Indie developers around the world are discovering effective ways to earn passive income through mobile apps. By leveraging monetization strategies such as ads, in-app purchases, subscriptions, and app reskinning, developers can generate long-term revenue without constant maintenance. With the growing app market, especially in Android and iOS ecosystems, even a single well-built app can earn money daily.

Below is a comparison table of the most common passive income strategies:
Monetization Method | Initial Effort | Ongoing Maintenance | Revenue Potential |
---|---|---|---|
Ad Networks (AdMob, Meta) | Low | Low | Medium |
In-App Purchases | Medium | Medium | High |
Subscriptions | High | Medium | Very High |
App Reskin & Sell | Medium | Low | Medium |
Affiliate Marketing | Medium | Medium | Medium to High |
For indie developers starting out, platforms like CodeCanyon offer pre-built source code templates that can be reskinned and monetized easily, helping reduce development time while still allowing flexibility in branding and function.
By combining automation, analytics, and minimal updates, indie developers can build an ecosystem of apps that earns income consistently over time, freeing them to pursue other creative projects or simply enjoy more free time.