So I’m very new to making apps (as you can see by all of my questions), I’m not sure how this would work.
My app has two user types. User A that is the owner of the information in the app. User B that only has partial information from User A based on what User A shares. User A will be the one paying for the use of the app. User B should not pay anything to download and use the app.
How would this be set up in the stores? Will this require 2 different apps, one paid and one free? If so how can I separate them to where the info is connected? Is this even possible?
It depends on the information and setup of the app.
If the users see the same app, but just see less/more information you can create a record in your users collection that is something like “VIP” or “Paid User” and make that a true/false and set it up on each user accordingly.
Then you will just make certain information visible with the condition that the user is a VIP (or whatever you want to call it)
On the other side, if you want to do two apps you can do that as well. When you are creating the second app there is an option to use the database from another app, you just select that option and the database you want to use.
This is helpful. I would prefer to keep it in just one app. It’s less information that the non-paid user will see and their screens are a little different.
So how will the app stores know when to apply a charge for the app and when not to when a person is downloading it?
Hmmmm, I’m trying to process how that would work for my case.
So i when they download the app everyone will have a free trial if the account they set up is user B theirs will stay free. If it’s user A they will begin to get charged. Correct??? and the stores will know who to charge based on the paid users T/F property in the users collection?
No, you will just say something like “Go to the store section to buy a VIP membership, VIP will gain you these features”
Then on your store you have an in app purchase for the VIP. When they buy the VIP you set that button to also change their T/F property of VIP to true.
Again, not knowing much about your app its hard to say if this method would work for you but its a pretty basic way of doing it.
As far as I know you have to build 2 apps . or at least publish it as 2 apps, if the app should cost money within the play store. After publishing your app you cant change the status to “free / paid”.
The thing @Bobby describes could be achieved with In App Purchases (after the app was downloaded) or when the 2 apps share the same database. You just have to figure out a mechanism to flag the user from the paid app (e.g. as suggested by @Bobby )
Once your app has been offered for Free , the app can’t be changed to Paid . If you want to charge for the app, you need to create a new app with a new package name and set a price.
Ok. I think I got it. So I can publish the app call it one name “Togetherness” list it as paid, publish the exact same app call it “Togetherness Parent” and list it as “free”?
If so, can the free version be hidden and only accessible with a link directly to it?