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Giacomo Balli
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96 Online resources for app development, design, testing & monetizing

App Store Optimization Tools

“What are the best tools to use to start my app business?”
We get asked this question a lot, and it's no wonder.
If you do a quick Google search, you'll see that there are literally thousands of online tools for helping you build your app business, from design, to programming, to marketing and more.
Unless you have a very clear idea of the types of tools you are looking for, and are very sophisticated, it can be incredibly difficult to tell which tools do the job, and which ones are the best.
Of course, if you really want to get a handle on how to start your app business all in once place, make sure you check out The App Code 2.0 webinar.
Instead of spending hours browsing your Google searches for the perfect tool, just check out the list below of the top 97 app utilities we found for all your most common needs, separated into logical categories. Check ‘em out…and make sure you don't skip #97!

Eye Catching Design

You don't have to work at Instagram to know that any app worth its development time should have a great design. Without it, even those who download your app will forget about it after just one open or two. Make sure you have eye catching apps using the design tools below:
*UI=User Interface
1 – App Cooker - Advanced mockup generator for mobile iOS applications. 2 – Proto.io – Super-fast app prototyping. 3 – Mockabilly – App for creating simple mockups right on your iPhone. 4 – UI Stencils – Stencils, sketch pads and accessories for making UI design easy. 5 – Interface – Mockup and prototyping app for iPhone or iPad. 6 – justinmind – Rich, interactive wire-framing tools to outline your mobile apps. 7 – UXPin – Advanced user experience design tools for professionals. 8 – Symbolicons - Simple, precise and awesome vector icons. 9 – Prototypes – Turn your stackable designs into an iPhone prototype. 10 – Blueprint – A spiffy iPad app for mocking up iPad or iPhone applications. 11 – Mobility –free set of mobile UI design elements. 12 – Android GUI Set – Free Android Graphical User Interface set including Photoshop files.

App Development, Data Management, and Analytics

If you're ready to get your hands dirty, check out these tools for development, content & data management, as well as all-important app analytics. Shout out to Flurry, our personal favorite app analytics program.
13 – Cloudmine – A great tool to help you stop writing backends for your mobile apps. 14 – Parse – Add a powerful and scalable backend to your app in minutes. 15 – Appboy - User engagement, CRM, analytics and more. 16 – Flurry - Analytics, traffic acquisition and monetization. 17 – Mixpanel - Mobile analytics. Actions speak louder than page views. 18 – Scoreloop – Cross-platform mobile gaming SDK. Virtual currency and more. 19 – PhoneGap – Open source HTML5 framework that supports 7 platforms. 20 – Kontagent - User analytics for the mobile web. 21 – Appcelerator – Mobile app platform for building on Android, iOS and mobile web. 22 – Kendo UI Mobile – Build HTML5 apps that look native on any device. 23 – Appoxee - Making mobile app engagement easy, effective and trackable. 24 – Localytics – Powerful tools and actionable insights. 25 – Precog – Harness the power of big data to build smarter apps. 26 – Apsalar – Allows mobile publishers to analyze, optimize and monetize. 27 – Sencha – HTML5 framework for mobile devies. 28 – Flow – Build real-time apps faster, better, smarter. 29 – Game Closure – Offer a JavaScript game SDK. Runs on mobile/tablet devices. 30 – StackMob – Robust and flexible end-to-end HTML5 platform. 31 – Claritics – Intelligent analytics for mobile app developers. 32 – Tiggzi – Cloud-based mobile app builder. 33 – Capptain – Combines analytics and CRM features. 34 – Placed – The Placed SDK enables location analytics for your app. 35 – GENWI - Cloud publishing for mobile.

Get Downloads and Monetize

What's the point of an app business if you can't make money? Check out these resources for generating downloads and revenue:
36 – iAd – A significant revenue stream for iOS developers. 37 – Revmob – One of the most popular in app ad services (with higher commissions for App Code 2.0 members) 38 – inneractive – One of the top in-app monetization solutions for mobile app developers. 39 – Burstly – Helps developers and enables their apps to make more money. 40 – Airpush – Android app monetization using a push ad network. 41 – Medialets – Mobile rich media advertising. 42 – xAd – Local mobile ads. 43 – madvertise – European mobile advertising marketplace. 44 – Pontiflex – Mobile performance advertising. 45 – WHERE Ads – Deliver relevant local ads to your audience. 46 – Jumptap – Targeted mobile advertising. 47 – Tapgage – Mobile interstitial ads (also has a “click exchange” for driving traffic).

Test, Test And Test some more

While your apps will always need some fine tuning, it's much better to do it before the one-star reviews start piling up. Use these tools to make your app the best it can be before it hits the app store.
48 – Apptentive – Easy in-app feedback for iPhone application developers. 49 – Apphance – Instant, accurate and complete mobile testing. 50 – Crashlytics - Powerful yet lightweight crash reporting for iOS and Android. 51 – StartUpLift – Submit your startup. Get featured. Get feedback. 52 – Crittercism – Gives you real-time, actionable crash reports for mobile apps. 53 – BetaBait – Find beta users and testers. 54 – BugSense – Crash reports for Android, WP and iOS apps. 55 – iPad GUI PSD – A free vector iPad GUI set. 56 – uTest – End-to-end software testing. 57 – Truevoo – Submit iPhone apps for users to review.

App Marketing

“If you build it, they will come” is a thing of the past. These days, if you're going to build it, make sure you can market it. Luckily, there is no shortage of tools out there to make your job easier…
58 – apptap - App search, recommendations and marketing. 59 – AppCod.es - iOS app store SEO and marketing. 60 – Appency - Professional mobile application marketing. 61 – App.net - Market your mobile apps with beauty, strength and intelligence. 62 – Chartboost - Succeed in the app store through cross-promotion. 63 – Appular - iPhone application marketing and public relations. 64 – Appia - An open app marketplace with over 32k developers. 65 – App Store Optimization - SEO for mobile apps. 66 – AppCircus - The global open app showcase platform. 67 – buzzdoes - App marketing and distribution tool.

Improving App Functionality

Even with “app builder” programs, there are only so many features you can add to your app from a single source…but if you simply start poking around for ideas, things can get confusing – and fast. Still, if you're set on advanced features like in-app messaging or a suite of in app purchases, these tools have you covered:
68 – PubNub - Blazingly fast cloud-hosted messaging service for real-time apps. 69 – Xtify - Push notifications for iOS, Android and Blackberry devices. 70 – Lookio - Live in-app support for mobile applications. 71 – CENZIC - Solutions for mobile application security. 72 – SecureUDID - A UDUD solution that's secure and respects privacy. 73 – Verious - A mobile app component marketplace. 74 – ZooZ - Start accepting secure in-app payments within minutes. 75 – Trestle - Powerful cloud services for your mobile apps.

Other Noteworthy Tools…

Some tools don't quite fit into the most important categories above, and are useful or innovative enough that they deserve a category of their own. Make sure you don't miss the tools below as you're building your app business. And, don't forget about #97!
76 – Interstate – Plan and share development progress using roadmaps. 77 – Mobile Orchard – The iPhone app developer's blog. 78 – Appolocious - Discover iPhone and iPad apps. A Yahoo directory. 79 – Orientation to Android Training – Official Android classes. 80 – StackOverflow - Question and answer site for programmers. 81 – Tap2Print – Monetize your photo/image app. 82 – StartApp – Get paid for your Android app downloads. 83 – BlueStacks – Run Android apps on Windows. 84 – Tapjoy - Drive more installs and boost your revenue. 85 – Vungle – Video trailers for your app. 86 – Skala Preview – Sends lossless, color-accurate previews to any iOS device. 87 – Apptopia – Buy and sell app ownership. 88 – Appbackr – Get your apps funded or profit from funding apps. 89 – App Annie - App store analytics and market intelligence. 90 – Mopapp – App store analytics. 91 – Pieceable – Make your iOS apps work in the browser. 92 – Chupa – The marketplace for buying/selling mobile app components. 93 – Distimo - Providing valuable insight into the app store marketplace. 94 – Appsfunder - Fund your development. Build up customers. Keep ownership. 95 – PlayHaven – Mobile game LTV maximization platform and cross-promotion. 96 – Appstores.com – White label app store and distribution platform.
via AppCode

#app development, #app store optimization tools, #resources, #tools
Published: Fri, Apr 26 2013 @ 11:18:33
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