Forum App; Free with Ads, or Low Cost with No Ads?

[Admin]

Planning the forum app.

It'll use the Tapatalk core system, but their unbranded version. I've paid for it for years but haven't used it yet.

We have a couple of options. It'll need to pay for itself somehow.

Please vote.

Discuss as you wish. But I'll be looking at the outcome of the poll mostly.

 

[Andy78]

What's wrong with the current forum app ?

 

[Admin]

The way to go forward is to have our own branded one. So it has it's own app icon on phones. Rather than the shared tapatalk one.

 

[Andy78]

The way to go forward is to have our own branded one. So it has it's own app icon on phones. Rather than the shared tapatalk one.

That's what I already have on my phone. I don't use tapatalk

 

[Admin]

Do you use that old one that doesn't fit the screen properly?

That's really really outdated.

 

[Andy78]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vbulletin.build_272&hl=en_GB

I use that one. It fits my screen perfectly, works fine, and I use it quite often. I think the only limitation is no ability to like or thank a post, but as a forum browser it's simple and easy to use.

 

[Admin]

Last updated August 2012!!

Yeah that's quite an old app now mate. We can keep that one live for a while if we have users of it.

The same Apple iOS app hasn't been available in the app store for a while now.

Generally, rather than me work on that one, which is made by vBulletin, I'd rather work on the Tapatalk one, which is the one that's most used on all our forums.

We'll also eventually be porting the forum software away from vBulletin, which isn't working on our forum version and hasn't been for some time.

We're quite outdated in general over here!

 

[pennychew]

How low is low cost?

 

[walsh builders]

I use the same app. Will the new one have likes etc?

 

[shanky887614]

would rather have no ads and pay dan

 

[Admin]

How low is low cost?

I think the lowest tier on apple's app store is 79p, so either that or the £1.29 or whatever the next tier up is. (To be honest I need to work out the costings etc)

If it's ad-supported, perhaps we try and get both working. So have a free and ad-free version. Not sure if that's possible though I'm looking into it.

I use the same app. Will the new one have likes etc?

Looking into what's possible.

 

[Admin]

Can people vote on the Poll that's added to the thread?

The irony: if you're using a current app you wont see the poll!!!

 

[pennychew]

I think the lowest tier on apply is 79p, so either that or the £1.29 or whatever the next tier up is. (To be honest I need to work out the costings etc)

If it's ad-supported, perhaps we try and get both working. So have a free and ad-free version. Not sure if that's possible though I'm looking into it.



Looking into what's possible.

In that case i've gone for 'low cost - no adds'

 

[walsh builders]

Can people vote on the Poll that's added to the thread?

The irony: if you're using a current app you wont see the poll!!!

What poll

I'll pay the pennys for no adverts.

 

[IrishSpark]

No ads. Although only a new member I be on this page a few times daily and it would suck to high heaven with ads. Even at £2-£3 it would still be worth it to have it adless!

 

[midgetman]

No ads I willingly pay. I cant see poll so that would be good lol

 

[shanky887614]

i personally dont mind the ablock adds when i very rarely use the normal website i just block those elements lol, i would rather support the site but id rather do it through donations or paid app etc

 

[happysteve]

If you can do both relatively stress free then do that. Many apps have a "free with ads" version that you can upgrade to an ad-free version (like a calculator app, say). So you try the free one, put up with ads for a bit whilst you try it out, then if it's good you pay the pennies. I will happily pay pennies to remove ads, but not if I end up with a product that's worse that viewing the forum through a browser.

If it's too much hassle to develop 2 versions, perhaps just go for the paid one. Folk on here know how to whinge. You'll soon find out whether it's any good or not!

 

[Geordie Spark]

Last updated August 2012!!

Yeah that's quite an old app now mate. We can keep that one live for a while if we have users of it.

The same Apple iOS app hasn't been available in the app store for a while now.

Generally, rather than me work on that one, which is made by vBulletin, I'd rather work on the Tapatalk one, which is the one that's most used on all our forums.

We'll also eventually be porting the forum software away from vBulletin, which isn't working on our forum version and hasn't been for some time.

We're quite outdated in general over here!

If it isn't broke don't fix it!!

 

[Plonker 3]

How would the forum app you are thinking of developing be different from Tapatalk?

 

[Andy78]

If it isn't broke don't fix it!!

Exactly. I quite like the free with no ads version I have right now

 

[Bobster]

How would the forum app you are thinking of developing be different from Tapatalk?

It'll have the EF logo on the app, plus make more money.