About the App Revenue Calculator
This app revenue calculator estimates how much a mobile app earns each month and year after store fees. It combines the three main ways apps make money: paid downloads, in-app purchases or subscriptions from a share of active users, and advertising revenue based on impressions and eCPM.
Indie developers can use it to size an idea before building, product managers to test pricing or monetization changes, and founders to build a simple revenue model for investors. Every figure is an input, so you can plug in your own analytics or conservative assumptions.
Apple and Google take a commission on paid downloads and digital in-app purchases — a standard 30%, reduced to 15% for developers in the small-business programmes, for Google Play subscriptions from day one and for App Store subscriptions after a subscriber’s first year. Ad revenue goes through an ad network, not the store, so the store fee is not applied to it. Taxes and ad-network terms vary and are not modelled.
With the default inputs, the net monthly revenue is $20,491.50. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the app revenue calculator
- 1Enter new downloads per month and the download price (0 for free apps).
- 2Enter monthly active users and the percentage who pay.
- 3Enter average monthly spend per paying user.
- 4Pick the store commission that applies to you.
- 5Add ad impressions per user and eCPM if the app shows ads, then read net revenue.
Formula and method
Purchase revenue is the number of paying users (a percentage of monthly active users) times what each spends per month, whether that is a subscription or in-app purchases. Paid-download revenue is new downloads times the app price. The store commission is deducted from both.
Advertising revenue is total impressions — MAU times impressions per user — divided by 1,000 and multiplied by the eCPM your ad network pays. Annual revenue is simply the monthly figure times 12, assuming users and rates stay flat.
- MAU
- Monthly active users
- eCPM
- Effective ad revenue per 1,000 impressions
- IAP
- In-app purchase and subscription revenue
Worked examples
Freemium app with ads and a $9.99 subscription
2% of 50,000 MAU is 1,000 subscribers paying $9.99, or $9,990 gross; a 15% fee leaves $8,491.50. Ads add 50,000 × 60 ÷ 1,000 × $4 = $12,000, for about $20,492 a month or $245,898 a year.
Paid app, no ads or purchases
5,000 downloads at $2.99 bring $14,950 in sales. After the 15% store commission ($2,242.50) the developer keeps $12,707.50 a month.
Large game at the 30% commission
6,000 payers spending $6.99 give $41,940, of which 30% ($12,582) goes to the store. 18 million ad impressions at a $6 eCPM earn $108,000, so net revenue is about $137,358 a month.
Frequently asked questions
How much do apps make per download?+
It varies enormously by category and monetization. Free apps often earn a few cents to a few dollars per download over their lifetime from ads and purchases; paid apps earn their price minus the store fee once.
What commission do Apple and Google take?+
Both stores charge a standard 30% on paid apps and digital in-app purchases, reduced to 15% for developers in their small-business programmes (first $1M of yearly proceeds). Subscriptions are charged 15% on Google Play from the start and on the App Store after a subscriber’s first year. Rules differ by country and continue to change.
What is a typical conversion rate to paying users?+
Freemium apps commonly convert low single-digit percentages of active users to paying customers. Enter your own analytics where possible, and test a conservative and an optimistic case.
What is eCPM?+
Effective cost per mille (eCPM) is the ad revenue earned for every 1,000 impressions shown. It depends on ad format, user country, category and fill rate — rewarded video usually pays more than banners.
Are store fees charged on ad revenue?+
No. Apple and Google take a commission on paid downloads and digital purchases processed through their stores. Ad revenue is paid by your ad network under its own terms.
Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial advice. Rates, fees and terms vary — confirm with your lender or a licensed advisor before making decisions.