How to make money with dApps? An Ultimate Guide

A tried and true revenue generation method is to develop a project idea and then raise capital through a crowdsale that is backed by a token.

Developers and project leaders looking to embark on the crowdsale route need to be prudent with dApp development and be clear to potential users about its functionality, advantages, and unique attributes. Development teams also need to be transparent about token distribution and cultivate a loyal following as much as they can. 

Some dApp developers make money through transaction fees, which can be particularly lucrative if the application is popular and heavily used. For example, if a dApp has a 10% transaction fee, that means 10% of every transaction amount will go to the platform service provider.

While transaction fees can be an easy way to make money, dApp developers need to be careful about transaction fees. If fees are too high, users might be swayed away from the platform. Even worse, too-high transaction fees could lead some to build their own version of a dApp with fewer transaction fees and then persuade users to migrate over. 

Some choose to add the opportunity for premium functionality to a dApp at a particular cost. For example, a gaming dApp could entice users to pay for boosts, special equipment, or level advancements for a fee in digital currency. 

Subscriptions are very popular in the traditional world but do have a place within DeFi. Some dApp developers choose to offer special premium access or functionality that can be accessed by subscription. The subscription-based model is desirable as creators have ‘guaranteed’ income as subscribers sign up and renew. Subscriptions can either be usage based, where a certain feature or attribute has a limited number of uses, or time-based, where users could turn to an enhancement for a particular set duration. Developers need to be wise and carefully consider which subscription model would work best.

Advertisements are still somewhat of a novel concept within the blockchain world as a tool for monetization. However, they can be effective ways for dApps developers to make money. 

Soliciting donations might not work for every platform, but can be a particularly useful strategy for dApp projects that intend to tackle a social cause or issue of concern. Some developers place a ‘donate’ button within the dApp itself, on the project website, and on applicable social media platforms to raise awareness. 

The creation of digital goods like NFTs is another useful strategy for dApp monetization. For example, the developers of the popular CryptoKitties platform originally gave Generation 0 NFT kitties for users to keep as a collectible item.

As the cute NFTs became more popular, additional users flowed into the CryptoKitties platform who were ready to buy, sell, trade, and ultimately help expand the entire ecosystem. 

This list includes effective ways to help developers make money off of dApp development.

It’s always prudent for developers to study their target markets and conduct smart research to decide what strategies might work based on revenue generation goals and user interests.

Referral marketing has made big waves within traditional e-commcerce, but has also made an impact within the dApp world.

Several platforms allow users to promote a particular website and then get paid based on referred traffic. Since the crypto world is one where the community can make-or-break a project, effective referral marketing endeavors can lead to massive financial returns.