Are you wondering what the most expensive app on the app store is? With more than 6.5 billion active smartphone users worldwide, it comes as no surprise that the mobile app market is growing at a staggering pace. In addition, app usage and smartphone penetration are showing no signs of slowing down. Not now, and definitely not in the future.
In fact, have you ever wondered how many times people check their phones daily? Surely, you must have noticed that almost everyone has their eyes fixated on their mobile devices these days. In fact, 74% of Americans don’t feel comfortable leaving their phones at home, and a majority of Nigerians also fall into this category.
From watching funny TikToks to quick social check-ins and replying to work emails, these are some of the reasons why Americans spend around 2 hours and 54 minutes on their phones every day. When you add this time up over a year, that is an approximate total of 44 days per year. And this scrolling lifestyle shows no sign of vanishing into thin air.
In a bid to gain revenue from this deluge of attention, many entrepreneurs are always trying to find better app ideas, better features, and better ways of modernization. So, the first aim of every app on the store is to make money.
A Quick Overview of the App Store in 2023
Although Apple wasn’t the first company to design mobile smartphones, it has done a good job of popularizing smartphones for public use. Ever since the first iPhone was presented in 2007, Apple has changed the way people use phones and paved the way for users. This is why the company’s worldwide market share is continuously rising and accounts for 27.8% of the mobile operating system market.
So, while Android has over 70% of the market share, Apple’s App Store subscriptions generated $13.5 billion in revenue in 2021. This is roughly three times more than the $4.8 billion that Google Play generated. This suggests that iOS users tend to spend more on subscriptions and in-app purchases.
These figures have attracted small and emerging developers to try and find global success in the App Store. And luckily, some of them have found it. The App Store promises a dynamic and thriving app ecosystem with lots of business opportunities and innovations.
According to research, the App Store continues to offer growth opportunities for small businesses, namely:
- Earnings for small developers who were active in 2019 increased by 113% between 2019 and 2021. Their growth significantly outpaced that of large developers.
- 45% of app creators who earned more than $1 million in 2021 were not on the App Store or had less than $10K in earnings five years ago
Apple has a closed ecosystem. This means that users cannot download and use apps that are not available on the App Store. And with 2.22 million available apps, Apple is the second-largest mobile app store that offers unlimited opportunities for app entrepreneurs.
However, to get to the top charts, two things need to happen:
- Users have to download your app
- After downloading, they must use your app
Apps cannot succeed without users and downloads. Therefore, your app should provide real value; this will attract people to download and use it more than once.
That being said, let us analyze the most expensive apps on the App Store and try to find their success formula.
Most Expensive App On The App Store
Most mobile device users prefer to use free apps for several purposes, ranging from personal enjoyment, learning, commerce, security, and so much more. That being said, the best apps come with price tags, and several of them will take more than a chunk out of your wallet.
So, yes, some of the best things in life might be free, but it seems like that analogy does not apply to mobile apps.
Google’s Android operating system, by virtue of having the largest volume of users and compatible third-party mobile apps, is dominating the mobile device markets. This is majorly because most smartphone and tablet manufacturers find the operating system friendly, and its commands easy to configure. However, that does not mean that Apple’s iOS is slacking when it comes to pricey apps.
Therefore, we will be listing the ten most expensive apps on the app stores, starting from the least expensive and working our way upwards.
10. The Alchemist SMS – $499.99
If you are an Apple smartphone user who works in the metal industry, specifically in recycling and scrap management, you will love the Alchemist app. Costing $999.99, it gives users a way to successfully reduce the expenses of raw materials.
In a nutshell, the Alchemist app lets users come up with a “Charge” mix. This mix is based on the metals they have available in their inventory, and they can use it to pre-define the specifications and chemistries of steel alloys. It also has other tools that aid in the management of the metal inventory, like exporting and importing steel catalogs and more.
9. Verituner – $599
Verituner started as far back as 2001 with the Verituner 100, a custom portable tuning device. In 2011, Verituner brought this tuning technology to iPhones, iPods, and iPads.
By using the features like pitch raises, aural quality tunings, access to the best historical temperaments, AutoNote, and more, Verituner can catch inharmonicity. It uses multi-partial technology that calculates tuning to perfectly match each piano’s unique scaling. This eliminates the tiresome pre-tuning measurement steps.
8. GunBros Apathy Bear – $600
While GunBros is technically a free gaming app for iPhone and iPad users, it has an in-app purchase that will definitely raise your eyebrows for a moment.
The developer, Glu Games, created a special character called Apathy Bear, who you can buy for $600. The character can simultaneously fire 11 bullets and each projectile deals 4,000 damage points. This makes it a serious boost for serious mobile gamers who need an edge over their rivals.
7. QSFFStats – $999.99
First released in 2011, the QSFFStats is for hardcore football fans who want to keep themselves updated. It supplies stats for all passing leagues and lets users upload play-by-play stats via email.
And that’s all. The app offers nothing more significant in terms of functionality, which is surprising, what with its expensive price tag.
6. roc.Kasse – $999.99
roc.Kasse is a mobile app that allows iPads to work as a digital cash register. It is a great solution for cafes, restaurants, clubs, and retailers allowing them to optimize their cashier workflow and everyday routine payment processes. It also doesn’t need an internet connection to work.
And while this app might look pretty expensive at first sight, for business owners, it is better to pay $1K than develop their own app which will definitely cost more money and time.
5. VueCAD Pro – $1,000
The VueCAD Pro is a specialized utility app for engineers and designers. It offers them an awesome application to deconstruct a design, piece by piece, and implement modifications to CADs using an iPhone or iPad.
4. BarMax California – $1,000
Any lawyer can tell you that the Bar exam is, without doubt, one of the hardest tests ever designed for the human mind. If you aim to pass that, then you should probably invest in BarMax California.
Designed by a Harvard Law alumnus, BarMax California comes with questions from past Bar exams and lectures from law professors. And having consistently ranked in the top 40 educational apps, BarMax California is the only app that Bar takers deem as a comprehensive guide.
3. Alpha-Trader – $1,000
This is for those who love to gamble and trade in the stock market. Described as a “fully integrated investment trading suite” in the iTunes store, Alpha Trader is certainly a way to get that all-important significant edge.
The app boasts a vast selection of trading tools designed for investors and other investment professionals. It makes stock market trading easy with its host of portfolio management features and functionalities. Its other benefits include bringing real-time stock numbers as well as updated spreadsheets of performance indicators.
2. CyberTuner – $1,000
The bigger brother of Verituner mentioned above, CyberTuner is a tuning software tool for piano lovers. The app’s creator, Dean Reyburn, is not a professional developer, but a professional piano tuner who tuned pianos using his ears and a tuning hammer. He developed this program in 2012 to help tune pianos faster and with better precision.
Cybertuner can store settings for each piano. This eliminates the need to reinvent the wheel whenever you want to use the same instrument. Its ease of use makes it the top choice for many piano technicians, and it provides accurate pitch correction with “Smart Tune” and “Pitch Raise” modes.
The app leverages an “Octave Tuning Style ‘S’” that calculates the best possible tuning for short pianos to 9-foot concert grands. Powered by AI, CyberTuner can run about 6,000 checks per second. And with a yearly subscription, users also get access to superior multi-language support that can provide tech advice and help solve any issues.
So, yes, the price is indeed high. But then, Cybertuner provides piano technicians with unique value and allows them to tune pianos faster and with greater accuracy than tuning by ear.
1. Abu Moo Collection – $1,200
What better way to show you’re filthy rich with no idea how to spend your money than to purchase a pack of the most useless Android apps? The Abu Moo Collection is a series of applications that serve no purpose but to adorn your phone’s home screen with a gemstone.
Each gemstone costs $200, so if you want to complete the collection, then you need to spend $1,200.
So, hit the link, buy the app, and show your gemstones to your friends. Just to tell them just how rich you really are.
Summing Up Most Expensive App On The App Store
You can always find free apps as well as super expensive ones on the App Store. And while some of them get high ratings and have millions of users, others are far behind.
Remember that every app is unique and has its own formula for success. However, setting a high fixed price for an app is risky, since not every user is ready to pay $999.99 for a product without trying it out. But then, one takes another look at the Abu Moo Collection and wonders what the hell is going on.
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