iOS How many copies can a "popular" 99-cent app sell?

[BDog]

Hi all,

I am considering developing for the iPhone but I am trying to decide first how profitable it can be. Can anybody offer figures on how many downloads a "popular" 99 cent app can generate?

If an app catches on, is it reasonable to assume 10,000 downloads? How about 100,000? Again, I am talking about reasonably popular apps, priced at 99 cents or so.

I know it varies GREATLY but I'm just trying to get a rough idea before I invest my own money in development. I've read the app store has over 1 billion downloads to date but I assume the majority are free downloads. Does anybody know the ratio between free and paid downloads?

What is YOUR experience? Has anybody here achieved greater than 10,000 downloads from the app store?


Thanks in advance!
Barry

 

[firewood]

Define "popular".

Note that with over 50k paid apps in the store, the percentage of apps on the Main Top 100 Paid Apps list is around 0.002%. An app can be in the top 10% of popularity in category, and still nowhere on the charts.

ymmv.

 

[Jeremy1026]

With something like 30million iPhone OS devices, a popular app can sell up to 30 million copies.

 

[firewood]

You don't even need an iPhone OS device to buy apps. Anyone with an iTunes account could by a copy. That's over 75 million IIRC.

 

[sammich]

Well, Flight Control has recently sold over 1.5 million copies...

You don't even need an iPhone OS device to buy apps. Anyone with an iTunes account could by a copy. That's over 75 million IIRC.

100 million accounts on iTunes with Credit Cards as reported by Steve at the iPod Event.