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App Economics
The real cost of building and shipping apps in 2026 — broken down by platform, with honest math on backend hosting, AI API usage, app-store cuts, and the unit economics that make or break a small studio.
App Economics 2026: The Complete Framework for Builders
Backend costs, AI API costs, app-store cuts, payment processing, payroll. The full unit-economics model that applies to every platform.
iOS App Economics 2026
App Store cut, IAP economics, AI API costs for a Claude-powered iOS app, real numbers from real apps.
Android App Economics 2026
Google Play cut, alternative stores, regional pricing, AI cost differences vs iOS.
Meta VR / Quest App Economics 2026
Horizon Store, App Lab, asset costs, market size, and the realities of shipping for Quest 3 / 3S / 4.
Nintendo Switch 2 App Economics 2026
Nintendo's developer program, dev-kit access, certification, pricing norms, and why most indies still ship Switch.
Web App Economics 2026
No app-store cut, hosting math, SaaS pricing models, AI cost-per-user, and why most modern AI products are web-first.
Windows App Economics 2026
Microsoft Store reality, direct distribution, certificate signing, and pragmatic Windows-app monetization.
macOS App Economics 2026
Mac App Store vs direct distribution, notarization, Setapp, the indie Mac developer playbook.
Apple TV App Economics 2026
The smallest of the Apple platforms, its narrow opportunities, and when an Apple TV companion makes sense.
Apple Watch App Economics 2026
Companion vs independent watch apps, fitness market dynamics, and pragmatic Watch monetization.
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