Free App Revenue Calculator
Estimate your app revenue across ads, subscriptions, IAP, and freemium with realistic benchmarks.
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How to Estimate Mobile App Revenue
Pick the Right Monetization Model
Match your model to user behavior. High-frequency casual apps lean on ads. Recurring-value apps use subscriptions. Games often combine IAP with rewarded ads. Most successful apps use 1-2 models — adding a third dilutes your funnel.
Project Realistic User Growth
Most apps never cross 10k MAU. A realistic indie launch is 1k-25k MAU in year 1. Top quartile apps hit 100k MAU within 18 months. Use a 30-50% monthly growth rate for the first 6 months, decaying to 5-15% as you mature.
Apply Industry Benchmarks
Use median benchmarks not top-1% case studies. Banner CPM $0.50-2, interstitial $3-7, rewarded $10-20. Subscription conversion 1-5% freemium or 10-30% trial. IAP paying users 2-10%. Apply geography weighting — US/UK/AU users earn 3-5x emerging markets.
Factor In Retention
Day 1 retention 40%, Day 7 20%, Day 30 10% are typical for consumer apps. Top quartile is roughly double those numbers. Compounding retention over time means revenue growth lags user acquisition by 3-6 months as cohorts mature.
Stress-Test Your Model
Cut your conversion rate in half. Triple your churn. Halve your CPM. If revenue is still meaningful, your model is robust. If it collapses, your unit economics are too dependent on a single optimistic assumption — fix that before you build.
Mobile App Monetization Models Compared
The four primary ways mobile apps make money — when each model fits, and what you should expect.
| Model | Best For | Typical ARPU | Tradeoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ads | Casual games, content, utilities | $0.05–$2/mo | Needs scale; low per-user revenue |
| Subscriptions | Fitness, productivity, learning | $1–$15/mo | Higher LTV; needs strong retention |
| In-App Purchases | Games, content unlocks, cosmetics | $0.20–$5/mo | Whales drive most revenue; needs design |
| Freemium | SaaS-style apps, productivity | $0.50–$10/mo | Best LTV; clear upgrade trigger needed |
Realistic App Revenue Benchmarks
Industry-standard CPM, ARPU, and conversion benchmarks. Use medians, not top-1% outliers.
| Metric | Median | Top Quartile | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banner CPM | $0.80 | $2.00 | US 3-5x emerging markets |
| Interstitial CPM | $4.00 | $7.00 | Show 1 per session max |
| Rewarded video CPM | $12.00 | $20.00 | Highest CPM, opt-in only |
| Subscription conversion | 2% | 5% | Freemium → paid |
| Trial-to-paid conversion | 15% | 30% | Free trial → subscription |
| Monthly churn | 7% | 3% | Lower for annual plans |
| IAP paying users | 4% | 10% | Of MAU who pay |
| Average IAP value | $3 | $8 | Per transaction |
| Day 30 retention | 8% | 20% | Top apps cross 30% |