[This documentation is preliminary and is subject to change.]
Metro style apps give you a number of ways to make money for the hard work you put into developing great apps.
Note Windows 8 Release Preview supports only free apps and free in-app offers. Trial periods and in-app offers are supported, so you can use and test these features in your app even though the price is free. Until you are registered as a Windows Store developer, you can test these features only on your local computer.
Trial, paid, and mixed versions
You can list your Metro style apps in the Windows Store such that your customers must pay for it before they can use it (a full-featured, paid app) or where they can try it for free for a while (a free-trial period). A user can upgrade from a trial version of your app to a full purchase from within the app or through the Windows Store.
The License API provides the interface that allows you to check the app's license state and the state of purchases made through the app. You can also use it to check the expiration dates of in-app purchases, and let users make new purchases from within the app.
For more info about how to plan and design these types of apps, see:
- More about full-featured, paid apps
- More about offering your app for a free trial period
- How customers see your app in the Windows Store
In-app sales
In-app sales let you sell content, other apps, or new app functionality, such as unlocking the next level of a game from within the app. You can put buy options anywhere in your app that makes a convenient experience for your customers.
For more info about how to plan and design sales from within your app, see More about in-app purchases.
In-app advertising
You can sell and include ads in your app. Be careful in designing where you place the ads so that your user experience remains strong. Also, make sure the ads provided by the ad service comply with the Certification requirements for Windows apps before you include them in your app.
Related topics
Build date: 5/22/2012
