This document examines the differences between ads-supported and paid Android apps. It finds that ads-supported apps use significantly more CPU, memory, network usage, and power than paid apps. For some users, the data and battery costs of ads-supported apps may exceed the price of a paid app within a short period of time. However, users prefer free apps despite rating paid apps more highly. Developers also prefer offering both free and paid versions to maximize their audience. Ads-supported apps are updated and released more frequently than paid apps.

1. Comprehension of Ads-supported
and Paid Android Apps
Are They Different?
Rubén Saborido
Foutse Khomh, Giuliano Antoniol, Yann-Gaël Guéhéneuc
ICPC 2017

4. General Questions
1) How do ads-supported apps impacting
performance and price?
2) How is the ads-supported business model
used?

5. Selection of Subject Apps
1) Eight apps per category (128).
2) From this 63 are not considered:
- Free version without ads (31).
- Non installable apps (14).
- Crashed on a real phone (9).
- Paid version do not work (9).
3) Over 65 apps, 20 are randomly selected.

6. Selection of Subject Apps
random sampling of paid apps with two strata:
ads-supported version and working on a phone.

7. ● 11 different categories.
● Different developers.
● Number of downloads in [50, 100,000,000].
● Rating [2.6, 5.0].
Selection of Subject Apps

8. General Questions
1) How do ads-supported apps impacting
performance and price?
2) How is the ads-supported business
model used?

9. How do ads impacting performance?

10. CPU: 6%
Memory: 42%
Network: 93%
Power: 21%
How do ads impact on performance?

11. CPU: 6%
Memory: 42%
Network: 93%
Power: 21%
How do ads impact on performance?
differences are
statistically significant
and the effect size large.

12. CPU: 6%
Memory: 42%
Network: 93%
Power: 21%
How do ads impact on performance?
network usage 0.21MB and energy consumption 13.98J
(0.0486% of the total battery)

13. PDF book reader ($3.49)
Refresh Rate = 60 s.
100 minutes/day during one month
Data plan 500MB
Each extra MB is $0.015
4.86% of battery every day
Data plan over in 24 days
User billed for 130MB ($1.95)
How do ads impact on price?

14. PDF book reader ($3.49)
Refresh Rate = 60 s.
100 minutes/day during one month
Data plan 500MB
Each extra MB is $0.015
4.86% of battery every day
Data plan over in 24 days
User billed for 130MB ($1.95)
How do ads impact on price?

15. PDF book reader ($3.49)
Refresh Rate = 60 s.
100 minutes/day during one month
Data plan 500MB
Each extra MB is $0.015
How do ads impact on price?
3.49 60
0.21 0.015 1

16. PDF book reader ($3.49)
Refresh Rate = 60 s.
100 minutes/day during one month
Data plan 500MB
Each extra MB is $0.015
After 19 hours it costs more
How do ads impact on price?
3.49 60
0.21 0.015 1

17. PDF book reader ($3.49)
Refresh Rate = 60 s.
100 minutes/day during one month
Data plan 500MB
Each extra MB is $0.015
4.86% of battery every day
Data plan over in 24 days
User billed for 130MB ($1.95)
After 19 hours it costs more
How do ads impact on price?
Depending on use and service provider, paid apps
are sometimes less expensive because their costs
are amortized in a short period of time.

18. General Questions
1) How do ads-supported apps impacting
performance and price?
2) How is the ads-supported business
model used?

19. App Type Downloads Rating
Ads-supported [500, 100,000,000] [2.6, 4.6]
Paid [50, 1,000,000] [3.5, 5.0]
Users prefer ads-supported apps
although they rate paid apps better.
What do users prefer

20. Only Free; 88;
26.59%
Only Paid; 11;
3.32% Both; 232;
70.09%
Only Free Only Paid Both
Developers prefer offering both,
free and paid version
What do developers prefer

21. How often are apps released
21
18
84 101

22. Ads-supported apps have more releases
and are released more often
How often are apps released
21
18
84 101

23. 30% of paid apps offer more functionalities.
Paid apps do not usually include more features
than their corresponding ads-supported versions.
Do ads-supported apps have less features
What is the impact of ads on permissions
- For 15% of apps, paid versions have more permissions.
- For 35% of apps, same permissions.
- For 50% of apps, paid versions have less permissions.

24. 30% of paid apps offer more functionalities.
Paid apps do not usually include more features
than their corresponding ads-supported versions.
Do ads-supported apps have less features
What is the impact of ads on permissions
- For 15% of apps, paid versions have more permissions.
- For 35% of apps, same permissions.
- For 50% of apps, paid versions have less permissions.
paid apps require less permissions but the
validation of their licensing may require extra permissions

25. - Free apps use up to six ad networks.
- AdMob is used by all apps.
- Most developers use the default refresh rate (60 secs.).
What are the ad networks used
and the refresh rate
30% of apps contain ads in their paid versions!

26. Conclusion
● Ads-supported apps are not free.
● Paid apps could be cheaper.
● Free apps are released more often.
● Paid versions less permissions but ...
● Ad networks and paid apps.
Email address:
ruben.saborido-infantes@polymtl.ca