Why You Should Buy Apps

Where smartphone app stores are concerned, there are two kinds of people: those who spend money on smartphone apps, and those who don’t. Until recently, I was firmly in the latter category. I mean, with all of the apps that you can download for free on virtually any app store, why would you spend actual money on an app? Ridiculous, I said. But, is it? I have purchased apps in the past, most recently spending $0.99 to upgrade to the Pro version of Authentic Weather. And, despite my stance of spending money on apps being a waste of time, buying that app felt good. As I tried to convince my friends that the app was worth a measly $0.99 it made me reconsider why you should purchase apps, and being a typical woman I abruptly changed my mind. I think everyone should pay for apps, and here’s why:

It’s not as expensive as you think

Chances are, when you look through the app store and see the little green “$0.99” button, you immediately scroll past. “I don’t want to spend a full dollar on an app!” You think. But, really, what is a dollar? It certainly isn’t worth as much as you think it is. In today’s economy, you can’t buy much for a dollar. Maybe a pack of gum, but pretty much everything else is going to run you $2 or more.

I took a peek at the top 40 paid apps in Google Play before writing this article and found that roughly 35% of the top 40 apps cost less than a dollar. More than half cost $3 or less. Just think about it this way: you don’t hesitate to spend that much money on a drink at a restaurant. And once you drink it or once you leave, that money is gone. With an app, you’ll get easily twice the value. You’ll own that app forever. Isn’t that worth more than a soda?

Support the developers

For me, the biggest draw is to support the developers of apps that I like. When I upgraded to the Pro version of Authentic Weather, which granted me a couple of extra features (most of which I don’t really use all that much), it felt really good because it allowed me to say thanks to the makers of such a fun little app. I use that app nearly every day and it always makes me smile. Isn’t that worth $0.99? Besides, I like to think that money will help the makers know that I not only use and appreciate the app, but that it will spur them to make more cool apps. I know that developers don’t see very much of the profits from that $0.99 I spent, but every little bit counts!

You’ll get more value

If nothing else, spending money on apps that you use frequently can really increase the value and usability of these apps. Many “pro” versions remove annoying pop-up or banner advertisements, and a lot of them them also provide additional features or capabilities.

It’s better than in-app purchases

In-app purchases are the devil, and I dearly wish that they weren’t even a thing that developers could offer. It’s a slippery slope of money wasting, no matter how you look at it. Whenever I get to a point that requires an in-app purchases, I immediately uninstall.

However, a lot of times games that require users to purchase the app upfront don’t require in-app purchases to play, because you’re already supporting the developers by buying the app. Granted, this isn’t always the case, but in my experience, most of the in-app purchases on paid games are not necessary to enjoy the game–they’re more like perks. I would rather buy the game once than have to engage in a bunch of micro transactions. And supporting developers by buying apps supports that stance.

Overall, I personally think that we should all start downloading and buying apps. I think it’s better for everyone, although I admit I still hesitate on apps that cost more than about $3 (which is roughly a third of the apps in the paid section of Google Play). How about you? Do you shop exclusively in the “free” section of the app store?]]>