Android Question Active Installs / Total Installs

[basil99]

First of all, my apologise if this question does't fit this subforum, if so, plz move it to the proper location

I have an free app in google store and it has say 1000 downloads. On other hand, google admin report ( say ) 300 active installs, so active users percentage is 30%.

My question is - what is "typical" ratio for free/paid apps ? Is this a a significant indicator, like 50% is "good", less then 20% is bad etc, or I need to ignore this values

Thanks

 

[eps]

I'd mostly ignore the numbers. The only one that gets reported publicly is the total. On the other hand if you're only generating revenue from adverts then you need a high number of active installs. It would be worth monitoring feedback, competition and crashes.

It also depends on the type of App. I've got some Apps which pertain to annual events and some which are every two years.. You're only going to see interest around these dates. Another is mostly active from March until November.. The numbers ebb and flow with the seasons and so on.

In my experience you need to be updating the App and making it feel current and for Users to feel that issues are being investigated and acted upon in a speedy and communicative manner.

I've also placed my free Apps on Slideme.org and Amazon.

I think you have to ask yourself why people are uninstalling the App, is it because it's no good, or there's an alternative or they've installed on a device for which it hasn't been properly developed (mostly screen scaling issues) and so on. Hopefully you should be getting some feedback about this.

I think most of my Apps have a 4 and a bit star rating, so that's a fairly good measure. Ideally you need to push it, so that it reaches 1k and 5k downloads as soon as possible. Have you got some friends who can install the App and give you some feedback about it? I try to get colleagues and friends to download the App, but give them as little information about it, as possible - to try and ensure that the App is being found. If they can't find it, or don't seem to understand how to use it, then it needs some rework and the description and title need some work on it, to ensure it can be found using keywords or phrases that Users would expect to find it under for instance.

I think some of my Apps have been out for around 3 years now, so have enough years worth of data to understand the seasonal ebbs and flows.

Make sure it's in the Share your creations part of the website here and also mention it on Twitter and Facebook for instance and other forums or forums on which the subject matter is applicable for instance.

 

[basil99]

Thanks for reply, Eps
My app is educational and it may be needed for students to make calculations. Downloads are around zero during late spring/summer and grows up during autumn/winter. Its clear. Apps are tools ppl use for their purposes, then delete, its no problem

But my question is about does active/total ratio has sense, from your long reply i just got you don't pay attention on this, so i keep asking )

 

[eps]

I did, but they ebb and flow, you need a good few years data to spot any trends and accept that trends happen, especially when new versions of the OS come out and new devices and so on.

 

[eps]

I guess it depends on how big you view your target market as being?

 

[basil99]

i'm looking for criteria that probably could tell me is my app god or bad. For dedicated niche such as math educatioanal app as i made and for other aps as well. Like 10% active installs for free games means bad, but for kitchen apps this value looks good. Smth like this.

 

[thedesolatesoul]

Its simple. Tools have higher retention ratio (until you need them).
Games have very low retention since u uninstall it once you use it.

Also look for signs where your ratio is dropping for no reason (once i uploaded a bad apk for a month!) Didnt realize till a long time.

There is really no criteria. Who knows why people downloaded the app. Maybe they got the wrong search result by mistake.
I guess your app will fall around the 30-50% mark since people would keep educational apps for a while (as long as they like it).

 

[eps]

I think you need to look at the feedback given. Are you getting 5 stars or 1 star? If most are 5s and 4s, then it's good, if they're mostly 2s and 1s then it's no good and hopefully Users are giving constructive feedback and you can act on it. Again, as above, if you are getting lots of crashes, etc.. you need to resolve these asap.

 

[eps]

What is your App..?

 

[basil99]

My app is for linear algebra. Matrcies, equations etc. Free version is limited with 3x3 matrices and square equtions only. No crashes according to the google admin, and not much rationgs, like ppl dl, use, delete and don't bother to rate and feedback.

 

[eps]

So you need to figure out why... Have you put a link in Share your Creations on here? Asked people for feedback that you know? Put a link in your signature on here, mention it on other websites and possibly on educational websites, at your local school, etc..?

 

[eps]

How are people finding your App? Are there any similar Apps, what do they do that you don't? Have you got a roadmap? etc.. Target market is??? Age range? geo-specific? Are your competitors getting feedback about things that you could actually implement or that are in your roadmap?

Feel free to PM me a link, searching on linear algebra returns a lot of Apps and it looks like around 100 are like yours... You need to stand out from the crowd.

 

[basil99]

Eps, thanks for your questions ;-) Frankly, i made this app, upload it and forget. This was the first app i made with B4A, so I need a sort of portfolio. By some reasons I move aside from android programming, it may require a different topic to discuss why...

Seems, i'm stupid today, can't figure out how to PM you , so here is a link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=Vespa+Crabro