enough, can we? :P

Hey don't compliment them, it just goes to their head, and they're unable to code for the next day or two. Thanks BT! Fred

Oh, you're right. I'll go get my whip

Hi Captain, Can you give a link for your tops apps? Were they made using Buzztouch? Cheers

Android is a free market post isn't it?

To posts apps to the Android Market you pay a one time fee of $25. Amazon did/is recently waive their fee Fred

Plus you can also send your apps via email, or post them on the web, or set up whatever sort of ecommerce site you want to sell them. That is certainly an advantage over iTunes, at least from the marketing by yourself perspective! Mark

So I can sell my app on my site? How would I go about doing this?

You could use a PayPal thing...maybe sell it on eBay (if they allow that sort of thing)...set up a Yahoo! Store. In the same ways that people sell other software on the Internet, you could do the same with your app. But...people are used to using Google Market or Amazon for buying this sort of thing. So, in the long run, it might hurt sales, and will most certainly reduce exposure, if you go that route. Something to consider. Mark

How would I post my application on my site and Google market?

Google Apps Marketplace - http://code.google.com/googleapps/marketplace/ For your site, all you need to do is post a link to the apk file, and when a user clicks on it, they will be prompted to install. Mark

This would be done threw my Mobile site correct? How would I charge for the app though (threw the site) if they can just click on the link to install it?

It just has to be a site accessible via the Internet. You could password protect it, make the page only visible if they pay money...tons of ways to do it. That's more of an ecommerce discussion, and there are probably tons of sites better suited to handle it than here. I would Google the subject and see what you come up with. But again...for sheer exposure and ease of getting your stuff online...if you are going to sell your app for money, can you really go wrong using Google Marketplace? And Amazon Appstore is free for a year if you join now! https://developer.amazon.com/welcome.html Mark

Ok thanks mark I'll give it a go and see what comes of it!

Sweet! Good luck, and let us know what you decide, so we can all learn! Mark

I went ahead and created a buy it now button on my site. But I'm not really sure how to set it up for when someone purchases it? I know Mark you said I could just send them a link, how do I go about creating a link to my file? Do I have to put the code on my site then send them the link to that page?

Password protect app, buying app sends password via email?

You can also send them the app via email, and they can click on it from their phone (assuming they get email on their phone), and install it that way. Or, create an HTML page where one of the links is to the apk file itself. Mark

Do I set up the link to the apk file? Do you mean run a link to where the file is located on my computer?

Post the apk on dropbox, and use the dropbox linked. But if you're charging you'll need to password protect or lock/unlock the app otherwise people could share the link. Fred

Hi Speed Demon, I'm talking about setting up a link to an apk file that is located on the web somewhere, or in a public folder on DropBox like Fred suggests. Here's what the HTML code would look like (minus quotes, because the forums strips them out): <html> <head><title>Android Test Deployment</title></head> <body> <table border=1> <tr> <td> <a href=http://www.somewhere.com/Cool_App.apk><img src=Cool_App.png></a> </td> <td align=center> Cool App<br> Click Image to Install </td> </tr> </table> </body> </html> Let us know if that helps! Mark

What I think I can do is send the link via Email and have them down load it that way. Do you know that if they were to download on there computer if they would be able to transfer it (user friendly) to there phone?

Btw- Thanks for the code Mark, but my HTML and CSS is rusty so creating an script would be way to much of a hasle for me haha.

Use the MySkylla - Buzztouch method http://wp.me/p1ZRa7-98 Fred

Hi Speed Demon Racing. What type of app is it? No need to tell me, but if it's for 16 to 30yo market, entertainment, gaming etc, you could try a content locker. No need to have the hassle of setting up paypal, encrypting links, https and all the rest, and you'd be giving it away for free but earning money from it. Just google 'CPA content locking' and there are a ton of networks. I can't really recommend a network as I don't know what your app's about. Just a thought. It's a simple solution till you remove the html and css rust!

Fred- Whats the MySkylla - Busstouch method? raveyd- Thanks! That actually sounds like a good idea! This app is more or less for my sponsored customers where they can go on it and order there parts, quick link to the company mobile site, check the forum and blog and other things. The app is for 18 and up since you must be 18 (in minnesota) to sign the contract to get sponsored. Do you recommend a network that would be good for something like that??

That's a bit different SDR. Lockers are good for entertainment type apps, as the adverts on the lockers are usually entertainment based and match the casual 16-30yo demogaphic. An app like yours with that sort of interactivity and existing customer base probably wouldn't be the best match for a content locking solution. From knowing a bit more about your app, it's got to be paypal. If you've got a wordpress blog, integration really is simple, you can get plugins where you just need to enter your paypal email and use a short code on your post. If you haven't got wordpress, just go directly to paypal, it really is just copy and paste stuff to get a basic payment button working.

Well I have a payment type set up on my site (threw paypal actually) the problem Im facing is once the app is puchased from a customer, what would be the the best way to get the app to the purchaser fast and simple. But allow me the security that they can't just send the app to a friend or share there's.

Oops, forgot to give the link. http://wp.me/p1ZRa7-98

Thanks!

Where is the custom HTML text link?

Just updated the post, and I'll continue to update, so save the link and check back frequently. Fred