Colin's Journal

For an app that only recently moved into the 100-500 downloads range, the paid version of ExpenseClam is doing remarkably well. As of writing this, ExpenseClam is number 65 on the list of top grossing apps in the Business category on the Android market.

Looking at the next lower ranked app however I think this is down to how the market treats apps that change categories. Number 66 is an app called SMS super faker, which appears to have always cost the same as ExpenseClam, but is in the 1,000-5,000 download range. According to AppBrain it switched from the Communication to the Business category on the 23rd of December 2010, 6 days before reaching the 1,000  downloads mark. The only explanation I can think of for having a lower gross revenue than ExpenseClam is that it has had far fewer downloads in its new category than previously.

Similarly number 70 (calendar scroll widget agenda) also has far more downloads than ExpenseClam, but has recently changed category.

The lesson to learn from this appears to be that changing category within the market is penalised, at least as far as the top grossing lists are concerned.  Whether this impacts app exposure is another matter. How many apps are purchased as a result of browsing the lower echelons of the top grossing list, versus searching and picking from the featured and staff choices lists is unknown.

Tags: Technology
Posted in Android | Comments Off on App rankings in the Android market