How does Free Version Promote Paid Version?

raymng · August 2012

As I remember, Apple bans explicit linking to the paid version from free version, so what is the best way to promote the paid version?
Could I show a popup upon users trying to use some functions or exceeding some usage limits??

Thanks!!

mediaspree · August 2012

Is it possible in your case to create an in app purchase that brings functionality up to the full version? My very first app was rejected as I had a free version which tried to "upsell" to the paid version within the app. Upon adding in app purchase it was accepted.

raymng · August 2012

Yes, I know IAP is a solution, but if users buy paid version, that can help the top ranking.
Any other ways to promote paid version??

kkkkkkkk · August 2012

the idea is that you create a free app along with the paid one, and you release them together. the user tests the free app.. likes it. and goes to buy the new one.

I don't understand how they say they reject you for having a link. all the big ones do the same.

raymng · August 2012

kkkkkkkk said:
the idea is that you create a free app along with the paid one, and you release them together. the user tests the free app.. likes it. and goes to buy the new one.

I don't understand how they say they reject you for having a link. all the big ones do the same.

But does it popup or link to the paid one?

kkkkkkkk · August 2012

angry birds & cut the rope had a link to their paid app.

apple is just being ridiculous. you are allowed to advertise whatever the iad crap does. but not your own products.

silly.

HemiMG · August 2012

I don't know that Apple bans linking to the paid version. I do know that they prefer the iap model, presumably to avoid clutter on the app store caused by every app having two versions. The rules for the lite versions, as I remember them, were just that the lite version had to be fully functioning, rather than a demo. You could have 10 levels in your paid version and 2 in your lite version and at the end of the 2nd level tell them that there is more in the paid version. What you couldn't do is have all 10 levels in your lite version, but tell them they have to by the paid version when they try to click on anything past the first 2. Maybe someone will correct me, and maybe things have changed since iap has become the standard, but I don't think the mere act of linking to the paid version is a problem.

taylor202 · August 2012

Trust me from experience, not many people are going to convert from free to paid. That is just the nature of the beast. There are a lot of uses out there that will never pay for apps. That being said apple doesn't usually reject a free and a paid.

raymng · August 2012

HemiMG said:
I don't know that Apple bans linking to the paid version. I do know that they prefer the iap model, presumably to avoid clutter on the app store caused by every app having two versions. The rules for the lite versions, as I remember them, were just that the lite version had to be fully functioning, rather than a demo. You could have 10 levels in your paid version and 2 in your lite version and at the end of the 2nd level tell them that there is more in the paid version. What you couldn't do is have all 10 levels in your lite version, but tell them they have to by the paid version when they try to click on anything past the first 2. Maybe someone will correct me, and maybe things have changed since iap has become the standard, but I don't think the mere act of linking to the paid version is a problem.

My app is a kind of reader app, for free version, users can store up to 3 files for reading, if users try to add more files, app would prompt to buy paid version, do you think it would be rejected?? Also, I would like to add an advertisement banner in the Settings tab, is it allowed??

Thanks!!

raymng · August 2012

Also, I heard that Apple would always reject free/lite version for the same app? Anybody submitted free/lite version recently?
Thanks!!

Orange Qube · August 2012

I have an ear training app with a lite version. It has a visible "buy full version" button that links to the full version (no iap) that you see after opening the app (see the first screenshot).
The lite version has all the features but has limited options (notes and intervals) to choose from. There is a visible text next to the limited options telling about the full version. You can see it on the last screenshot. But there are no disabled buttons.

I updated it frequently, did one quite recently and never had a problem from the reviewers.

raymng · August 2012

Orange Qube said:
I have an ear training app with a lite version. It has a visible "buy full version" button that links to the full version (no iap) that you see after opening the app (see the first screenshot).
The lite version has all the features but has limited options (notes and intervals) to choose from. There is a visible text next to the limited options telling about the full version. You can see it on the last screenshot. But there are no disabled buttons.

I updated it frequently, did one quite recently and never had a problem from the reviewers.

Thanks, when did you publish the first lite version?
Also, do you show any popups when users click on some buttons or trigger some usage limits??

esoteric · August 2012

@raymng I had made a game with a paid and 'Lite' version where a few buttons in the Lite version would open the App Store to the paid version.

This was back in Feb-March, but even back then people were saying you weren't allowed/suppose to do a paid/free version.

raymng · August 2012

esoteric said:
@raymng I had made a game with a paid and 'Lite' version where a few buttons in the Lite version would open the App Store to the paid version.

This was back in Feb-March, but even back then people were saying you weren't allowed/suppose to do a paid/free version.

What are those buttons actually?? Thanks!

HemiMG · August 2012

raymng said:

My app is a kind of reader app, for free version, users can store up to 3 files for reading, if users try to add more files, app would prompt to buy paid version, do you think it would be rejected?? Also, I would like to add an advertisement banner in the Settings tab, is it allowed??

Thanks!!

Only Apple knows for sure, but I think you'll be okay. It doesn't sound like that functionality is all that hard to add, so your best bet is to just try and see. None of my lite/paid apps are recent enough to provide any insight into what they are allowing now.

Orange Qube · August 2012

raymng said:

Orange Qube said:
I have an ear training app with a lite version. It has a visible "buy full version" button that links to the full version (no iap) that you see after opening the app (see the first screenshot).
The lite version has all the features but has limited options (notes and intervals) to choose from. There is a visible text next to the limited options telling about the full version. You can see it on the last screenshot. But there are no disabled buttons.

I updated it frequently, did one quite recently and never had a problem from the reviewers.
Thanks, when did you publish the first lite version?
Also, do you show any popups when users click on some buttons or trigger some usage limits??

It was released Nov 05 '11, but I think an update gets the same checking as a new app. The last update was Jul 12 '12 so quite fresh.

As I have no disabled/grayed out buttons or such stuff so there is no trigger or occasion to do a popup. The only popup is a "rate me" dialog. The "buy full version" goes straight to the app store.

esoteric · August 2012

raymng said:
What are those buttons actually?? Thanks!

The buttons fit with the UI of the game, but one of them on the main screen of the app just says 'Get Full Game'.
I have several worlds in the app, one of them is 'Unlocked in Full Game'. Then in the world select screen I have an extra world button that basically says again 'Get Full Game'.

My Icon even has the word 'LITE' on it...so it's not like the reviewer just missed it either. Got approved no problem back in March. But I don't know if they treat non game types differently.

PavelSea · August 2012

I recently published a Lite version of my app. It has the button to get the full version on the main screen, and it has a nag screen as well. It was accepted without any problems. The last update for the app was approved 2 days ago. (App Store link)

raymng · August 2012

PavelSea said:
I recently published a Lite version of my app. It has the button to get the full version on the main screen, and it has a nag screen as well. It was accepted without any problems. The last update for the app was approved 2 days ago. (App Store link)

When would you show the nag screen? Once upon app open?
It seems Apple won't ban any free versions if the app got some functions working...

panzeriti · August 2012

I have a free and paid version of my Sales Tax Calc apps. I show a "full version" button on app launch along with a "more apps" button and a launch button. Upon selection of the "full version" button, I do not link directly to the full version, but show an ad for the full version with a "get it" button. This way they can check out the details of the full version and only go to the app store if they are really interested. Also, I only show this on launch, not on resume.

raymng · August 2012

panzeriti said:
I have a free and paid version of my Sales Tax Calc apps. I show a "full version" button on app launch along with a "more apps" button and a launch button. Upon selection of the "full version" button, I do not link directly to the full version, but show an ad for the full version with a "get it" button. This way they can check out the details of the full version and only go to the app store if they are really interested. Also, I only show this on launch, not on resume.

Nice idea, it seems Apple doesn't ban any kind of "Get Full version" promote from free version...
I am thinking to add a Popup that will show for every 5-mins to my reader app, if anybody tried this idea before, please let me know..thanks.

PavelSea · August 2012

raymng said:

When would you show the nag screen? Once upon app open?
It seems Apple won't ban any free versions if the app got some functions working...

My app lets you store some data records, and the lite version is limited to up to 5 records at a time. If the user tries to add the 6th record, the nag screen appears.

raymng · August 2012

PavelSea said:

raymng said:

When would you show the nag screen? Once upon app open?
It seems Apple won't ban any free versions if the app got some functions working...
My app lets you store some data records, and the lite version is limited to up to 5 records at a time. If the user tries to add the 6th record, the nag screen appears.

Your idea is similar to mine, would you mind to share the nag screen?
Thanks!!

PavelSea · August 2012

raymng said:

Your idea is similar to mine, would you mind to share the nag screen?
Thanks!!

Here you go:

raymng · August 2012

PavelSea said:

raymng said:

Your idea is similar to mine, would you mind to share the nag screen?
Thanks!!
Here you go:

Thanks a lot!! The link seems to be broken, I only see the thumbnail.

PavelSea · August 2012

Hmmm, strange. Let's try again.

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How does Free Version Promote Paid Version?

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