[vpdn]

To put another data point out there: I recently released a little kids puzzle game[1]. I payed a friend to help out with the coding, contracted out illustrations and purchased the sounds from stock sound services. I've put in around 10k$ to develop the app and it's generating around 2$/day. It will take me roughly 13-14years to break even :)

However I also see the app as a advertising for my consultation business and plan to use it to cross promote my next kids app[2], so it's hard to figure out the real cost/benefit structure.

[1] Animal Puzzle - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/kids-animal-puzzle/id54051213...

[2] ToddlerTube - http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4504690

[kranner]

I released a free game [1] recently which had been performing rather poorly with IAP. But in a recent release, I reduced the amount of free gameplay and allowed users to use (and spend) more than one hint per level (and of course I sell hint packs). Since then it's been doing much better.

If you don't mind unsolicited advice (and I've only seen your screenshots):

a. How about releasing a paid version of your app with everything enabled but no IAP? If nothing else, you'll come up in the new releases chart again.

b. I'm not sure what your in-app store looks like, but in my game I sell a 'combo' pack which includes two regular packs and 10 hints, all available separately, for a discounted price. I call it a 'combo super-saver' and even put a yellow star in front of it to draw the eye. It is the biggest selling SKU by far. Can you try something like that?

[1] https://itunes.apple.com/app/alphabet-connection-logic/id560...